Glad you like it. No I haven’t written about it at more length than in that post, and it is entirely my own speculation, based only on the phenomenology of clinical depression and the rank theory I referenced.
I don’t have any reading on depression to recommend that is anywhere near as good as SSC. And that’s despite my working as a research associate at a depression-focused nonprofit.
Here’s a quote from the link above: “What triggers the depression response is a lack of obviously relatively weaker (dependent or safe to bully) group members”.
“Weakness” isn’t a straightforward word. It’s not a precise word. In general this theory hasn’t had the amount of work needed to be precise.
It can be that the thing that matters for weakness is having power over other people. The power relationship between a mother and her child is complex.
Good point. While this theory does predict that nobody who has recently won a physical fight or successfully bullied someone (in a non-virtual setting) should have acute depression symptoms, I’d rather be cautious about less obviously one-sided imbalances. After all, kids are quite dependent for several more years after postpartum subsides, and they evidently don’t confer depression symptoms immunity for that entire period.
Offtopic, but I like your theory of depression have you ever written about it elsewhere longer? Or any recommended online readings?
Glad you like it. No I haven’t written about it at more length than in that post, and it is entirely my own speculation, based only on the phenomenology of clinical depression and the rank theory I referenced.
I don’t have any reading on depression to recommend that is anywhere near as good as SSC. And that’s despite my working as a research associate at a depression-focused nonprofit.
The status possibility doesn’t explain post-partum depression.
Why not?
The baby is very vulnerable to the mother.
But the baby is also able to often dictate when the mother sleeps and has power over the mother. At least if the mother lets it.
Here’s a quote from the link above: “What triggers the depression response is a lack of obviously relatively weaker (dependent or safe to bully) group members”.
“Weakness” isn’t a straightforward word. It’s not a precise word. In general this theory hasn’t had the amount of work needed to be precise.
It can be that the thing that matters for weakness is having power over other people. The power relationship between a mother and her child is complex.
Good point. While this theory does predict that nobody who has recently won a physical fight or successfully bullied someone (in a non-virtual setting) should have acute depression symptoms, I’d rather be cautious about less obviously one-sided imbalances. After all, kids are quite dependent for several more years after postpartum subsides, and they evidently don’t confer depression symptoms immunity for that entire period.
It wouldn’t surprise me if some bosses are seriously depressed even though they have a complex relationship with employees.
I would also like to remain updated about this theory and subsequent writings. (repeat to ping you too)
I would also like to remain updated about this theory and subsequent writings.