I've been reading Slow Death by Rubber Duck: How the toxic chemistry of everyday life affects our health (Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie).
According to this book our bodies are absorbing toxic substances that are in the objects which surround our modern lives - everything from pesticides in food and waterways to fire retardants woven into our clothes and emanating from the back of TV sets.
I just wonder whether these chemicals also affect our mental health.
Mercury poisoning causes (among other horrific things like, say, death) irritability and fogginess of mind. Exposure of infants to pesticides is linked with neuron damage affecting brain development. There are links with ADHD and Autism to name but a couple of things.
What about other toxins which haven't yet been as closely studied?
The prevalence of mood disorders is rising. Of course there are other reasons for the increase in reported incidence.
*Culturally we approach mental illness in a different way now. It is diagnosed, labelled, acknoweldged as a treatable condition. We don't put it down so much to artistic temperment, melancholy; we don't hide mad wives in the attic so much (aka doing a Rochester).
Contextually it may have been just one of many other physical hardships, buried amidst concerns about the myriad of illnesses that could kill you.
And given the poor quality of living and working conditions (obviously compressing entire centuries and civilisations in these sweeping statements) who wouldn't be depressed?
I'm not saying depression is a luxury of our time any more than cancer is. **But we live longer now. Our lives are supposed to be easier. And yet this illness, this hopeless withering of self from the inside seems to be everywhere.
What if there aren't just a few causes for depression? What if there are literally millions of them? Tiny particles that live in our blood, fat tissue, organs, brain matter - leached out from our stain resistant couches and antiperspirants?
Not all of us are necessarily affected the same way. Some very unlucky people have chemical sensitivies that are physically evident in rashes, respiratory problems and other symptoms.
What if depression is another health effect of toxic chemical exposure in our everyday lives?
I think this is a question worth asking.
What do you think? Do you know of any studies that have been done? Or do you have a hunch either way about this theory?
Flo
*As very narrowly defined by my culture
**I mean this from my standpoint as a person who is privileged in so many ways. It's certainly not the beautiful life for so many living in this age.
My theory of depression is that it's a normal reaction to injury, whether physical or emotional. The body reacts by changing the chemicals in the brain to subdue reactions to the injury. Otherwise, the depressive has reduced mental, and physical capacities, to prevent further injury.
ReplyDeleteI DO think our environment influences, but the influences I see are the stressful environment that is created by our fast paced society. Not everyone(if anyone) is suited for this environment and the result is more depression.
I could be wrong, but what I've noticed about depression is that those most affected are those that are the least capable of adapting to drastic changes. I think a major part of this adaptation is a learned skill, instead of a natural skill. That's why therapy is so importanti, IMO. That's, also, why I think people make their lives way too complicated and need to balance their wants and needs. It's too easy to overload with excessive "things" that are acquired compulsively/
I haven't developed a theory, but in may husband's case, he is a survivor of torture and trauma.
ReplyDelete@Jess & Karen - very interesting thoughts. So is it that depression is a result of the brain adapting to injury? A bit like chronic pain perhaps which comes about as a result of an injury which takes place, but then even when the original source of pain is no longer there, the pain remains? And the original source of pain can be trauma of some kind which changes the functioning of the brain, puts it into survival mode but then remains in survival mode after the physical need is gone?
ReplyDeleteI couldn't say what causes mental ill-health, it could be a myriad of things I suppose.
ReplyDeleteReactive depression eg as a response to bereavement seems to be different to more general long-term depression, which seems to be caused by feelings of guilt and anger turned inwards.
Really though it's such a debilitating illness that I think the powers that be should be throwing everything they've got into researching its causes and treatments. It would save the economy money in the long run if they did.
The body can heal quickly; the damage to the mind is something that may never be known.
ReplyDeleteEven after forty years, I still react to things that I encounetered when I was young, such as a slamming cabinet, or dishes being banged about. I become uneasy and stressed because that was my reaction when both sounds meant a terrible tirade was about to happen. Even if a moment is perfect, those sounds will shatter my calm and change the entire dynamics of an event.