Posted by Jay2112 on April 26, 2023, at 20:14:27
In reply to Depression: A Spectrum, posted by SLS on April 20, 2023, at 20:55:33
Hey Scott:
I'd argue that the nature/nurture argument has been around since the beginning of human kind, and will continue to be, because there are still millions of questions nobody can answer. As one scientist explained, in a post on cognitive science, our brains just very well might not be smart (and developed) enough to fully comprehend our existence.
But, science still points to a blend of nature and nurture. (Children learn through imitation, and thrive or not, through regulated hormone release. BUT, hormone release can be impaired (type 2 diabetes, for example) by environmental factors.Hormonal regulation relies heavily on glucose metabolism.
Stress alone can trigger diabetes, hypertension, pain tolerance...and even possibly cancer.(Excellent article on links between stress and cancer https://rb.gy/pypmc ) and even possibly sets the stage for dementia.(stress affects the immune system, and cortisol, which seems to be a common denominator in mental health, especially)
I agree ALL mental illness might exist on a spectrum. A lot of what people describe as depression is actually anxiety. We long for the comfort of the womb, and fear and mourn our coming demise. A lot of what schizophrenia looks like involves anxiety impulses and responses, to an extreme. AD(H)D looks like a very bored person, similar to the apathy of depression. Bipolar disorder looks like, in mania, anxiety combined with compulsiveness. The depression looks like flat-out MDD, with sprinkles of other elements.
Jay
Humans punish themselves endlessly
for not being what they believe they should be.
-Don Miguel Ruiz-
poster:Jay2112
thread:1122043
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20230117/msgs/1122050.html