I've often wondered if depression and anxiety serve a positive purpose. A very simple example of this: if I've lain awake at night worrying about all that I have to do, the next day I generally feel compelled to get stuff done.
But this is the first I've considered that depression might be an immune response, and I find that fascinating. In that way, one could argue that all symptoms of any kind are immuno responses. Instead of trying to find an anodyne for the symptoms, which is the basis of western med, perhaps we would do better to view all symptoms as messages from the body, and good messages at that. They are saying "I, your immune system, is on the job. Fear not."
Very interesting post. Thank you for putting it together. I am glad you persevered. How is your dopamine level now? Are you ready to write the next one?
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I really like how you put it - "I, your immune system is on job, fear not." And then during the disease, it would go like - "I, your immune system is obsessed with this job, somebody stop me!" :)
And I agree, treating the symptoms may help in managing the disease, but if we can find a causative mechanism we can find cures. In my own PhD research which focuses on fibrosis and tumour stroma formation, I have always been inclined into finding what is starting the process and what keeps it going. Hopeful it would one day give us a fruitful therapy. Though, sometimes treating symptoms can come handy, esp when we are dealing with feedback loops. Say when the cause of the disease takes feedback from the symptom to worsen the situation. Kind of like the vicious cycle I hinted upon in this post.
Anyhow, thanks for this awesome comment and that tagline. :)