How Sadness Survived: The Evolutionary Basis of Depression

"This book presents a compelling and intuitive argument for the seemingly paradoxical survival of Depression in humans. If Depression is truly disadvantageous, as it appears to be to anyone who has been touched by it, why has it survived over thousands of years of evolution to be the widespread afflication that it is today?

Dr. Keedwell refutes the idea that Depression is simply a maladaptive by-product of the modern Western World and argues that (in its mild to moderate forms) it confers some advantages to sufferers - namely that it forces them to stop and reassess potentially futile or damaging situations and, after recovery, can make people more sensitive, empathic and productive.

The book is an easy and engaging read and the ideas presented are supported by a nice balance of personal anecdotes and key scientific studies. Dr. Keedwell also makes clever use of analogies to illustrate how the same processes of evolution that have shaped our bodies, sometimes resulting in physical illness, apply to our minds. Anyone with an interest in understanding Depression or the evolution of human nature will enjoy this book."
~ Written on 2008-02-29

"In this well-written book, Paul Keedwell successfully bridges the divide between the educational thesis and populist "self-help".

Whilst presenting a new theory to explain why depression stubbornly persists across generations, cultures and geographies, he offers valuable insights to victims of this ubiquitous malaise by providing an explanation of the meaning behind their misery and indeed of potential benefits which may follow from it. He argues that we should be wary of labelling depression as a "disease", but consider it more as a natural response to stress which, on occasion, can be inappropriately pronounced.

Written in the style of essay-style chapters with an ongoing thread, Dr Keedwell constructs robust arguments for the positive sides of depression which serve both as a catalyst for debate within academia and as a comfort for the sufferer, helping in the understanding of the despair they are feeling. He writes from a position of authority on the subject as a practitioner and researcher of eminence and as a former casualty of depression himself.

I found this book enthralling and an easy-to-read new way of looking at depression and the positives which it can bring."
~ Written on 2008-02-29