If we have so many answers, why does depression still exist?

Lots of people have lots of ideas about origin and treatment of depression. It can get very confusing and disheartening. If we refer to depression as an illness, for example, we're taking sides, implying that the symptoms of depression are caused by malfunctions in the brain and body. Treatment, then, typically comes in the form of something from the outside - medicine, magnetic stimulation, electroshock, or, in the rarest of cases, surgery.

Another camp says that depression is largely a result of societal behaviors that isolate us from one another. Throw in bad exercise and diet habits and you have a deteriorating body and brain that naturally leads to depression and anxiety. Meds demonstrate the marketing prowess of Big Pharma more than good medicine. (Right on cue, The Onion explains it all.) The treatment plan (or, even, the cure) for depression winds up being, "Don't do that." If you're thinking that you're depressed, think about something else. Call upon your higher power. Load up on Omega-3 fatty acids, run a 5K, and you'll be fine.

All of which can leave people with depression feeling as though they're powerless over an unseen medical condition or that they're failures because they can't apply a few simple principles to get and stay well. Conversely, when one or more of these techniques leads to a time without symptoms of depression, one's tempted to say, "I'm a good patient. I know what to do."

And all that, sounding like hiking boots in the washing machine, is how I'm feeling. We're expecting a lot of snow today, so I plan to talk with my psychiatrist on the phone, rather than in person. We'll probably increase the dosage of Emsam. Marley and I will go for a long walk. There's plenty to be grateful for. Whatever works is good for today. Whatever doesn't work, well, we'll try something different tomorrow.