I’ve heard people refer to John Steinbeck’s last novel, The Winter of Our Discontent when talking about everything from health care reform to the recession.  Published in 1961, the novel is the story of Ethan Hawley as he struggles with the same ethical and moral dilemmas many of us have faced.  Ethan’s life became a battle between good and evil leading him to contemplate suicide.  Ethan Hawley showed classic signs of depression.

Depression, its symptoms and its detection is nothing new.  Pharmaceutical companies have made millions dispensing the “happy pill” to masque all symptoms of the illness.  Drugs like Prozac, Paxil, Lexapro, Remeron, Wellbutrin, Cymbalta, and Zoloft are advertised on TV almost as often as Viagra.  Doctors dispense these drugs with no follow up and many times with no corresponding therapy to address the root of the problem.

The Feb. 25, 2010 New York Times article ” Depression’s Upside” is interesting because it discusses the upside of depression.  Increased focus, better memory, enhanced creativity, better decision making and being more attentive are all positive attributes associated with depression according to the studies sited in this article.

The psychiatrists in the piece are re-evaluating the long held belief that deep sadness or negative moods swings should be medicated away.  Kay Redfield Jamison, a professor at Johns Hopkins, discovered that successful individuals were eight times as likely to suffer from depression.  Why?  Because research has shown depressed people have an uncanny ability to focus and exhibit tenacity when problem solving.  Both attention to detail and a never give up attitude are attributes found in successful people.

While the pain of depression is undoubtedly real and antidepressants along with therapy must be administered to those like John Steinbeck’s suicidal Ethan Hawley, they may not be the best prescription for those with milder cases of the illness.