
Conventional wisdom presents us with several different — often contradictory — theories as to the causes of depression. We may see depression alternately as a genetic predisposition, a faulty neurochemical mechanism in the brain, a response to childhood circumstances, or to current adverse life conditions. Research has pointed the way to several effective approaches to alleviating depression, including psychotherapy, exercise, mindfulness meditation, and antidepressants (judiciously used). But it seems as though little attention is paid to the idea of a meaning or a message buried within depression.