Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry (생물정신의학)

The Korean Society of Biological Psychiatry (대한생물정신의학회)
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Evolutionary Meaning of Sadness, Depression, and Suicide

슬픔과 우울, 그리고 자살의 진화적 의미

  • Shin, Chul-Jin (Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University)
  • 신철진 (충북대학교 의과대학 정신과학교실, 의학연구소)
  • Received : 2016.10.04
  • Accepted : 2016.10.25
  • Published : 2016.11.30
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Abstract

Depression has a relatively high lifetime prevalence rate in spite of a genetic influence on its etiology and a high mortality rate in untreated cases. This suggests the possibility that depression gives us evolutionary benefits which we do not exactly know yet. There have been several hypotheses which tell us what evolutionary advantages depression could give us. The psychic pain hypothesis considers sad or depressed mood as a negative reward just like physical pain which we have to avoid for our protection and survival. The social rank hypothesis holds that depressed mood is very similar to the emotional state of the defeated in social competition which prevents him from further protesting or fighting that might cause additional damage to him. The inclusive fitness hypothesis views suicide as a sacrifice phenomenon to contribute to inclusive fitness. These hypotheses gives us new insights into mood disorders and also some suggestions about the conditions in which depressed mood or suicidal behaviors increase and the ways to reduce them.

Keywords

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