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Zack Lynch is author of The Neuro Revolution: How Brain Science Is Changing Our World (St. Martin's Press, July 2009).
He is the founder and executive director of the Neurotechnology Industry Organization (NIO) and co-founder of NeuroInsights. He serves on the advisory boards of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, the Center for Neuroeconomic Studies, Science Progress, and SocialText, a social software company. Please send newsworthy items or feedback - to Zack Lynch.
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October 8, 2004

Laughter - Infinite Cat and the Anti-depressant Highway

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Posted by Zack Lynch

While Bobby McFerrin's brilliant suggestion "Don't worry, be Happy" works as an anti-depressant for some, many of us require some additional help at some point in our lives. Chronic, mild depression affects over 5% of adults while major depression impacts almost 10% of us at some point in our lives.

The reduction of the social stigma associated with depression along with the development of more effective emoticeuticals has improved the lives of millions of people. Despite this, only one in three people with a significant depression seeking specific treatment for their condition.

While there is still no cure for depression, there is one thing I have found to be an extremely effective way to improve one's outlook: laughter. Despite the seriousness of depression, this picture of the "anti-depressant highway" made me laugh. So did the Onion's poke piece "Zoloft for Everything."

Paxil road.png

As Eleanor Roosevelt once said.... "...there is no beginning or end...yesterday is history...tomorrow is mystery...today is a gift, that's why they call it the present." Visit infinitecat.com for today's present or check out this proposal to create a new DSM category for political apathy disorder. Happy Friday boing boing.

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