Depression feels weird compared to things like fear or anger, which help us survive by warning us of danger or pushing us into action. Instead, it slows us down, saps our energy, and makes us pull away from others. Yet it’s stuck around through the ages. Maybe it wasn’t a glitch but a built-in “slow down” switch when life got overwhelming, or a way to signal, “Hey, I need help quietly.” Or perhaps it came bundled with other traits that were also useful. Whatever its origin, what once helped us cope can now feel like a heavy weight.

One popular idea is the social rank theory. This theory suggests that depression evolved to help individuals accept lower status after conflict, thus avoiding further harm (Price, Sloman, Gardner, Gilbert, & Rohde, 1994). Think of it like submission in animals—when one loses a fight, it avoids eye contact and retreats. In humans, depressive behaviors may have served a similar purpose to prevent escalation and preserve group harmony. Withdrawing after social defeat might have reduced the risk of exclusion or violence.

Another explanation is the analytical rumination hypothesis. Andrews and Thomson (2009) argue that depression narrows the mind’s focus onto........

© Psychology Today