Stanford's Sapolsky On Depression in U.S. (Full Lecture)

What people said

tycho-newman · 2026-07 · Strong recommendation

Robert Sapolsky has a fantastic discussion of depression as a form of learned helplessness. We see it in abused animals: [VIDEO] You are not much different from any other animal at some level. With enough conditioning you will believe that you have no agency over your own life, and you’ll just sit there and take the shocks hoping it ends soon. Or worse, you’ll lose perspective and imagine the only solution to your current (likely temporary) circumstance is to (definitely very permanently) end your own life.

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shadowfaxRodeo · 2021-07 · Strong recommendation

I tried everything except for medication. I was afraid i would no longer be 'myself' or that's what other people told me — or maybe that it would make the problem more real. Anyway, I eventually took meds, and I have never felt more myself, or the person I want to be. I work, learn, socialize, live in a (relatively) clean apartment, which I leave to go outside. It took me way too long accept that depression is not all my fault, that it's a disease, and that I needed to see a real doctor. For those who suffer, or know those who suffer (that's probably everyone) I really recommend this lecture: [VIDEO] It's super interesting, it ties all the causes of depression together — childhood trauma, everyday experience, down to the neuron, and chemical reactions. It really helps externalize it.

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ronyfadel · 2019-11 · Strong recommendation

Sapolsky on depression: [VIDEO] “Depression is agression turned inwards”. He explains what our current understanding of depression is. I think you’ll have a whole new understanding of depression after watching this.

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