Doctors are often trained to interpret symptoms arising after stopping psychiatric medication as a relapse of the original condition. However, these are frequently withdrawal symptoms. This common misdiagnosis leads to a cycle of re-prescription and prevents proper discontinuation support.

The narrative that personal problems require therapy pathologizes what are often systemic economic issues. You cannot "therapy your way out of material precarity." Structural solutions like higher wages, affordable housing, and a stronger social safety net are often more effective mental health policies than individual introspection.

The history of depression treatment shows a recurring pattern: a new therapy (from psychoanalysis to Prozac) is overhyped as a cure-all, only for disappointment to set in as its limitations and side effects become clear. This cycle of idealization then devaluation prevents a realistic assessment of a treatment's specific uses and downsides.

Contrary to the colonial-era view that depression was a "Western" disease, community-based psychotherapy models are now flowing from low-income countries to high-income ones. For example, a successful Zimbabwean program using grandmothers as therapists to address social issues like poverty and abuse is now inspiring similar community healthcare initiatives in the US.

The Orphan Drug Act successfully incentivized R&D for rare diseases. A similar policy framework is needed for common, age-related diseases. Despite their massive potential markets, these indications suffer from extremely high failure rates and costs. A new incentive structure could de-risk development and align commercial goals with the enormous societal need for longevity.

Modern ethical boards make certain human studies, like extended fasting, nearly impossible to conduct. This creates an opportunity to revisit older, pre-regulatory research from places like the Soviet Union. While the proposed mechanisms may be outdated, the raw data could unlock valuable modern therapeutic approaches.

The term "depression" is a misleading catch-all. Two people diagnosed with it can have completely opposite symptoms, such as oversleeping versus insomnia or overeating versus appetite loss. These are not points on a spectrum but discrete experiences, and lumping them together hinders effective, personalized treatment.

Relying solely on talk therapy for a physiological problem can be counterproductive. When a patient makes no progress despite their efforts, they can develop learned helplessness and self-blame, concluding they are a "failure" and worsening their condition.

Patients and doctors often prefer integrated, 'natural' solutions like organ transplants over more practical but external machines. This powerful bias for appearing 'normal' and whole can lead them to pursue complex, risky internal solutions, even when external devices might offer a more stable, albeit less convenient, alternative.