The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-09
Morbid Depression
By Fl. ADDINGroN BRUCE

There is nothing morbid in feeling de- pressed after a bereavement, domestic trou- sDle, heavy financial loss, loss of employ ment, or other occurance that would nat urally shock and disturb. When, however. depression thus originating is extreme or un- duly prolonged, then it may indeed be spoken of as morbid. And morbidity is unmistakably present in depression suddenly or gradually developing in the absence of any manifest reason for feeling low spirited. Such depression, un- fortunately, is much in evidence and among people of all ages.
 Even children, particularly adolescent chil- dren, are not immune against it. At the other end of life it frequently happens that elderly persons are afflicted with a seem ingly causeless depression.
 There is always a cause, of course. In the case of the very old, morbid depression is usually the result of degeneratiYe changes in the blood-vessels and the cells of the brain. These changes, for that matter, some times occur in late middle-life, with morbid depression las consequence.
 l More commonly, morbid depression of the middle-aged is associated with disease or or gans other than the brain. When 6 man or woman past forty becomes chemically de- pressed without obvious causes, a thorough medical examination is in order This examination should include study not only of the heart, kidneys and other major organs, but also of the eyes, the nose, the throat, and the teeth. Eyestrain and so- called focal infection, it now is known, play conspicuous parts in causing morbid depres- sion among the middle-aged.
 So far as that goes, they may likewise cause morbid depression among younger peo- pie. es
 | Knowledge of this fact is nowadays res cuing many persons from depression so se- were as to amount to a true melancholia Further than this. it has been found that chronic infection of the intestinal tract caus- ing self-poisoning, is another source of morbid depression. Correct the intestinal condition, and forthwith the depression dis appears.
 All of which means that the outlook for sufferers from morbid depression5 is by no means as unfavorable as 1t was in the days of less precise knowledge of mind-body re- lationships. It is rendered still more fa- vorable by increasing recognition of the in- fluence exercised on the life-attitude by so- called subconscious phychic causes.
 Thus. many cases of morbid depression for merly deemed inexplicable are now known to be due to the disturbing effects of forgotten memories" of a shame-exciting or fear-ex' citing kind, which for one reason or another, have sufficiently reasserted themselves to breed a generalized anxiety. Here a cure is always possible by psychological analysis di- rected to full uncovering of the subcon- scious causes of distress.
 l So, again, morbid depression may follow fully conscious, but secretly cherished wor- ries, envies, jealousies. As when a young adolescent, oppressed by Sentiments of in feriority, permits himself or herself to be Overwhelmed by melancholy for which there Is oo raIiaf YntiI insieht into the secret breeding is gained by a . physician of psychological understanding.
 Which suggests, to be sure, that the cor rect treatment of any given case of morbid depression may mean long and patient in- quiry to ascertain it's exact physical or psychic cause. This is undoubtedly true. But, on the other hand, there is the assur- ance that, if the exact cause be found, a cure is also likely to be available.