The Negativity Bias and Depression

“Oh Dr. Day I’m just falling apart….”.I quickly realize this is not going to be a visit for a UTI, as my schedule suggests.

Mrs. L is an 72 year old woman who is very independent and very active within her community. She’s fairly healthy with only a history of high blood pressure. Unfortunately Mrs. L’s personal life is tumultuous — her husband is currently dying of cancer.

Mrs. L has been experiencing this level of personal stress for close to a year now and I see her on a fairly regular basis to allow her to blow off some steam. For better or worse, I am the only person she feels comfortable talking to about the stress in her life. She begins to tell me how things are so bad she spends most of her free time crying. She tells me she is depressed.

The stress is impacting her physically as well, as she is starting to have insomnia, reduced appetite, stomach pain and diarrhea. She is also often brought to tears and the occurrence of such episodes is increasing with time.

It is very clear that Mrs. L is suffering.

In our discussions about her depression a common theme emerging is that she can’t discuss this with anyone but me. She won’t discuss her feelings with her dying husband or son, as she “doesn’t want to burden them” as “they have their own problems”. She is also reluctant to…