ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Andrew Solomon - Writer
Andrew Solomon writes about politics, culture and psychology.

Why you should listen

Andrew Solomon is a writer, lecturer and Professor of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University. He is president of PEN American Center. He writes regularly for The New Yorker and the New York Times.

Solomon's newest book, Far and Away: Reporting from the Brink of Change, Seven Continents, Twenty-Five Years was published in April, 2016. His previous book, Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity won the National Book Critics Circle award for nonfiction, the Wellcome Prize and 22 other national awards. It tells the stories of parents who not only learn to deal with their exceptional children but also find profound meaning in doing so. It was a New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback editions. Solomon's previous book, The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression, won the 2001 National Book Award for Nonfiction, was a finalist for the 2002 Pulitzer Prize and was included in The Times of London's list of one hundred best books of the decade. It has been published in twenty-four languages. Solomon is also the author of the novel A Stone Boat and of The Irony Tower: Soviet Artists in a Time of Glasnost.

Solomon is an activist in LGBT rights, mental health, education and the arts. He is a member of the boards of directors of the National LGBTQ Force and Trans Youth Family Allies. He is a member of the Board of Visitors of Columbia University Medical Center, serves on the National Advisory Board of the Depression Center at the University of Michigan, is a director of Columbia Psychiatry and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Solomon also serves on the boards of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yaddo and The Alex Fund, which supports the education of Romani children. He is also a fellow of Berkeley College at Yale University and a member of the New York Institute for the Humanities and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Solomon lives with his husband and son in New York and London and is a dual national. He also has a daughter with a college friend; mother and daughter live in Texas but visit often.

More profile about the speaker
Andrew Solomon | Speaker | TED.com

TEDxMet

Andrew Solomon: Depression, the secret we share

Andrew Solomon: Depresión, o secreto que compartimos

Filmed: 2013-10-23

Readability: 3.5

10,174,764 views

"O oposto á depresión non é a felicidade, senón a vitalidade, e era a vitalidade o que parecía fuxir de min naquel momento". Nunha conferencia a partes iguais elocuente e devastadora, o escritor Andrew Solomon lévate ás esquinas máis escuras da súa mente durante os anos que pelexou contra a depresión. Isto levouno a unha esclarecedora viaxe a través do mundo para entrevistar outras persoas con depresión e a descubrir, para a súa sorpresa, que canto máis falaba el, máis querían as outras persoas contar as súas propias historias. (Gravado en TEDxMet).

Andrew Solomon - Writer
Andrew Solomon writes about politics, culture and psychology. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:15

"I felt a funeral in my brain,

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"Sentín un funeral no meu cerebro,

e os parentes ían e viñan

00:19

and mourners to and fro

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camiñando, camiñando
ata que, pareceu,

00:22

kept treading, treading till I felt

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00:24

that sense was breaking through.

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que o sentido crebaba totalmente.

E cando todos estiveron sentados,

00:27

And when they all were seated,

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00:29

a service, like a drum,

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unha liturxia, como un tambor,

00:31

kept beating, beating, till I felt

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comezou a bater, a bater
ata que pensei

00:34

my mind was going numb.

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que a miña mente adormecía

E logo oínos erguer o caixón
e renxer a través da miña alma

00:37

And then I heard them lift a box

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00:39

and creak across my soul

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00:41

with those same boots of lead again,

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coas mesmas botas de chumbo, outra vez,

e o espazo comezou a tanxer,

00:45

then space began to toll,

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Coma se os ceos fosen unha campá,
e a existencia só un oído,

00:48

as if the heavens were a bell

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00:50

and being were an ear,

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00:52

and I, and silence, some strange race

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e eu, e o silencio, unha raza estraña

desfeita, solitaria, aquí.

00:55

wrecked, solitary, here.

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E entón un baleiro na razón, rompeu

00:58

Just then, a plank in reason broke,

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01:01

and I fell down and down

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e caín máis e máis abaixo

e dei cun mundo, a cada mergullo,

01:05

and hit a world at every plunge,

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01:07

and finished knowing then."

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e acabei sabendo, daquela"

01:12

We know depression through metaphors.

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Coñecemos a depresión
a través de metáforas.

Emily Dickinson foi capaz
de expresalo con palabras,

01:15

Emily Dickinson was able to convey it in language,

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01:19

Goya in an image.

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Goya, nunha imaxe.

01:22

Half the purpose of art

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A metade do propósito da arte
é describir estes estados icónicos.

01:24

is to describe such iconic states.

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01:27

As for me, I had always thought myself tough,

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Canto a min, sempre me vin
como unha persoa dura,

01:31

one of the people who could survive

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unha das que poderían sobrevivir

01:33

if I'd been sent to a concentration camp.

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se me enviasen
a un campo de concentración.

01:36

In 1991, I had a series of losses.

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En 1991, sufrín unha serie de perdas.

01:39

My mother died,

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A miña nai morreu,

01:41

a relationship I'd been in ended,

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rematou a relación na que estaba,

01:43

I moved back to the United States

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volvín para os Estados Unidos
despois duns anos no estranxeiro

01:45

from some years abroad,

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01:47

and I got through all of those experiences intact.

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e pasei por estas experiencias intacto.

01:50

But in 1994, three years later,

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Pero en 1994, tres anos despois,

01:53

I found myself losing interest in almost everything.

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atopeime perdendo o interese en case todo,

01:57

I didn't want to do any of the things

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non quería facer nada
do que antes si quería,

01:59

I had previously wanted to do,

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02:01

and I didn't know why.

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e non sabía o porqué.

02:03

The opposite of depression

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O contrario da depresión
non é a felicidade, senón a vitalidade.

02:05

is not happiness, but vitality,

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02:08

and it was vitality

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E era a vitalidade

02:10

that seemed to seep away from me in that moment.

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a que se esvaecía
para min naquel momento.

02:14

Everything there was to do

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Todo o que había para facer
era demasiado traballo.

02:16

seemed like too much work.

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02:18

I would come home

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Volvía á casa

02:20

and I would see the red light
flashing on my answering machine,

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e vía pestanexar a luz
vermella do contestador

02:23

and instead of being thrilled to hear from my friends,

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e en vez de aledarme por
saber dos meus amigos,

02:25

I would think,

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pensaba:

02:27

"What a lot of people that is to have to call back."

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"Vaia morea de xente á que lle
teño que devolver a chamada"

02:30

Or I would decide I should have lunch,

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Ou decidía que tiña que comer

02:32

and then I would think, but
I'd have to get the food out

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pero despois pensaba:
teño que coller a comida,

02:35

and put it on a plate

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poñela no prato

02:37

and cut it up and chew it and swallow it,

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e cortala e mastigala e tragala,

02:41

and it felt to me like the Stations of the Cross.

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e sentía que eran
as estacións do Viacrucis.

02:45

And one of the things that often gets lost

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E algo que a miúdo se esquece
ao falar de depresión

02:47

in discussions of depression

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02:49

is that you know it's ridiculous.

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é que ti sabes que é absurdo.

02:51

You know it's ridiculous while you're experiencing it.

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Sabes que é absurdo
mentres o experimentas.

02:54

You know that most people manage

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Sabes que a maioría da xente é quen

02:56

to listen to their messages and eat lunch

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de escoitar as menxases e xantar

02:58

and organize themselves to take a shower

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e organizarse para ducharse

03:00

and go out the front door

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e saír pola porta

03:02

and that it's not a big deal,

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e que non é gran cousa,

03:03

and yet you are nonetheless in its grip

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e aínda así estás nas súas gadoupas,

03:06

and you are unable to figure out any way around it.

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e es incapaz de idear unha saída.

03:10

And so I began to feel myself doing less

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Así que comecei a sentir que facía menos

03:15

and thinking less

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e pensaba menos

03:17

and feeling less.

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e sentía menos.

03:19

It was a kind of nullity.

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Era unha especie de nulidade.

03:22

And then the anxiety set in.

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E despois chegou a ansiedade.

03:24

If you told me that I'd have to be

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Se me dis que teño que estar
deprimido o próximo mes,

03:26

depressed for the next month,

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diría: "Se está rematado
en novembro, podo facelo."

03:28

I would say, "As long I know it'll be
over in November, I can do it."

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Pero se me dis:

03:31

But if you said to me,

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03:32

"You have to have acute anxiety for the next month,"

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"Tes que ter ansiedade aguda
durante o próximo mes"

03:35

I would rather slit my wrist than go through it.

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Preferiría cortar as veas
antes de pasar por iso.

03:38

It was the feeling all the time

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Era sentir continuamente

03:40

like that feeling you have if you're walking

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coma cando vas andando

03:42

and you slip or trip

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e esvaras ou tropezas
e o chan achégase a ti,

03:43

and the ground is rushing up at you,

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03:45

but instead of lasting half a
second, the way that does,

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pero en vez de durar medio segundo como é,

03:48

it lasted for six months.

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dura seis meses.

03:50

It's a sensation of being afraid all the time

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É a sensación de estar sempre asustado,

03:53

but not even knowing what it is that you're afraid of.

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pero sen sequera saber
de que estás asustado.

03:57

And it was at that point that I began to think

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E foi nese punto cando comecei a pensar

03:59

that it was just too painful to be alive,

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que estar vivo era
sinxelamente demasiado doloroso,

04:03

and that the only reason not to kill oneself

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e que a única razón para non suicidarme

04:06

was so as not to hurt other people.

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era non ferir outra xente.

04:09

And finally one day, I woke up

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E finalmente un día espertei

04:12

and I thought perhaps I'd had a stroke,

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e pensei que quizais sufrira un ataque,

04:14

because I lay in bed completely frozen,

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porque estaba na cama
totalmente inmobilizado,

04:16

looking at the telephone, thinking,

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mirando o teléfono, pensando:

04:18

"Something is wrong and I should call for help,"

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"Algo vai mal e debería chamar
para pedir axuda"

04:22

and I couldn't reach out my arm

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e non podía estirar o brazo

04:24

and pick up the phone and dial.

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e agarrar o teléfono e marcar.

04:26

And finally, after four full hours
of my lying and staring at it,

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E finalmente, despois de catro horas
deitado mirándoo

04:30

the phone rang,

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o teléfono soou,

04:32

and somehow I managed to pick it up,

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e dalgún xeito conseguín contestar

04:34

and it was my father,

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e era o meu pai e dixen:

04:36

and I said, "I'm in serious trouble.

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"Teño un problema serio,
Temos que facer algo."

04:39

We need to do something."

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04:41

The next day I started with the medications

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O día seguinte comecei
coa medicación e a terapia.

04:44

and the therapy.

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04:47

And I also started reckoning

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E tamén empecei a considerar
esta terrible cuestión:

04:49

with this terrible question:

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04:51

If I'm not the tough person

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Se non son a persoa dura,

04:53

who could have made it
through a concentration camp,

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que podería sobrevivir
a un campo de concentración,

04:56

then who am I?

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entón quen son?

04:57

And if I have to take medication,

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E se tiña que tomar medicación,

04:59

is that medication making me more fully myself,

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esa medicación facíame
ser completamente eu,

05:03

or is it making me someone else?

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ou convertíame noutra persoa?

05:05

And how do I feel about it

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E que me parecía se me convertía noutro?

05:07

if it's making me someone else?

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05:09

I had two advantages as I went in to the fight.

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Tiña dúas vantaxes nesta travesía.

05:13

The first is that I knew that, objectively speaking,

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A primeira é que eu sabía que,
falando obxectivamente,

05:16

I had a nice life,

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tiña unha boa vida,

05:17

and that if I could only get well,

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e que se era capaz de poñerme ben

05:19

there was something at the other end

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había algo ao final
polo que valía a pena vivir.

05:21

that was worth living for.

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05:23

And the other was that I had
access to good treatment.

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E a outra é que tiña acceso
a un bo tratamento.

05:26

But I nonetheless emerged and relapsed,

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Pero aínda así saín e recaín,

05:29

and emerged and relapsed,

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e saín e recaín,

05:32

and emerged and relapsed,

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e saín e recaín,

05:35

and finally understood

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e finalmente entendín

05:37

I would have to be on medication

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que tería que medicarme
e ir a terapia para sempre.

05:39

and in therapy forever.

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E pensei:

05:41

And I thought, "But is it a chemical problem

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"Pero é un problema químico
ou psicolóxico?

05:44

or a psychological problem?

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05:45

And does it need a chemical cure
or a philosophical cure?"

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E precisa dunha cura química
ou unha cura filosófica?"

05:49

And I couldn't figure out which it was.

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E non fun quen de saber a resposta.

05:51

And then I understood that actually,

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E logo entendín que en realidade

05:54

we aren't advanced enough in either area

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non estamos tan avanzados nesas
áreas como para explicalo todo.

05:56

for it to explain things fully.

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05:58

The chemical cure and the psychological cure

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Tanto a cura química
como a cura psicolóxica

06:01

both have a role to play,

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teñen un papel que cumprir,

06:03

and I also figured out that depression was something

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e tamén souben que a depresión era

algo entretecido tan profundamente en nós

06:06

that was braided so deep into us

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06:09

that there was no separating it

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que non se podía separar
do noso carácter e personalidade.

06:10

from our character and personality.

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06:13

I want to say that the treatments we have

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Quero decir que os tratamentos
para a depresión son terribles.

06:15

for depression are appalling.

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06:17

They're not very effective.

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Non son moi efectivos.

06:19

They're extremely costly.

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Son moi caros.

06:21

They come with innumerable side effects.

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Teñen innumerables efectos secundarios.

06:24

They're a disaster.

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Son un desastre.

06:25

But I am so grateful that I live now

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Pero estou tan agradecido por vivir
agora e non hai 50 anos,

06:28

and not 50 years ago,

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06:30

when there would have been almost nothing

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cando non se podería facer case nada.

06:32

to be done.

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06:33

I hope that 50 years hence,

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Espero que dentro de 50 anos,

06:36

people will hear about my treatments

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a xente oia falar dos meus tratamentos

06:37

and be appalled that anyone endured

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e se arrepíe de que alguén soportara
unha ciencia tan primitiva.

06:40

such primitive science.

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06:42

Depression is the flaw in love.

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A depresión é a imperfección do amor.

06:47

If you were married to someone and thought,

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Se estás casado con alguén e pensas:

06:50

"Well, if my wife dies, I'll find another one,"

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"Ben, se a miña muller morre,
atoparei outra"

06:54

it wouldn't be love as we know it.

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non sería amor tal como o coñecemos.

06:57

There's no such thing as love

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Non existe o amor
sen a anticipación da perda,

06:59

without the anticipation of loss,

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07:01

and that specter of despair

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e o espectro da desesperación
pode ser o motor da intimidade.

07:04

can be the engine of intimacy.

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07:08

There are three things people tend to confuse:

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Hai tres cousas que
a xente tende a confundir:

07:11

depression, grief and sadness.

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depresión, dor e tristeza.

07:14

Grief is explicitly reactive.

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A dor é explicitamente reactiva.

07:18

If you have a loss and you feel incredibly unhappy,

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Se sofres unha perda
e te sentes moi infeliz,

07:21

and then, six months later,

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e logo, 6 meses despois,

07:22

you are still deeply sad, but
you're functioning a little better,

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estás aínda moi triste,
pero xa empezas a funcionar mellor,

07:25

it's probably grief,

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probablemente sexa dor,

07:27

and it will probably ultimately resolve itself

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e probablemente se resolva
por si mesma en certa medida.

07:29

in some measure.

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07:31

If you experience a catastrophic loss,

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Se experimentas unha perda catastrófica,

07:34

and you feel terrible,

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e te sentes fatal,

07:35

and six months later you can barely function at all,

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e seis meses despois
case non podes funcionar,

07:38

then it's probably a depression that was triggered

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probablemente se desencadeou
unha depresión

07:40

by the catastrophic circumstances.

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polas circunstancias catastróficas.

07:43

The trajectory tells us a great deal.

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A traxectoria dinos moito.

07:47

People think of depression as being just sadness.

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A xente pensa na depresión
simplemente como estar triste.

07:50

It's much, much too much sadness,

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É moita, moita, demasiada tristeza,

07:52

much too much grief

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moita, demasiada dor,

07:54

at far too slight a cause.

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por algo tan lixeiro.

07:57

As I set out to understand depression,

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Cando comezaba a comprender a depresión

08:00

and to interview people who had experienced it,

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e a entrevistar persoas que a sufriran,

08:02

I found that there were people who seemed

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atopei que había xente que tiña
a primeira vista o que parecía

08:05

on the surface to have what sounded like

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08:07

relatively mild depression

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unha relativamente leve depresión

08:09

who were nonetheless utterly disabled by it.

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3447

e que estaban aínda así
totalmente incapacitados por ela.

08:13

And there were other people who had what sounded

187

481195

1858

E había outra xente que parecía ter,

08:15

as they described it

188

483053

1312

segundo a describía, unha depresión grave

08:16

like terribly severe depression

189

484365

2251

08:18

who nonetheless had good lives in the interstices

190

486616

2815

que tiña porén boas vidas

08:21

between their depressive episodes.

191

489431

2155

nos intervalos entre episodios depresivos.

08:23

And I set out to find out what it is

192

491586

2685

E comecei a descubrir o que
causaba que certas persoas

08:26

that causes some people

193

494271

1603

fosen máis resilientes que outras.

08:27

to be more resilient than other people.

194

495874

2253

08:30

What are the mechanisms

195

498127

1559

Cales son os mecanismos
que lle permiten á xente sobrevivir?

08:31

that allow people to survive?

196

499686

1844

08:33

And I went out and I interviewed person after person

197

501530

3169

E saín entrevistar unha tras outra

08:36

who was suffering with depression.

198

504699

2175

persoas que estaban sufrindo depresión.

08:38

One of the first people I interviewed

199

506874

1951

Unha das primeiras ás que entrevistei

08:40

described depression

200

508825

1881

describiu a depresión como
un xeito máis lento de estar morto

08:42

as a slower way of being dead,

201

510706

3261

08:45

and that was a good thing for me to hear early on

202

513967

2124

e para min foi unha boa cousa
oílo ao principio

08:48

because it reminded me

203

516091

1366

porque me recordou
que ese xeito lento de estar morto

08:49

that that slow way of being dead

204

517457

1999

08:51

can lead to actual deadness,

205

519456

2035

pode levar a unha morte real,

08:53

that this is a serious business.

206

521491

2004

que é un asunto serio.

08:55

It's the leading disability worldwide,

207

523495

2659

É o líder mundial da discapacidade,

08:58

and people die of it every day.

208

526154

3030

e a xente morre diso cada día.

09:01

One of the people I talked to

209

529184

1769

Unha das persoas coas que falei
cando intentaba entender isto

09:02

when I was trying to understand this

210

530953

1974

09:04

was a beloved friend

211

532927

1668

era unha querida amiga
coñecida desde había moitos anos,

09:06

who I had known for many years,

212

534595

2018

09:08

and who had had a psychotic episode

213

536613

2542

e que sufrira un episodio psicótico
no primeiro ano da facultade

09:11

in her freshman year of college,

214

539155

1904

09:13

and then plummeted into a horrific depression.

215

541059

3056

e que despois caeu de golpe
nunha depresión terrible.

09:16

She had bipolar illness,

216

544115

1426

Tiña síndrome bipolar,

09:17

or manic depression, as it was then known.

217

545541

2643

ou enfermidade maníaco-depresiva,
como se dicía daquela,

09:20

And then she did very well

218

548184

2044

e foille moi ben co litio
durante moitos anos,

09:22

for many years on lithium,

219

550228

1708

09:23

and then eventually,

220

551936

1375

e logo, co tempo, quitáronlle o litio

09:25

she was taken off her lithium

221

553311

1960

09:27

to see how she would do without it,

222

555271

1835

para ver como estaba sen el,

09:29

and she had another psychosis,

223

557106

1975

e tivo outra psicose

09:31

and then plunged into the worst depression

224

559081

2338

e logo caeu na peor depresión
que vin na miña vida,

09:33

that I had ever seen

225

561419

1872

09:35

in which she sat in her parents' apartment,

226

563291

3015

durante a que sentaba no
apartamento dos pais

09:38

more or less catatonic, essentially without moving,

227

566306

3077

mais ou menos catatónica,
basicamente sen moverse,

09:41

day after day after day.

228

569383

2482

día tras día tras día.

09:43

And when I interviewed her about
that experience some years later --

229

571865

3217

E cando lle preguntei
sobre esta experiencia anos despois,

09:47

she's a poet and psychotherapist
named Maggie Robbins —

230

575082

3331

-é unha poeta e psicoterapeuta
chamada Maggie Robbins-

09:50

when I interviewed her, she said,

231

578413

3233

cando a entrevistei, díxome:

09:53

"I was singing 'Where Have All The Flowers Gone'

232

581646

3384

"Estaba cantando 'A onde foron as flores'

09:57

over and over to occupy my mind.

233

585030

3210

unha e outra vez para ocupar a mente.

10:00

I was singing to blot out the
things my mind was saying,

234

588240

3135

Cantaba para bloquear
as cousas que dicía a miña mente,

10:03

which were, 'You are nothing. You are nobody.

235

591375

4490

que eran 'Non es nada. Non es ninguén.

10:07

You don't even deserve to live.'

236

595865

2826

Non mereces nin vivir.'

10:10

And that was when I really started thinking

237

598691

2178

E aí foi cando de verdade comecei a pensar

10:12

about killing myself."

238

600869

2213

en suicidarme".

10:15

You don't think in depression

239

603082

1908

Durante a depresión non pensas
que che puxeron un veo gris

10:16

that you've put on a gray veil

240

604990

2137

10:19

and are seeing the world through the haze

241

607127

1980

e que ves o mundo a través
dunha néboa de mal humor.

10:21

of a bad mood.

242

609107

1894

10:23

You think that the veil has been taken away,

243

611001

2720

Pensas que che quitaron o veo,

10:25

the veil of happiness,

244

613721

1922

o veo da felicidade,

10:27

and that now you're seeing truly.

245

615643

2424

e que agora ves a verdade.

10:30

It's easier to help schizophrenics who perceive

246

618067

2964

É máis fácil axudar
esquizofrénicos que perciben

10:33

that there's something foreign inside of them

247

621031

1811

que hai algo alleo dentro deles
que precisa ser exorcizado,

10:34

that needs to be exorcised,

248

622842

2187

10:37

but it's difficult with depressives,

249

625029

2164

pero é difícil cos depresivos,

10:39

because we believe we are seeing the truth.

250

627193

3847

porque cremos que estamos vendo a verdade.

10:43

But the truth lies.

251

631040

2947

Pero a verdade mente.

10:45

I became obsessed with that sentence:

252

633987

1998

Obsesioneime con esa frase:

10:47

"But the truth lies."

253

635985

2375

"Pero a verdade mente"

10:50

And I discovered, as I talked to depressive people,

254

638360

2453

E descubrín, ao falar
con persoas deprimidas,

10:52

that they have many delusional perceptions.

255

640813

2682

que teñen moitas percepcións ficticias.

10:55

People will say, "No one loves me."

256

643495

1667

Eles diranche "Ninguén me quere"

10:57

And you say, "I love you,

257

645162

1651

e ti dislles "Eu quérote,

10:58

your wife loves you, your mother loves you."

258

646813

2522

a túa muller quérete, a túa nai quérete".

11:01

You can answer that one pretty readily,

259

649335

1923

Podes contestar sen problemas
polo menos a maioría da xente.

11:03

at least for most people.

260

651258

1665

11:04

But people who are depressed will also say,

261

652923

2267

Pero a xente deprimida tamén che dirá:

11:07

"No matter what we do,

262

655190

1705

"Tanto ten o que fagamos,
ao final imos morrer."

11:08

we're all just going to die in the end."

263

656895

2273

11:11

Or they'll say, "There can be no true communion

264

659168

2203

Ou dirán: "Non pode haber
auténtica comunión

11:13

between two human beings.

265

661371

1653

entre dous seres humanos.

11:15

Each of us is trapped in his own body."

266

663024

2576

Cada un está atrapado no seu propio corpo"

11:17

To which you have to say,

267

665600

1849

Ao que tes que responder

11:19

"That's true,

268

667449

1321

"Iso é certo,

11:20

but I think we should focus right now

269

668770

1818

pero creo que agora deberiamos
centrarnos en qué imos almorzar".

11:22

on what to have for breakfast."

270

670588

1896

11:24

(Laughter)

271

672484

2185

(Risos)

11:26

A lot of the time,

272

674669

1669

Gran parte do tempo,

11:28

what they are expressing is not illness, but insight,

273

676338

2896

o que expresan non é tristura,
senón perspicacia,

11:31

and one comes to think what's really extraordinary

274

679234

2657

e isto lévame a pensar
que é extraordinario

11:33

is that most of us know about
those existential questions

275

681891

2934

que a maioría de nós
coñece estas preguntas existenciais

11:36

and they don't distract us very much.

276

684825

2290

sen que nos distraian moito.

11:39

There was a study I particularly liked

277

687115

2159

Había un estudo que
me gustaba especialmente

11:41

in which a group of depressed

278

689274

1680

no cal a un grupo de xente deprimida e
a un de xente non deprimida

11:42

and a group of non-depressed people

279

690954

1901

11:44

were asked to play a video game for an hour,

280

692855

2623

se lles pide que xoguen
a un videoxogo durante unha hora,

11:47

and at the end of the hour,

281

695478

1813

e ao final desa hora,

11:49

they were asked how many little monsters

282

697291

1651

preguntábaselles cantos monstruíños
pensaban que mataran.

11:50

they thought they had killed.

283

698942

1864

11:52

The depressive group was usually accurate

284

700806

2212

O grupo deprimido normalmente acertaba
cunha marxe dun 10 por cento,

11:55

to within about 10 percent,

285

703018

2058

11:57

and the non-depressed people

286

705076

1471

e o grupo de non deprimidos

11:58

guessed between 15 and 20 times as many

287

706547

3545

supoñía entre 15 e 20 veces máis
monstruíños

12:02

little monsters — (Laughter) —

288

710092

1742

(Risos)

12:03

as they had actually killed.

289

711834

4111

dos que realmente mataran.

12:07

A lot of people said, when I chose
to write about my depression,

290

715945

3066

Moita xente dixo, cando decidín
escribir sobre a miña depresión,

12:11

that it must be very difficult

291

719011

1769

que debía ser moi difícil expoñerse así,

12:12

to be out of that closet, to have people know.

292

720780

3124

que a xente o soubese.

12:15

They said, "Do people talk to you differently?"

293

723904

2200

Dicían: "A xente fálache distinto?"

12:18

And I said, "Yes, people talk to me differently.

294

726104

2072

e eu dicía: "Si, a xente
fálame distinto.

12:20

They talk to me differently insofar

295

728176

1914

Fálanme distinto desde o momento

12:22

as they start telling me about their experience,

296

730090

2790

en que comezan a falarme
da súa experiencia,

12:24

or their sister's experience,

297

732880

1835

ou da experiencia da súa irmá,

12:26

or their friend's experience.

298

734715

1774

ou da experiencia do seu amigo.

12:28

Things are different because now I know

299

736489

2292

A cousas son diferentes porque agora sei

12:30

that depression is the family secret

300

738781

2681

que a depresión é o segredo familiar
que todo o mundo ten.

12:33

that everyone has.

301

741462

2077

12:35

I went a few years ago to a conference,

302

743539

3628

Hai uns anos fun a unha conferencia

12:39

and on Friday of the three-day conference,

303

747167

2653

e o venres da conferencia de tres días

12:41

one of the participants took me aside, and she said,

304

749820

2891

unha das participantes
levoume á parte e díxome:

12:44

"I suffer from depression and

305

752711

3405

"Teño depresión
e dáme un pouco de vergoña,

12:48

I'm a little embarrassed about it,

306

756116

2769

12:50

but I've been taking this medication,

307

758885

2103

pero estiven tomando esta medicación,

12:52

and I just wanted to ask you what you think?"

308

760988

2948

e só quería preguntarche que opinas".

12:55

And so I did my best to give
her such advice as I could.

309

763936

2834

Así que me esforcei en darlle
o mellor consello que puiden.

12:58

And then she said, "You know,

310

766770

1720

E entón díxome: "Sabes?
o meu home nunca entendería isto.

13:00

my husband would never understand this.

311

768490

2791

13:03

He's really the kind of guy to whom
this wouldn't make any sense,

312

771281

2573

É o tipo de persoa para o que
isto non tería sentido,

13:05

so I just, you know, it's just between us."

313

773854

2867

así que, xa sabes, que quede entre nós."

13:08

And I said, "Yes, that's fine."

314

776721

1786

E díxenlle: "Si, está ben."

13:10

On Sunday of the same conference,

315

778507

2109

No domingo da mesma conferencia,

13:12

her husband took me aside,

316

780616

3044

o seu home chamoume á parte

(Risos)

13:15

and he said, "My wife wouldn't think

317

783660

1694

e díxome "A miña muller non me vería

13:17

that I was really much of a guy if she knew this,

318

785354

2435

como o home que son se o soubese

13:19

but I've been dealing with this depression

319

787789

2466

pero estou loitando cunha depresión
e estou tomando esta medicación

13:22

and I'm taking some medication,

320

790255

1354

13:23

and I wondered what you think?"

321

791609

2505

e preguntábame que opinabas".

13:26

They were hiding

322

794114

1423

Estaban agochando a mesma medicación

13:27

the same medication in two different places

323

795537

2215

en dous sitios distintos do mesmo cuarto.

13:29

in the same bedroom.

324

797752

2645

(Risos)

13:32

And I said that I thought

325

800397

2021

E díxenlle que pensaba
que a comunicación no matrimonio

13:34

communication within the marriage

326

802418

1684

13:36

might be triggering some of their problems.

327

804102

2014

podía estar desencadeando
algúns dos problemas.

13:38

(Laughter)

328

806116

4191

(Risos)

13:42

But I was also struck

329

810307

1655

Pero tamén quedei abraiado

13:43

by the burdensome nature

330

811962

1806

pola incómoda natureza do segredo mutuo.

13:45

of such mutual secrecy.

331

813768

2373

13:48

Depression is so exhausting.

332

816141

1885

A depresión tamén é extenuante,

13:50

It takes up so much of your time and energy,

333

818026

2768

Requíreche tanto tempo e enerxía,

13:52

and silence about it,

334

820794

1504

e o silencio ao respecto

13:54

it really does make the depression worse.

335

822298

2731

realmente empeora a depresión.

13:57

And then I began thinking about all the ways

336

825029

1733

E despois comecei a pensar

13:58

people make themselves better.

337

826762

1966

en todos os xeitos cos
que a xente se sente mellor.

14:00

I'd started off as a medical conservative.

338

828728

2439

Comecei como un conservador da medicina.

14:03

I thought there were a few
kinds of therapy that worked,

339

831167

2372

Pensaba que un par
de tipos de terapia funcionaban,

14:05

it was clear what they were --

340

833539

1809

estaba claro que o facían,

14:07

there was medication,

341

835348

1644

estaba a medicación,

14:08

there were certain psychotherapies,

342

836992

1476

algúns tipos de psicoterapia,

14:10

there was possibly electroconvulsive treatment,

343

838468

2445

estaba posiblemente
a terapia electroconvulsiva,

14:12

and that everything else was nonsense.

344

840913

2675

e todo o demais non tiña sentido.

14:15

But then I discovered something.

345

843588

1832

Pero entón descubrín algo.

14:17

If you have brain cancer,

346

845420

1752

Se tes un tumor cerebral

14:19

and you say that standing on your head

347

847172

1472

e dis que facer o pino
20 minutos cada mañá

14:20

for 20 minutes every morning makes you feel better,

348

848644

2995

fai que te sintas mellor,

14:23

it may make you feel better,

349

851639

1514

se cadra faino,
pero segues tendo un tumor cerebral,

14:25

but you still have brain cancer,

350

853153

1588

14:26

and you'll still probably die from it.

351

854741

2289

e probablemente vaias morrer igual.

14:29

But if you say that you have depression,

352

857030

2512

Pero se dis que tes unha depresión,

14:31

and standing on your head for 20 minutes every day

353

859542

2105

e que facer o pino 20 minutos cada día

14:33

makes you feel better, then it's worked,

354

861647

2484

fai que te sintas mellor, entón funcionou,

14:36

because depression is an illness of how you feel,

355

864131

2360

porque a depresión é unha
doenza de como te sentes,

14:38

and if you feel better,

356

866491

1609

e se te sentes mellor,

14:40

then you are effectively not depressed anymore.

357

868100

2830

entón efectivamente
xa non estás deprimido.

14:42

So I became much more tolerant

358

870930

2033

Así que me volvín moito máis tolerante

14:44

of the vast world of alternative treatments.

359

872963

2925

co amplo mundo
dos tratamentos alternativos.

14:47

And I get letters, I get hundreds of letters

360

875888

2384

E recibo cartas, recibo centos de cartas

14:50

from people writing to tell me
about what's worked for them.

361

878272

2516

de xente que me conta
o que lles funcionou.

14:52

Someone was asking me backstage today

362

880788

2201

Alguén me preguntou hoxe
entre bastidores, sobre a meditación.

14:54

about meditation.

363

882989

1463

14:56

My favorite of the letters that I got

364

884452

2465

A miña carta favorita,
entre as que recibín, era dunha muller

14:58

was the one that came from a woman

365

886917

1474

15:00

who wrote and said that she had tried therapy,

366

888391

2207

que escribiu e me dixo que
probara terapia, medicación,

15:02

she had tried medication,
she had tried pretty much everything,

367

890598

2387

que probara case de todo,

15:04

and she had found a solution
and hoped I would tell the world,

368

892985

2837

pero atopou a solución, e quería
que eu llo dixese ao mundo,

15:07

and that was making little things from yarn.

369

895822

3812

e era facer cousiñas de fío.

15:11

(Laughter)

370

899634

2999

(Risos)

15:14

She sent me some of them. (Laughter)

371

902633

3524

Envioume algunhas.

(Risos)

15:18

And I'm not wearing them right now.

372

906157

3688

E non as levo postas agora mesmo.

(Risos)

15:21

I suggested to her that she also should look up

373

909845

2515

Suxerinlle que debería mirar tamén

trastorno obsesivo compulsivo no DSM.

15:24

obsessive compulsive disorder in the DSM.

374

912360

4048

15:28

And yet, when I went to look
at alternative treatments,

375

916408

3128

E así, cando miraba
os tratamentos alternativos,

15:31

I also gained perspective on other treatments.

376

919536

2908

gañaba perspectiva respecto
aos outros tratamentos.

15:34

I went through a tribal exorcism in Senegal

377

922444

2903

Pasei por un exorcismo tribal en Senegal

15:37

that involved a great deal of ram's blood

378

925347

2013

que incluía bastante
sangue de año

15:39

and that I'm not going to detail right now,

379

927360

2062

e do que non vou dar detalles agora mesmo,

15:41

but a few years afterwards I was in Rwanda

380

929422

2000

pero uns anos despois estaba en Ruanda,

15:43

working on a different project,

381

931422

1758

traballando nun proxecto distinto,

15:45

and I happened to describe
my experience to someone,

382

933180

2796

E resulta que lle describín
a miña experiencia a alguén,

15:47

and he said, "Well, you know,

383

935976

1760

e díxome:

Ben, iso é o oeste de África,
estamos no leste

15:49

that's West Africa, and we're in East Africa,

384

937736

1820

15:51

and our rituals are in some ways very different,

385

939556

1834

e os nosos rituais son distintos
nalgúns aspectos,

15:53

but we do have some rituals that have something

386

941390

2013

pero temos algúns rituais

que teñen algo en común co que describes."

15:55

in common with what you're describing."

387

943403

1987

15:57

And I said, "Oh." And he said, "Yes," he said,

388

945390

1663

E dixo:

"Pero temos moitos problemas cos
traballadores occidentais de saúde mental,

15:59

"but we've had a lot of trouble with
Western mental health workers,

389

947053

2642

16:01

especially the ones who came
right after the genocide."

390

949695

2757

especialmente cos que
viñeron tralo xenocidio."

16:04

And I said, "What kind of trouble did you have?"

391

952452

2327

E dixen: "Que tipo de problemas tedes?

16:06

And he said, "Well,

392

954779

1546

E díxome: "Ben, fan cousas moi estrañas.

16:08

they would do this bizarre thing.

393

956325

2664

16:10

They didn't take people out in the sunshine

394

958989

1885

Non levan a xente ao sol,

16:12

where you begin to feel better.

395

960874

1700

cando comezan a estar mellor,

16:14

They didn't include drumming or music
to get people's blood going.

396

962574

3094

non inclúen percusión ou música
que fai que o sangue se mova.

16:17

They didn't involve the whole community.

397

965668

1842

Non implican toda a comunidade.

16:19

They didn't externalize the depression

398

967510

1775

Non externalizan a depresión
como un espírito invasor.

16:21

as an invasive spirit.

399

969285

1433

16:22

Instead what they did was they took people

400

970718

2631

En vez diso, o que fan é levar a xente
unha por unha a uns cuartiños sórdidos

16:25

one at a time into dingy little rooms

401

973349

2628

16:27

and had them talk for an hour

402

975977

1343

e teñenos falando unha hora

16:29

about bad things that had happened to them."

403

977320

2230

sobre as cousas malas que lles pasaron."

16:31

(Laughter) (Applause)

404

979550

5460

(Risos)

(Aplausos)

16:37

He said, "We had to ask them to leave the country."

405

985010

2362

Díxome: "Pedímoslles
que marchasen do país."

16:39

(Laughter)

406

987372

3057

(Risos)

16:42

Now at the other end of alternative treatments,

407

990429

2444

Na outra esquina dos
tratamentos alternativos,

16:44

let me tell you about Frank Russakoff.

408

992873

2035

deixádeme falarvos de Frank Russakoff.

16:46

Frank Russakoff had the worst depression

409

994908

3053

Frank Russakoff tiña probablemente
a peor depresión que vin nun home.

16:49

perhaps that I've ever seen in a man.

410

997961

2915

16:52

He was constantly depressed.

411

1000876

1993

Estaba continuamente deprimido,

16:54

He was, when I met him, at a point at which

412

1002869

2141

Estaba, cando o coñecín, nun punto no que

16:57

every month he would have electroshock treatment.

413

1005010

3158

cada mes recibía un
tratamento de electroshock.

17:00

Then he would feel sort of disoriented for a week.

414

1008168

2575

Sentíase desorientado unha semana,

17:02

Then he would feel okay for a week.

415

1010743

1803

despois sentíase ben unha semana,

17:04

Then he would have a week of going downhill.

416

1012546

1700

despois tiña unha semana de caída,

17:06

And then he would have another
electroshock treatment.

417

1014246

2685

e despois recibía outro
tratamento de electroshock.

17:08

And he said to me when I met him,

418

1016931

1415

E cando o coñecín díxome:

17:10

"It's unbearable to go through my weeks this way.

419

1018346

2552

"É insufrible pasar as
semanas deste xeito,

17:12

I can't go on this way,

420

1020898

1507

non podo seguir así,

17:14

and I've figured out how I'm going to end it

421

1022405

2264

e xa sei como vou acabar

17:16

if I don't get better.

422

1024669

1557

se non melloro.

17:18

But," he said to me, "I heard about a protocol

423

1026226

2708

Pero -díxome- oín falar dun protocolo
no Mass General

17:20

at Mass General for a procedure called

424

1028934

2223

para unha cirurxía chamada cingulotomía
que é unha operación cerebral,

17:23

a cingulotomy, which is a brain surgery,

425

1031157

2026

17:25

and I think I'm going to give that a try."

426

1033183

2571

e creo que o vou tentar."

17:27

And I remember being amazed at that point

427

1035754

1954

E lembro estar fascinado nese momento
ao pensar que alguén

17:29

to think that someone

428

1037708

1300

17:31

who clearly had so many bad experiences

429

1039008

3221

que claramente pasou por
tantas malas experiencias

17:34

with so many different treatments

430

1042229

1859

con tantos tratamentos diferentes

17:36

still had buried in him somewhere enough optimism

431

1044088

3122

aínda tivese nalgún sitio
do seu interior o optimismo

17:39

to reach out for one more.

432

1047210

2550

suficiente para buscar outro máis.

17:41

And he had the cingulotomy,

433

1049760

2180

E pasou por esta cirurxía
e tivo moito éxito.

17:43

and it was incredibly successful.

434

1051940

2041

17:45

He's now a friend of mine.

435

1053981

1493

Agora é amigo meu,

17:47

He has a lovely wife and two beautiful children.

436

1055474

3492

ten unha esposa adorable
e dous preciosos fillos.

17:50

He wrote me a letter the Christmas after the surgery,

437

1058966

2949

Escribiume unha carta
o Nadal posterior á operación

17:53

and he said,

438

1061915

1189

e díxome:

17:55

"My father sent me two presents this year,

439

1063104

2407

"O meu pai mandoume dous regalos este ano,

17:57

First, a motorized C.D. rack from The Sharper Image

440

1065511

2602

primeiro, unha torre de CD
automática de The Sharper Image

18:00

that I didn't really need,

441

1068113

1421

que eu non precisaba,

18:01

but I knew he was giving it to me to celebrate

442

1069534

2097

pero sei que ma estaba dando para celebrar

18:03

the fact that I'm living on my own

443

1071631

1728

que eu vivise só e tivese un traballo
que parecía encantarme.

18:05

and have a job I seem to love.

444

1073359

2047

18:07

And the other present

445

1075406

1561

E o outro regalo,
era unha foto da miña avoa,

18:08

was a photo of my grandmother,

446

1076967

1576

18:10

who committed suicide.

447

1078543

2252

que se suicidou.

18:12

As I unwrapped it, I began to cry,

448

1080795

2935

Cando o desenvolvín, comecei a chorar,

18:15

and my mother came over and said,

449

1083730

1880

e veu a miña nai e díxome:

18:17

'Are you crying because of the
relatives you never knew?'

450

1085610

3315

"Estás chorando por parentes
que non coñeciches?"

18:20

And I said, 'She had the same disease I have.'

451

1088925

4088

e eu díxenlle: "Tiña a mesma
enfermidade ca min".

18:25

I'm crying now as I write to you.

452

1093013

2581

Choro agora mentres che escribo.

18:27

It's not that I'm so sad, but I get overwhelmed,

453

1095594

3595

Non é que estea triste,
senón sobrecollido.

18:31

I think, because I could have killed myself,

454

1099189

2221

Porque creo que eu puiden suicidarme

18:33

but my parents kept me going,

455

1101410

1703

pero meus pais termaron de min,
e tamén os doutores

18:35

and so did the doctors,

456

1103113

1749

18:36

and I had the surgery.

457

1104862

1854

e a cirurxía.

18:38

I'm alive and grateful.

458

1106716

2815

Estou vivo e agradecido.

18:41

We live in the right time,

459

1109531

2260

Vivimos no momento correcto,
aínda que ás veces non o pareza."

18:43

even if it doesn't always feel like it."

460

1111791

3879

18:47

I was struck by the fact that depression

461

1115670

1897

Estaba sorprendido porque a depresión

18:49

is broadly perceived to be

462

1117567

1725

é maiormente percibida como unha cousa
moderna, occidental, da clase media,

18:51

a modern, Western, middle-class thing,

463

1119292

3537

18:54

and I went to look at how it operated

464

1122829

2152

e fun mirar como funcionaba
nunha variedade de contextos,

18:56

in a variety of other contexts,

465

1124981

2003

18:58

and one of the things I was most interested in

466

1126984

2119

e unha das cousas que
máis interese me causou

19:01

was depression among the indigent.

467

1129103

1790

foi a depresión entre os indixentes.

19:02

And so I went out to try to look at

468

1130893

1781

Así que intentei saber

19:04

what was being done for
poor people with depression.

469

1132674

2580

que se facía polas persoas
pobres con depresión,

19:07

And what I discovered is that poor people

470

1135254

2158

E o que descubrín foi
que as persoas pobres

19:09

are mostly not being treated for depression.

471

1137412

2557

maioritariamente non son tratadas
para a depresión.

19:11

Depression is the result of a genetic vulnerability,

472

1139969

2919

A depresión é o resultado
da vulneralidade xenética,

19:14

which is presumably evenly
distributed in the population,

473

1142888

3158

que en principio está distribuída
igualitariamente entre a poboación,

19:18

and triggering circumstances,

474

1146046

1953

e as circunstancias desencadeantes,

19:19

which are likely to be more severe

475

1147999

1903

que adoitan ser máis graves
para a xente empobrecida.

19:21

for people who are impoverished.

476

1149902

1875

19:23

And yet it turns out that if you have

477

1151777

2427

E aínda así resulta que se tes
unha vida estupenda

19:26

a really lovely life but feel miserable all the time,

478

1154204

2140

pero sempre te sentes miserable

19:28

you think, "Why do I feel like this?

479

1156344

2000

pensas: "Por que me sinto así?

19:30

I must have depression."

480

1158344

1669

Debo ter unha depresión."

19:32

And you set out to find treatment for it.

481

1160013

1923

E decides buscar un tratamento.

19:33

But if you have a perfectly awful life,

482

1161936

2093

Pero se tes unha vida desastrosa,

19:36

and you feel miserable all the time,

483

1164029

1867

e sénteste miserable todo o tempo,

19:37

the way you feel is commensurate with your life,

484

1165896

2826

o teu sentimento concorda coa túa vida,

19:40

and it doesn't occur to you to think,

485

1168722

1724

e non se che ocorre pensar,

19:42

"Maybe this is treatable."

486

1170446

1783

"Se cadra isto pódese tratar."

19:44

And so we have an epidemic in this country

487

1172229

3136

Así que temos unha epidemia neste país

19:47

of depression among impoverished people

488

1175365

2913

de depresión entre persoas empobrecidas

19:50

that's not being picked up
and that's not being treated

489

1178278

2512

que non se detecta, que non se trata

19:52

and that's not being addressed,

490

1180790

2056

e que non se aborda,

19:54

and it's a tragedy of a grand order.

491

1182846

2200

e é unha traxedia de gran magnitude.

19:57

And so I found an academic

492

1185046

1488

Así que atopei una académica

19:58

who was doing a research project

493

1186534

1817

que facía un proxecto de investigación
nos arrabaldes pobres de D.C.,

20:00

in slums outside of D.C.,

494

1188351

1741

onde seleccionaba mulleres
que foran por outros problemas de saúde

20:02

where she picked up women who had
come in for other health problems

495

1190092

2997

20:05

and diagnosed them with depression,

496

1193089

1779

e eran diagnosticadas de depresión

20:06

and then provided six months
of the experimental protocol.

497

1194868

3266

e proporcionáballes seis meses
baixo o protocolo experimental.

20:10

One of them, Lolly, came in,

498

1198134

2329

Unha delas, Lolly, veu

20:12

and this is what she said the day she came in.

499

1200463

2297

e díxome isto o día que veu.

20:14

She said, and she was a woman, by the way,

500

1202760

3395

Díxome, e era unha muller que, por certo,
tiña sete fillos.

20:18

who had seven children. She said,

501

1206155

2092

Díxome: "Tiña un traballo,
pero tiven que deixalo porque

20:20

"I used to have a job but I had to give it up because

502

1208247

2651

non era capaz de saír da casa.

20:22

I couldn't go out of the house.

503

1210898

2060

20:24

I have nothing to say to my children.

504

1212958

2228

Non tiña nada que
dicirlles aos meus fillos.

20:27

In the morning, I can't wait for them to leave,

505

1215186

2767

Pola maña, estou desexando que marchen,

20:29

and then I climb in bed and
pull the covers over my head,

506

1217953

2990

para meterme na cama e
tapar a cabeza coas mantas,

20:32

and three o'clock when they come home,

507

1220943

1646

e as tres, cando volven,

20:34

it just comes so fast."

508

1222589

1801

chegan tan rápido".

20:36

She said, "I've been taking a lot of Tylenol,

509

1224390

2240

Díxome: "Tomaba moito Tylenol,

20:38

anything I can take so that I can sleep more.

510

1226630

2759

calquera cousa coa que
puidese durmir máis,

20:41

My husband has been telling me I'm stupid, I'm ugly.

511

1229389

3770

o meu marido dicíame
que era estúpida, fea.

20:45

I wish I could stop the pain."

512

1233159

3505

Oxalá puidese parar a dor".

20:48

Well, she was brought into
this experimental protocol,

513

1236664

2640

Ben, trouxérona a este
protocolo experimental,

20:51

and when I interviewed her six months later,

514

1239304

2308

e cando a entrevistei
seis meses despois,

20:53

she had taken a job working in childcare

515

1241612

4407

tiña un traballo coidando nenos

20:58

for the U.S. Navy, she had left the abusive husband,

516

1246019

3805

para o exército americano,
deixara o marido violento,

21:01

and she said to me,

517

1249824

2082

e díxome:

21:03

"My kids are so much happier now."

518

1251906

2369

"Os meus fillos son
moito máis felices agora."

21:06

She said, "There's one room in my new place

519

1254275

1977

Dixo: "Hai un cuarto na miña nova casa
para os rapaces

21:08

for the boys and one room for the girls,

520

1256252

2608

e un para as rapazas,

21:10

but at night, they're just all up on my bed,

521

1258860

2539

pero pola noite, saltan á miña cama,

21:13

and we're doing homework
all together and everything.

522

1261399

2612

e facemos os deberes xuntos e todo.

21:16

One of them wants to be a preacher,

523

1264011

1673

Un deles quere ser predicador,

21:17

one of them wants to be a firefighter,

524

1265684

1700

outro quere ser bombeiro,

21:19

and one of the girls says she's going to be a lawyer.

525

1267384

2966

e unha das nenas di que vai ser avogada.

21:22

They don't cry like they used to,

526

1270350

2005

Xa non choran como antes,

21:24

and they don't fight like they did.

527

1272355

2558

nin pelexan como facían.

21:26

That's all I need now is my kids.

528

1274913

3780

Iso é todo o que preciso, os meus fillos.

21:30

Things keep on changing,

529

1278693

1912

As cousas seguen cambiando,

21:32

the way I dress, the way I feel, the way I act.

530

1280605

5193

como me visto, como me sinto, como actúo.

21:37

I can go outside not being afraid anymore,

531

1285798

3687

Xa podo saír sen ter medo,

21:41

and I don't think those bad feelings are coming back,

532

1289485

3409

e non creo que eses malos
sentimentos vaian volver,

21:44

and if it weren't for Dr. Miranda and that,

533

1292894

3035

e se non fora pola doutora Miranda e isto,

21:47

I would still be at home with
the covers pulled over my head,

534

1295929

3617

estaría aínda na casa,
coas mantas enriba da cabeza,

21:51

if I were still alive at all.

535

1299546

2349

no caso de estar aínda viva.

21:53

I asked the Lord to send me an angel,

536

1301895

3732

Pedinlle ao Señor que me enviase un anxo,

21:57

and he heard my prayers."

537

1305627

4330

e escoitou as miñas pregarias."

22:01

I was really moved by these experiences,

538

1309959

3353

Estaba realmente conmovido
por estas experiencias,

22:05

and I decided that I wanted to write about them

539

1313312

2539

e decidín que quería escribir sobre elas,

22:07

not only in a book I was working on,

540

1315851

1379

non só no libro que escribía
senón tamén nun artigo,

22:09

but also in an article,

541

1317230

1311

22:10

and so I got a commission from
The New York Times Magazine

542

1318541

2321

así que me encargaron
da revista New York Times,

22:12

to write about depression among the indigent.

543

1320862

2016

escribir sobre a depresión
entre os indixentes.

22:14

And I turned in my story,

544

1322878

1616

E entreguei a miña historia,

22:16

and my editor called me and said,

545

1324494

1596

e o meu editor chamoume e díxome:
"Non podemos publicar isto."

22:18

"We really can't publish this."

546

1326090

1710

22:19

And I said, "Why not?"

547

1327800

1750

E díxenlle: "Por que?"

22:21

And she said, "It just is too far-fetched.

548

1329550

2305

E díxome: "É demasiado rebuscado.

22:23

These people who are sort of at
the very bottom rung of society

549

1331855

3778

Esta xente está
como no máis baixo da sociedade

22:27

and then they get a few months of treatment

550

1335633

1704

e cun par de meses de tratamento

22:29

and they're virtually ready to run Morgan Stanley?

551

1337337

2632

xa están virtualmente listas
para manexar Morgan Stanley?

22:31

It's just too implausible."

552

1339969

1854

É demasiado imposible."

22:33

She said, I've never even heard of anything like it."

553

1341823

2205

Díxome: "Nunca oín nada igual."

22:36

And I said, "The fact that you've never heard of it

554

1344028

2534

E díxenlle: "O feito de que nunca o oíras

22:38

is an indication that it is news."

555

1346562

3000

é un indicativo de que son 'noticias'."

22:41

(Laughter) (Applause)

556

1349562

6134

(Risas)

(Aplausos)

22:49

"And you are a news magazine."

557

1357317

2494

"E vós sodes unha revista de noticias."

22:51

So after a certain amount of negotiation,

558

1359811

1982

Despois dunha serie de
negociacións accederon.

22:53

they agreed to it.

559

1361793

1241

22:55

But I think a lot of what they said

560

1363034

1615

Pero penso moito en que o que dixo
estaba dalgún xeito conectado

22:56

was connected in some strange way

561

1364649

2295

22:58

to this distaste that people still have

562

1366944

2142

co desprezo que a xente aínda ten
pola idea do tratamento,

23:01

for the idea of treatment,

563

1369086

1463

23:02

the notion that somehow if we went out

564

1370549

1882

a noción de que dalgún xeito se saímos

23:04

and treated a lot of people in indigent communities,

565

1372431

2696

e tratamos moita xente
en comunidades de indixentes

sería un tipo de explotación,

23:07

that would be an exploitative thing to do,

566

1375127

1898

porque os estariamos cambiando.

23:09

because we would be changing them.

567

1377025

1642

23:10

There is this false moral imperative

568

1378667

2033

Hai un imperativo da falsa moral
que parece rodearnos,

23:12

that seems to be all around us

569

1380700

1789

23:14

that treatment of depression,

570

1382489

2354

de que o tratamento da depresión,

23:16

the medications and so on, are an artifice,

571

1384843

2299

os medicamentos e demais,
son un artificio,

23:19

and that it's not natural.

572

1387142

2172

e que non é natural.

23:21

And I think that's very misguided.

573

1389314

2849

E eu penso que é un erro.

23:24

It would be natural for people's teeth to fall out,

574

1392163

3532

É natural que á xente lle caian os dentes,

23:27

but there is nobody militating against toothpaste,

575

1395695

3330

pero non hai ninguén militando
contra a pasta de dentes,

23:31

at least not in my circles.

576

1399025

2128

polo menos non nos meus círculos.

23:33

And people then say, "Well, but isn't depression

577

1401153

2502

A xente di:

"Pero a depresión non é algo que se
supón que hai que experimentar?

23:35

part of what people are supposed to experience?

578

1403655

2185

23:37

Didn't we evolve to have depression?

579

1405840

1741

Non evolucionamos para ter depresión?

23:39

Isn't it part of your personality?"

580

1407581

1907

Non é parte da personalidade?"

23:41

To which I would say, mood is adaptive.

581

1409488

2746

Ao que debo dicir, o humor é adaptable,

23:44

Being able to have sadness and fear

582

1412234

3329

ser quen de sentir tristura e medo,

23:47

and joy and pleasure

583

1415563

1842

e alegría e pracer,

23:49

and all of the other moods that we have,

584

1417405

1803

e todos os outros estados de ánimo
que temos, é incriblemente valioso.

23:51

that's incredibly valuable.

585

1419208

2064

23:53

And major depression is something that happens

586

1421272

3047

E unha depresión grave

é algo que ocorre
cando o sistema creba.

23:56

when that system gets broken.

587

1424319

2012

23:58

It's maladaptive.

588

1426331

1717

É falta de adaptación.

24:00

People will come to me and say,

589

1428048

1572

A xente virá e dirame:

24:01

"I think, though, if I just stick it out for another year,

590

1429620

2768

"Creo, aínda así, que
se aguantara outro ano,

24:04

I think I can just get through this."

591

1432388

2076

podería superalo."

24:06

And I always say to them, "You may get through it,

592

1434464

2303

E sempre lles digo: "Quizais o superaras,

pero nunca volverás a ter 37 anos.

24:08

but you'll never be 37 again.

593

1436767

2709

24:11

Life is short, and that's a whole year

594

1439476

2550

A vida é curta, e é un ano enteiro
do que estás a falar.

24:14

you're talking about giving up.

595

1442026

1956

24:15

Think it through."

596

1443982

1538

Pénsao ben."

24:17

It's a strange poverty of the English language,

597

1445520

2846

É estraña a pobreza da lingua inglesa,

24:20

and indeed of many other languages,

598

1448366

2108

e de feito de moitas outras linguas,

24:22

that we use this same word, depression,

599

1450474

2218

que utilizamos a mesma palabra, depresión,

24:24

to describe how a kid feels

600

1452692

1805

para describir como se sente un neno
cando chove no seu aniversario,

24:26

when it rains on his birthday,

601

1454497

1712

24:28

and to describe how somebody feels

602

1456209

2528

e para describir como se sente unha persoa
o minuto antes de suicidarse.

24:30

the minute before they commit suicide.

603

1458737

2454

24:33

People say to me, "Well, is it
continuous with normal sadness?"

604

1461191

3105

A xente dime: "Ben, é unha
continuación da tristeza normal?"

24:36

And I say, in a way it's continuous
with normal sadness.

605

1464296

3144

E eu digo, en certo modo, é
unha continuación da tristeza normal.

24:39

There is a certain amount of continuity,

606

1467440

2200

Hai un certo grao de continuidade,

24:41

but it's the same way there's continuity

607

1469640

1957

pero é o mesmo tipo de continuación

24:43

between having an iron fence outside your house

608

1471597

1987

entre ter un valo de ferro arredor da casa

24:45

that gets a little rust spot

609

1473584

1677

que ten un puntiño de ferruxe

24:47

that you have to sand off and do a little repainting,

610

1475261

2746

que tes que lixar e pintar un pouco

24:50

and what happens if you leave
the house for 100 years

611

1478007

2647

e o que sucede se
abandonas a casa 100 anos

24:52

and it rusts through until it's only a pile

612

1480654

2898

e se enferruxou tanto que
só é unha morea de po laranxa.

24:55

of orange dust.

613

1483552

1234

24:56

And it's that orange dust spot,

614

1484786

2173

E é esa morea de po laranxa,

24:58

that orange dust problem,

615

1486959

1789

ese problema do po laranxa,

25:00

that's the one we're setting out to address.

616

1488748

2989

o que estamos tentando abordar.

25:03

So now people say,

617

1491737

2240

E agora a xente di:

25:05

"You take these happy pills, and do you feel happy?"

618

1493977

2731

"Tomas estas pastillas da
felicidade, e xa es feliz?"

25:08

And I don't.

619

1496708

1886

E non.

25:10

But I don't feel sad about having to eat lunch,

620

1498594

2822

Pero non me sinto triste
por ter que xantar,

25:13

and I don't feel sad about my answering machine,

621

1501416

2836

e non me sinto triste
polo contestador,

25:16

and I don't feel sad about taking a shower.

622

1504252

2845

e non me sinto triste
por ter que ducharme.

25:19

I feel more, in fact, I think,

623

1507097

2854

De feito, penso que sinto máis,

25:21

because I can feel sadness without nullity.

624

1509951

2430

porque podo sentir tristeza
sen sentir nulidade.

25:24

I feel sad about professional disappointments,

625

1512381

4347

Sintome triste polas
decepcións profesionais,

25:28

about damaged relationships,

626

1516728

2347

polas relacións danadas,

25:31

about global warming.

627

1519075

2039

e polo quecemento global.

Esas son as cousas polas
que me sinto triste agora.

25:33

Those are the things that I feel sad about now.

628

1521114

2725

25:35

And I said to myself, well, what is the conclusion?

629

1523839

2734

E díxenme a min mesmo,
cal é a conclusión?

25:38

How did those people who have better lives

630

1526573

2561

Como conseguiu esta
xente que ten vidas mellores,

25:41

even with bigger depression manage to get through?

631

1529134

2554

aínda con peores depresións,
seguir adiante?

25:43

What is the mechanism of resilience?

632

1531688

2797

Cal é o mecanismo da resiliencia?

25:46

And what I came up with over time

633

1534485

2084

E o que aparecía continuamente

25:48

was that the people who deny their experience,

634

1536569

2916

era que a xente que nega a experiencia,

25:51

the ones who say, "I was depressed a long time ago

635

1539485

2032

e din "Tiven depresión hai moito tempo,

25:53

and I never want to think about it again

636

1541517

1737

e non quero volver pensar nela,

25:55

and I'm not going to look at it

637

1543254

1242

e non quero mirala,

25:56

and I'm just going to get on with my life,"

638

1544496

1890

simplemente vou seguir coa miña vida",

25:58

ironically, those are the people

639

1546386

1959

ironicamente, son as persoas que
están máis escravizadas polo que teñen.

26:00

who are most enslaved by what they have.

640

1548345

2698

26:03

Shutting out the depression strengthens it.

641

1551043

2564

Silenciar a depresión refórzaa.

26:05

While you hide from it, it grows.

642

1553607

3280

Mentres a escondes, medra.

26:08

And the people who do better

643

1556887

2860

E a xente que mellor o fai,

26:11

are the ones who are able to tolerate the fact

644

1559747

2599

e a que é tolerante
co feito de ter esa condición.

26:14

that they have this condition.

645

1562346

1622

26:15

Those who can tolerate their depression

646

1563968

2470

Aquela que pode aceptar a súa depresión,
é quen acada a resiliencia.

26:18

are the ones who achieve resilience.

647

1566438

1782

26:20

So Frank Russakoff said to me,

648

1568220

1783

Frank Russakoff díxome:

26:22

"If I had it again to do over,

649

1570003

1516

"Se tivese que facelo de novo,
supoño que non o faría deste xeito,

26:23

I suppose I wouldn't do it this way,

650

1571519

2137

26:25

but in a strange way, I'm grateful

651

1573656

1964

pero dun modo estraño,
estou agradecido pola experiencia.

26:27

for what I've experienced.

652

1575620

1503

26:29

I'm glad to have been in the hospital 40 times.

653

1577123

3817

Estou contento por
ter que estar 40 veces no hospital.

26:32

It taught me so much about love,

654

1580940

2603

Ensinoume tanto sobre o amor,

26:35

and my relationship with my parents and my doctors

655

1583543

2840

e a miña relación
cos meus pais e doutores,

26:38

has been so precious to me, and will be always."

656

1586383

4389

foi tan valiosa, e sempre o será".

26:42

And Maggie Robbins said,

657

1590772

1926

E Maggie Robbins dixo:

26:44

"I used to volunteer in an AIDS clinic,

658

1592698

2989

"Adoitaba ser voluntaria
nunha clínica de SIDA

26:47

and I would just talk and talk and talk,

659

1595687

3014

e simplemente falaba e falaba e falaba

26:50

and the people I was dealing with

660

1598701

1813

e a xente coa que trataba
non era moi receptiva, e pensaba:

26:52

weren't very responsive, and I thought,

661

1600514

2067

26:54

'That's not very friendly or helpful of them.'

662

1602581

3961

'Isto non é moi amable
nin útil pola súa parte'

(Risos)

26:58

And then I realized,

663

1606542

1642

"E despois deime de conta,

27:00

I realized that they weren't going to do more

664

1608184

2127

deime de conta de
que non ían facer máis,

27:02

than make those first few minutes of small talk.

665

1610311

2387

que eses escasos primeiros
minutos de conversa.

27:04

It was simply going to be an occasion

666

1612698

2057

Ía simplemente ser un momento

27:06

where I didn't have AIDS and I wasn't dying,

667

1614755

2878

no que eu non tiña SIDA
e non estaba morrendo,

27:09

but could tolerate the fact that they did

668

1617633

2973

pero podía aceptar o feito
de que eles si o estiveran,

27:12

and they were.

669

1620606

1787

e estábano.

27:14

Our needs are our greatest assets.

670

1622393

3603

As nosas necesidades son
os nosos maiores activos.

27:17

It turns out I've learned to give

671

1625996

2139

Resulta que aprendín a dar
todo o que preciso."

27:20

all the things I need."

672

1628135

4025

Valorar a depresión propia
non evita unha recaída,

27:24

Valuing one's depression

673

1632160

1691

27:25

does not prevent a relapse,

674

1633851

2194

pero pode facer a perspectiva
dunha recaída

27:28

but it may make the prospect of relapse

675

1636045

2661

27:30

and even relapse itself easier to tolerate.

676

1638706

4218

e mesmo a recaída
máis fácil de aceptar.

27:34

The question is not so much

677

1642924

2045

A pregunta non é tanto
atopar un gran significado

27:36

of finding great meaning and deciding

678

1644969

2175

e decidir que a túa depresión tivo moito
significado.

27:39

your depression has been very meaningful.

679

1647144

2027

27:41

It's of seeking that meaning

680

1649171

2171

Está en buscar ese significado
e pensar, cando volve:

27:43

and thinking, when it comes again,

681

1651342

1804

27:45

"This will be hellish,

682

1653146

1640

"Isto vai ser infernal,
pero vou aprender algo."

27:46

but I will learn something from it."

683

1654786

2701

27:49

I have learned in my own depression

684

1657487

2264

Aprendín da miña propia depresión

27:51

how big an emotion can be,

685

1659751

2013

o grande que pode ser unha emoción,

27:53

how it can be more real than facts,

686

1661764

3097

como pode ser máis real que os feitos,

27:56

and I have found that that experience

687

1664861

2949

e descubrín que esta experiencia

27:59

has allowed me to experience positive emotion

688

1667810

2892

me permitiu experimentar
emocións positivas

28:02

in a more intense and more focused way.

689

1670702

3520

dun modo máis intenso e máis centrado.

28:06

The opposite of depression is not happiness,

690

1674222

3487

O oposto á depresión non é a felicidade,

28:09

but vitality,

691

1677709

1454

senón a vitalidade,

28:11

and these days, my life is vital,

692

1679163

2741

e estes días, a miña vida é vital,

28:13

even on the days when I'm sad.

693

1681904

2745

aínda nos días que estou triste.

28:16

I felt that funeral in my brain,

694

1684649

3313

Sentín ese funeral no meu cerebro,

28:19

and I sat next to the colossus

695

1687962

2024

e senteime preto do Coloso,
no bordo do mundo,

28:21

at the edge of the world,

696

1689986

2247

28:24

and I have discovered

697

1692233

2089

e descubrín algo dentro de min

28:26

something inside of myself

698

1694322

1851

28:28

that I would have to call a soul

699

1696173

2133

que debería chamar alma

28:30

that I had never formulated
until that day 20 years ago

700

1698306

3756

que nunca formulara
ata ese día hai 20 anos

28:34

when hell came to pay me a surprise visit.

701

1702062

4518

cando o inferno me fixo
unha visita sorpresa.

28:38

I think that while I hated being depressed

702

1706580

4098

Creo que aínda que odiaba estar deprimido

28:42

and would hate to be depressed again,

703

1710678

2334

e que odiaría estar deprimido de novo,

28:45

I've found a way to love my depression.

704

1713012

2744

atopei un xeito de amar a miña depresión.

28:47

I love it because it has forced me

705

1715756

2025

Ámoa porque me obrigou
a buscar e aferrarme á alegría.

28:49

to find and cling to joy.

706

1717781

2769

28:52

I love it because each day I decide,

707

1720550

3488

Ámoa porque cada día decido,

28:56

sometimes gamely,

708

1724038

1540

ás veces valentemente,

28:57

and sometimes against the moment's reason,

709

1725578

2698

e ás veces contra a lóxica do momento,

29:00

to cleave to the reasons for living.

710

1728276

2578

pegarme ás razóns para vivir.

29:02

And that, I think, is a highly privileged rapture.

711

1730854

4123

E iso, creo, é unha grande
e privilexiada alegría.

29:06

Thank you.

712

1734977

3983

Grazas.

(Aplausos)

Grazas.

29:10

(Applause)

713

1738960

3136

(Aplausos)

Translated by Alicia Ferreiro
Reviewed by Carme Paz

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Andrew Solomon - Writer
Andrew Solomon writes about politics, culture and psychology.

Why you should listen

Andrew Solomon is a writer, lecturer and Professor of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University. He is president of PEN American Center. He writes regularly for The New Yorker and the New York Times.

Solomon's newest book, Far and Away: Reporting from the Brink of Change, Seven Continents, Twenty-Five Years was published in April, 2016. His previous book, Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity won the National Book Critics Circle award for nonfiction, the Wellcome Prize and 22 other national awards. It tells the stories of parents who not only learn to deal with their exceptional children but also find profound meaning in doing so. It was a New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback editions. Solomon's previous book, The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression, won the 2001 National Book Award for Nonfiction, was a finalist for the 2002 Pulitzer Prize and was included in The Times of London's list of one hundred best books of the decade. It has been published in twenty-four languages. Solomon is also the author of the novel A Stone Boat and of The Irony Tower: Soviet Artists in a Time of Glasnost.

Solomon is an activist in LGBT rights, mental health, education and the arts. He is a member of the boards of directors of the National LGBTQ Force and Trans Youth Family Allies. He is a member of the Board of Visitors of Columbia University Medical Center, serves on the National Advisory Board of the Depression Center at the University of Michigan, is a director of Columbia Psychiatry and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Solomon also serves on the boards of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yaddo and The Alex Fund, which supports the education of Romani children. He is also a fellow of Berkeley College at Yale University and a member of the New York Institute for the Humanities and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Solomon lives with his husband and son in New York and London and is a dual national. He also has a daughter with a college friend; mother and daughter live in Texas but visit often.

More profile about the speaker
Andrew Solomon | Speaker | TED.com

THE ORIGINAL VIDEO ON TED.COM

Andrew Solomon: Depresión, o secreto que compartimos | TED Talk | TED.com