[Crowbob]

Excellent post, Sarc.

There was a lot of literature suggesting chemically-induced coma (such as glucose-induced diabetic shock) has the same efficacy and 'cure' rate as ECT. That leads me to think the 'shock to the brain' is what works. In addition, it is actually common for appropriately diagnosed depressed people to recover after serious trauma, such as an unsuccessful suicide attempt or vehicular accident.

OTOH, sometimes (as has been argued) the intense display of empathy and hands on care for a depresed individual in the latter circumstance above may precipitate a cognitive-based 'realignement' of a person's worldview resulting in significant lightening of overall mood.

Of course, some manipulative people experience the secondary gain of proving how miserable they are.

IMO worthless opinion, talk therepy is the most successful and very often entirely necessary way of discerning who is what.

Bottom line, whatevr works, works.