How A Depressed Person Perceives The World

There are some expressions, such as “seeing everything black”, which we usually hear as referring to pictures of anguish, deep sadness, depression. What origin do these metaphors have? Are they said literal or symbolic? Is it possible that a depressed person perceives the world around him differently?

The results of scientific studies

Ludger Tebartz van Elst, professor at the University of Freiburg, asked himself all the overexposed questions and, consequently, decided to analyze the correlation between depressive pictures and the perception of colors. Through his analysis,  the conclusions were that, of course, depressed people perceive the universe around them differently  than people who do not have the same mood.

The study began with the analysis of the electrical responses of the retinas (the ones in charge of the “perception of contrasts”), both in people without any state of depression and in depressed people. Each person was shown a table with indicators in the range of gray, while the scholars manipulated the tones and brought them between the extremes of white and black, in order to document the greater or lesser activation of the cells of the retinas with respect to these stimuli. .

The results were undeniable: people who were not suffering from depression possessed greater activation of the cells of the retina than people with depression. What does this mean? That depressed people see colors with less brightness and intensity, as if in front of their eyes there was a glass that tends to turn off the colors, something like a “gray glass”.

The reason for the change in perception

According to scholars, the biological cause of this phenomenon is found in dopamine. This neurotransmitter is one of the substances that appears most destabilized in people in a state of depression. It, among other functions, activates the cells of the retina. 

Other senses involved

Based on these findings,  several researchers from the University of Dresden set out to take this study to the next level, wondering if depression harmed senses other than sight. It was for this reason that they brought together 42 people (including 50% suffering from depression) and were given different fragrances.

The results of this other study were similar: depressed people showed less reaction to aromas, perceiving them less intensely. What is the reason for this? Studies have concluded that, during depression, the process of neurogenesis decays significantly, a factor that reduces the amount of mitral cells that are found in the bulb of our brain connected to the sense of smell.

Change the predisposition

If you are going through a period of depression, it is very important to contact a professional who can provide you with some tools and thus help you find the solution to those situations that cause you such discomfort.

The world is full of colors, in every sense of the word and it is our right to be able to appreciate them in all their diversity. In this way, all our senses will be able to live up to the experiences we live, returning all the colors to our life.