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The Case for Antidepressants

Antidepressants are NOT Placebos   Hey team, I recently revisited Peter Kramer’s book "Ordinarily Well," in which he makes a compelling argument that antidepressants are significantly more than mere placebos, they indeed have tangible effects that can alter the course of depression for the better. This case arises amidst significant pushback against antidepressants, particularly the claim that they're nothing more than "placebos with side effects," a position I once explored but no longer find convincing. While antidepressants aren't correcting a "chemical imbalance"—a concept I've previously gone over—they undeniably have tangible effects on mental processes. Notably, antidepressants influence unconscious mechanisms related to emotional processing in ways that placebos simply don't replicate. This is in addition to unique effects on personality again not seen with placebos. Additionally, standard clinical trials are rife with limitations t...
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Personality: what is it and why it's important!

Hey team, Today, I’d like to discuss personality, specifically the aspects we can measure. While personality is complex, we have identified domains that provide meaningful insights into how people think, feel, and behave. Back in January I read Daniel Nettle’s “Personality, What Makes You The Way You Are”  and it did a great job of outlining our current understanding of personality with lots of poignant examples. Nettle explains that personality traits are not absolute descriptors of behavior but rather tendencies that manifest across many circumstances, though not necessarily every single one. Obviously, we can’t predict behavior 100% of the time, but these tendencies offer a useful framework for understanding individual differences.  Despite this variability, personality traits demonstrate a high degree of reliability over time, meaning that individuals tend to maintain their relative standing on these traits across years or even decades. For example, across 12 years persona...
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UPDATE:Personality Unpacked: A Look at Individuals Through the Lens of the Big 5

 Hey team, to better understand the big 5 I have made up some cases that demonstrate clearly how individuals and their behavior can be understood through the lens of a unique balance of their personality traits. They are all very made up, I hope you can get a kick out of them.  1. “Patrick” Meet Patrick: the most disciplined, hardest-working man on his team—ruthlessly devoted to being the best. He’s a man who cares about the real things in life: money, looks, and admiration. You’ll find him waking up at 4:00 a.m. to take a cold shower before doing an hour of cardio or strength training, followed by crafting what might just be the healthiest shake in existence. Perfect macro and micronutrient profile—tragically lacking in the taste department. Every morning, Patrick meticulously measures each ingredient to perfection. He drinks it religiously, even when surrounded by guests indulging in donuts and waffles. After all, you're not getting to 5% body fat with that kind of food. Aft...
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