Fish Can Get Depressed Too

Fish can get depressed too. Experiments were conducted on zebra fish. The researchers drew a horizontal line on the side of the tank, slightly below the middle. Depressed fish stayed below that line. However, when the same fish were given the antidepressant Prozac, they swam above the line, all the way to the top of the tank, as if they were reborn. Fish need some sort of stimulation to avoid depression. Even if it’s not stimulation, there needs to be something in their environment. If fish are just floating around in a tank without rocks, wood, or plants, they get depressed.

In a world where even fish can get depressed, imagine what it’s like for us humans. Depression has become a frightening disease, now leading in mortality rates, surpassing cancer. With the added strain of ‘corona blues’ due to the pandemic, it has become even more serious. Just like fish, one solution for us is ‘stimulation.’ Sometimes even stress can be a form of stimulation. But the best kind of stimulation is ‘healthy stimulation.’ Exercise and meditation can be part of the solution.

depression, stimulation, solution