Discussion Depression outside of humans

[Im2high4this]

Just read this article and I'm wondering what people think about this. There doesn't seem to be a solid consensus.

BBC Earth | Environment, Climate Change, AI, Food, Health, Social, & Technology

As we face the world’s greatest environmental challenges, BBC Earth brings you solutions in psychology, food, climate change, health, social trends, and technology that can make the world a more sustainable place.

www.bbc.com

Do they kill themselves? Like chimps for example, highly intelligent. Do they ever commit suicide? I know there are some forms on it in the animal kingdom, like a type of octopus mother that will ditch self care while protecting their eggs until they die...but that's different I feel.

What if we developed artificial intelligence. Robots that share our ties to emotions, thought processes, learning abilities, etc...do you think they would become depressed and want to kill themselves? Would they ever develop mental health issues? Or do you think that is unique to humans?

 

[Deleted member 1465]

I think depression is a function of intelligence which is caused by brain size. I daresay animals get depressed but maybe less so because they spend more time surviving than working and ruminating. But look at things like chimps kept badly in zoos which show stereotypical behaviour. And bears kept in captivity.
So yes, but they can't do anything about it.

 

[Im2high4this]

I think depression is a function of intelligence which is caused by brain size. I daresay animals get depressed but maybe less so because they spend more time surviving than working and ruminating. But look at things like chimps kept badly in zoos which show stereotypical behaviour. And bears kept in captivity.
So yes, but they can't do anything about it.

I agree, which makes me even more curious, how can animals experience the same loneliness and depression, but lack the mental ability to die as escaping it all..it kinda fascinating to me, not gunna lie. Like a child can be complete isolated from it's pack, experience (debateably) more hardships then humans, but the thought of killing themselves never crosses their mind. I would of thought the feeling of depression and suicidal thoughts come hand in hand.

 

[Deleted member 1465]

Animals may lack the complexity of thought to understand the concept of mortality. Though tbh they may just lack the means of getting N from A.

 

[Im2high4this]

Animals may lack the complexity of thought to understand the concept of mortality. Though tbh they may just lack the means of getting N from A.

Let's be real, most of us lack the means to do that

Edit: I don't mean to imply I'm laughing at the struggles people have obtaining it. I just have an abrasive sense of humour sometimes, and I enjoy joking about serious subjects. I'm sorry if that offends anybody.

 

[sad_frog]

It's strange because the hermit crab cannot be bought alone as a pet in some countries in the world. The hermit crab is a social animal and if they dont get any social stimulation they will "become depressed," stop eating and die. But... theyre just little crabs, nothing like a chimp or octopus

 

[MeltingHeart]

Overtoun Bridge

This Scottish bridge seems to compel dogs to leap to their death.

www.atlasobscura.com

 

[lightsoutnow]

I do think that animals do suffer from mental distress; dogs that have been abused would self-harm and cats would get so sad - probably can also be described as depressed - and not eat to the point where its life is in danger:

 

[Fragile]

perhaps this is just our romanticized way of viewing animal emotions, i'm sure most animals have no concept of mortality or at least they don't have deep philosophical debates about it, even the smartes animals have no way of comunicating such thoughts, at last as far as we know.

but i'm sure that they do suffer greatly from depression and similar disorders, we use very similar neurotransmitters in our bodies and they have similar reward systems, this is specially truth in mammals since they tend to be very social and experience feelings like grief for their lost "loved" ones.

one example is animals in captivity, elephants for example live for 70 to 80 years in the wild even with all the dangers, while their counterparts in captivity rarely live to be over 20 or even 30, they're known to develop depression and many health issues asociated with it.

i know that this is not relevant but knowing that animals suffer like this is the main reason why i became a vegetarian, pigs are among the most inteligent and social animals we have and cows are such motherly and caring creatures, i can't support that shitty industry.