It’s been said that if depression had an ad campaign, it would be: “What’s the use?”
For many of us this phrase captures the essence of what we experience when we’re depressed—a pervasive sense of hopelessness and lack of motivation. It’s as if our mind has been hijacked by a part of us that questions whether any effort is even worth it.
The Seeking System and Depression
The work of Jaak Panksepp, a pioneer in the neurobiology of emotions, suggests why we feel this way when we are depressed. Panksepp’s identified several “emotional circuits” that we all use to healthily interact with our environment. Think of these “circuits” as emotional pathways.
Taken from Sandra Paulsen, "When There Are No Words"
One of these pathways is what he called the “seeking system”, which drives our motivation to explore, achieve, and find satisfaction in life. This state can be observed in the animal kingdom when a creature is searching for something or engaging in movement motivated by curiosity. It’s the spirit of investigation.
NOTE: If you want to see the seeking system in action imagine a child coming into a new, engaging environment—like walking through the gates of Disneyland—and how they immediately begin looking around and exploring with curiosity. All of us have an inner child in us that wants to do just that! It’s that “Ooooooo. I want to try that!” or “Hmmm, I wonder if I could….” feeling.
When functioning properly, the seeking system keeps us engaged with the world, and that’s its very purpose. Using Panksepp’s framework then we can visualize how when depression occurs the seeking system is in a state of “lag” or has become underactive. This underactivity manifests as a lack of motivation and a sense of futility.
For some of us this state comes about because seeking has been perpetually inhibited, unrewarded, or even punished. It can also manifest when we have felt chronically immobilized or “trapped” in our lives. And this leads to an emotional feeling of “what’s the use?”
While the causes and treatment of depression is multi-faceted, using Panksepp’s work helps us understand depression as a “seeking disorder” where neurobiological processes have dampened the very brain circuitry associated with drive, forward movement, curiosity, and invention.
The Power of Play in Treating Depression
The challenge when we are depressed then becomes finding a way to reignite this seeking system, to combat the despair and reawaken the drive to explore and engage with life.
And, interestingly, experience shows that one of the most effective ways to combat this state of futility is through one of the most basic of human instincts—play. In fact, some say that play activates more of the brain than any other circuit!
When used mindfully play isn’t just a frivolous activity; it’s a powerful tool that can re-stimulate the seeking system.
When we engage in playful activities—whether it’s through creative expression, physical games, or social interaction—we tap into our natural reservoirs of curiosity and re-ignite a desire for exploration. This can help lift the fog of depression and restore a sense of purpose.
Author and researcher Brene Brown has observed: "The opposite of play is not work—the opposite of play is depression. Respecting our biologically programmed need for play can transform work. It can bring back excitement and newness to our job, it can make us better at what we do. And even if it doesn't, it can bring us closer to the people around us. Play is not an option. Play is a necessity." (Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead, 2015)
Incorporating Play: A Mindful Exploration
With this in mind let’s consider a couple prompts around play. Your job here is to notice what comes up in your brain and body as you reflect on the prompts. That’s all. Just notice:
List twenty things you enjoy doing (climbing, baking cookies, smelling roses, going fast on a bike, going to the zoo to see the lemurs, the feel of shooting a ball through a basket, going to a museum, and so on). When was the last time you let yourself do these things?
Part of reigniting our sense of play is about re-connecting with our inner child. So, take some time to finish these sentence:
“My favorite childhood toy was…”
“My favorite childhood game was…”.
“I don’t do it much, but I really enjoy…”
“If I had more time, energy, or money I would try…”
List 5 hobbies that sound like pure fun. Things that exist for you for no other reason but pure delight and pleasure.
List 10 things you’d love to do but are not “allowed” to.
Notice what comes up in you as you read and consider these trails of thought. Notice any emotions. Notice what images come up in your mind. Also, notice any blocks that come up. And, most importantly, be mindful of any little sparks that may emerge.
By understanding depression as the result of an injured seeking system, we can shift our approach to healing. Instead of simply trying to counteract negative thoughts or trying to imagining a hostile coach in our mind yelling at us to “get it together, or else!”, we can focus on activities that stimulate the brain’s natural motivation systems. Play, in its many forms, offers a simple yet powerful way to reignite the seeking system, combat the “What’s the use?” mentality, and restore a sense of vitality and joy to our lives.
Invitation: This week consider how you might incrementally coax your seeking system into activity through play. Feel free to use some of the extra prompts or activities below to get inspiration.
Resources and Exercises to Start Shifting an Injured Seeking System
Exercise A
Activity: Watch this movie scene from The Skeleton Twins where a brother lip-syncs to his sister after some heavy events. While you watch imagine that both characters represent two different parts of you. A part of you feels down and unmotivated. And, a part of you feels the desire to connect and play. Consider the following questions as you watch the scene for any symbolism that may apply to you:
What is the creative part doing to motivate the part with low energy? How is this different than how we often motivate ourselves?
Is there anything symbolic in the scene you notice that speaks to you?
In what ways might the song choice be significant?
What might the song in this scene represent for you? What might be the equivalent of dancing to a song be in your life? What is a form of play that might catch the attention of your injured seeking system?
Activity: In the following week notice and find your own example in movies, television, books and other forms of media of the seeking system, curiosity, and play at work.
Exercise B
Activity: If you were to illustrate the idea of curiosity, what do you picture in your mind? Draw it or create it somehow through the use of some artistic medium.
Exercise C
Activity: Consider the following questions and write your answers somewhere:
“If I were literally forced to be active—like if I had to do something—and had to spend every minute of my time to go do something (except for sleep) or there would be a serious consequence—what would I occupy myself with that matters most to me?”
“If money or time or current responsibilities were not an issue at all—what would I like to do with my life more than anything else in the world?”
“If I knew I was going to die in 2 years, what would I do with those 2 years?”
“What activity can I get so caught up in that it makes me forget basic necessities?”
“What did I love to do when I was a child?”
“What would I do if I knew I could not fail?’
”What would I do even if I knew I probably would fail (because I enjoy it so much)?’
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