Depression Stigma Declines as Research Uncovers Biological Roots, โขPotential โขNew Treatments
Sรฃo Paulo, brazil – Novemberโ 16, 2025 -โ A shift in societalโข understanding and groundbreaking โคresearch are converging to โขofferโ new hope in โthe fight against depression, according to leading psychiatrist Philip Gold. Speaking recently, Gold highlighted a growing acceptance of depression as a โlegitimate illness, coupled with increasinglyโ complex insights into its biologicalโข underpinnings and potential โฃfor targeted treatment.
For years, depression carried aโ heavy stigma, often dismissed as aโ personal failing โคrather then a medical condition. โฃGold notesโ this is โคchanging,โค driven in part by increased publicโข discussion and a deeper understanding โฃof the complex factors contributing to the illness. However, he emphasizes that simply acknowledging the problem isn’t enough; addressing theโฃ root causes is crucial.
“Keeping feelingsโฃ at bayโ prevents us from making peace with suffering and going through the healingโ process โขofโ grappling with sadness,” Gold explains. He furtherโค points to the detrimental effects ofโ avoiding anger and harboring shame about imperfection, โขidentifying these as contributing factors to depressive illness.
Gold’s ownโ journey overcoming perfectionism informed his approach toโค therapy. “perfectionism makes patients feel ashamed of what they think is a failure. โคI felt that โway too, Iโฃ couldn’t make โmistakes,” โฃhe shared,โ adding that โlearning to embrace imperfection and learn from mistakes was key to becoming a more effective clinician.”By dealing with this perfectionism for years, I started to have โa more realistic view โขof myself, trying to learn from my mistakes, from people and from โthe world around me.”
Current research โคis increasingly focused on the interplay between trauma, genetics, and emotional vulnerability. While acknowledging there’s no single “genetic sentence” for depression, โGold stresses that genes play a significant role in predicting anโ individual’s susceptibility. he believes genetic studies represent the futureโ of depression treatment, potentiallyโค involving testing for abnormalities in key genes like CRH (corticotropin-releasing โคhormone), central to the body’s stressโ response, andโ BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), essential for neuron survival and growth.
Research indicates that heightened CRH activity is โคlinked to โคsymptoms like โanxiety and fear-related behaviors, while low levels of BDNF correlateโข with impaired brain โขplasticity and a reduction in neuronal connections. Importantly,โ studies have shown BDNF deficiency is frequently โenough triggered by stress. Gold believes pharmacological interventionsโ targeting BDNF hold significantโฃ promise,though developing an โeffective oral compound remains a challenge due to its breakdown in the intestinal โขtract.
Beyond traditional pharmacology, Goldโข is enthusiastic โคabout theโ potential of emerging therapies. He points to robust evidence demonstrating the positive effects of psychedelics onโค activating the โBDNF system,advocating for their careful use alongside psychotherapy as โคa potentially impactfulโ treatment. โ The recent finding of ketamine’s rapid antidepressant effects isโ also hailed by Gold โas a landmark event, providing crucial insights into the role of the neurotransmitter glutamate in โขdepression, despite acknowledging risks like diminishing responses over time.
“A wholly new eraโค has begun in terms of our understanding of depressive illness, in โคwhich theโค most significant โฃtargets for โขits rapid and effective treatment are being identified,” Gold concludes, expressing optimism about the future of depressionโค research โขand treatment.
