<p>Some people with "without a problem" have fallen under <strong>Gut Health/Gut Microbiota</strong>. </p>

<p>See study:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.drperlmutter.com/study/randomized-controlled-trial-test-effect-multispecies-probiotics-cognitive-reactivity-sad-mood/" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong><em>"A randomized controlled trial to test the effect of multispecies probiotics on cognitive reactivity to sad mood."</em></strong></a>  </p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>"Conclusion: These results provide the first evidence that the intake of probiotics may help reduce negative thoughts associated with
  sad mood. Probiotics supplementation warrants further research as a
  potential preventive strategy for depression."</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Also see: <strong><em><a href="http://www.drperlmutter.com/depression-microbiome-leaky-gut/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Depression, The Microbiome &amp; Leaky Gut</a></em></strong></p>

<p><strong>References:</strong></p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.drperlmutter.com/study/randomized-controlled-trial-test-effect-multispecies-probiotics-cognitive-reactivity-sad-mood/#sthash.mtkhAYRd.dpuf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.drperlmutter.com/study/randomized-controlled-trial-test-effect-multispecies-probiotics-cognitive-reactivity-sad-mood/#sthash.mtkhAYRd.dpuf</a></li>
<li><p><a href="http://www.drperlmutter.com/depression-microbiome-leaky-gut/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.drperlmutter.com/depression-microbiome-leaky-gut/</a></p></li>
<li><p>Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain–for Life, Dr. David Perlmutter,  Kristin Loberg</p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-03T22:17:24.767Z
2016-12-03T22:17:24.767Z
Greg McNulty
<p>"Their lives are perfectly fine" is a hard to test thing. Hard to compare. How people feel and respond is deeply contextual.</p>

<p>However there are several potential reasons:</p>

<ul>
<li>They may be 'wired' to feel stress or respond emotionally (i.e. Due to the way their brain has developed). </li>
<li>A feeling of not being in control (This is often hard to perceive from outside and removed from concrete factors). The causes and triggers of this are varied and complex.</li>
<li>A physical response. e.g. Things like a sensitivity to Gluten can cause incredible changes to our emotions and physiology. Often this manifests in good and bad periods. </li>
<li>Negativity can be a reflection of the context or surroundings. Those same people may appear positive in a different context.</li>
<li>Mental illness can manifest in uneven patterns. This spans from mild (common) to severe symptoms.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-14T14:15:28.980Z
2012-06-14T16:29:01.823Z
2012-06-14T16:29:01.823Z
Jay
<p>I have noticed that some people have lives that appear perfectly fine, yet they feel depressed. In my specific case the feeling typically  lasts for a few days and then magically disappears, only to reappear a couple of weeks later.</p>

<ul>
<li>In the absence of a real problem (e.g., loss of a close friend, physical sickness, etc), what causes these periods of negative affect?</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-14T14:15:05.907Z
I assume you are *not* talking about Major Depression, correct? Major Depression is rare without external stresses, but "normal depression" is common in all individuals without extreme stressors
Zelda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-14T14:18:33.123Z
@BenBrocka: Indeed, not Major Depressions. In fact, not anything that would be labeled as a depression, because (in my case) it only lasts for a couple of days at most.
Simon Verbeke
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-14T20:52:03.260Z
You should take a look at this [question about endogenous versus exogenous reasoning in depression diagnosis](http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/q/981/29). Your question might in-fact be a duplicate of that, but I haven't thought too closely about it.
Artem Kaznatcheev
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-05T23:53:15.513Z
Poor diet and lack of exercise. Or maybe you are getting just smart enough to grasp the pointlessness of your present form of existence. Good news - all of those are easily addressable by making life changes.
dtech
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-19T18:27:18.610Z
Related: [Why does a person feel sad without knowing the reason?](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/5334/7001)
Arnon Weinberg
<emotion><abnormal-psychology><depression>
What causes people to feel depressed without there being a problem?
Simon Verbeke
# What causes people to feel depressed without there being a problem?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-06-14)

I have noticed that some people have lives that appear perfectly fine, yet they feel depressed. In my specific case the feeling typically lasts for a few days and then magically disappears, only to reappear a couple of weeks later.

* In the absence of a real problem (e.g., loss of a close friend, physical sickness, etc), what causes these periods of negative affect?

**Tags:** emotion, abnormal-psychology, depression

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I assume you are *not* talking about Major Depression, correct? Major Depression is rare without external stresses, but "normal depression" is common in all individuals without extreme stressors  
> **username_0**: @BenBrocka: Indeed, not Major Depressions. In fact, not anything that would be labeled as a depression, because (in my case) it only lasts for a couple of days at most.  
> **username_2**: You should take a look at this [question about endogenous versus exogenous reasoning in depression diagnosis](http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/q/981/29). Your question might in-fact be a duplicate of that, but I haven't thought too closely about it.  
> **username_3**: Poor diet and lack of exercise. Or maybe you are getting just smart enough to grasp the pointlessness of your present form of existence. Good news - all of those are easily addressable by making life changes.  
> **username_4**: Related: [Why does a person feel sad without knowing the reason?](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/5334/7001)  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2012-06-14. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

"Their lives are perfectly fine" is a hard to test thing. Hard to compare. How people feel and respond is deeply contextual.

However there are several potential reasons:

* They may be 'wired' to feel stress or respond emotionally (i.e. Due to the way their brain has developed).
* A feeling of not being in control (This is often hard to perceive from outside and removed from concrete factors). The causes and triggers of this are varied and complex.
* A physical response. e.g. Things like a sensitivity to Gluten can cause incredible changes to our emotions and physiology. Often this manifests in good and bad periods.
* Negativity can be a reflection of the context or surroundings. Those same people may appear positive in a different context.
* Mental illness can manifest in uneven patterns. This spans from mild (common) to severe symptoms.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2016-12-03. Score: 2

Some people with "without a problem" have fallen under **Gut Health/Gut Microbiota**.

See study:

[***"A randomized controlled trial to test the effect of multispecies probiotics on cognitive reactivity to sad mood."***](http://www.drperlmutter.com/study/randomized-controlled-trial-test-effect-multispecies-probiotics-cognitive-reactivity-sad-mood/)

> **"Conclusion: These results provide the first evidence that the intake of probiotics may help reduce negative thoughts associated with
> sad mood. Probiotics supplementation warrants further research as a
> potential preventive strategy for depression."**

Also see: ***[Depression, The Microbiome & Leaky Gut](http://www.drperlmutter.com/depression-microbiome-leaky-gut/)***

**References:**

* <http://www.drperlmutter.com/study/randomized-controlled-trial-test-effect-multispecies-probiotics-cognitive-reactivity-sad-mood/#sthash.mtkhAYRd.dpuf>
* <http://www.drperlmutter.com/depression-microbiome-leaky-gut/>
* Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain–for Life, Dr. David Perlmutter, Kristin Loberg


---

