09/11/2026
Depression isn't always a willpower problem. It's often a messaging problem.
Dopamine works like a running tally in the brain, an acknowledgment that something good just happened. In a person with blunted reward signaling, the good deed still happens, but the body doesn't register it. That's why the same lifestyle advice works for one person and does almost nothing for another.
Dr. Bajaj breaks down two mechanisms behind depression, and why behavior and lifestyle are often the real lever. Full post on the blog: https://gowellrooted.com/depression-and-brain-energy/