Researchers say that about 1 out of every 6 people experience depression during their lives. Whether going through it ourselves or with someone we care about, most of us have first-hand experience with it. But some psychologists working on a new hypothesis suggest we slow down and go through the process thoughtfully, instead of trying to get rid of it altogether.

Depression could be a useful state that enables the mind to focus on processing difficult emotions. Paul Andrews, an evolutionary psychologist at McMaster University in Canada, proposes that a depressive episode is a way to slow down and enable a sustained analysis of those problems that trigger most depressive episodes — losing a job, experiencing a breakup or losing a family member or friend. In short, depression forces the person affected to dedicate real time and significant mental resources to dealing with emotional trauma. The opportunity to understand complicated feelings and events, and figure out how to do better next time.

This might be a reason why depression sufferers often spend more time in REM sleep, which is when the brain consolidates and organizes memories. Quiet and rest are after all what we need to recover from an illness.

This hypothesis would explain the rise of depression over the last 30 years. With more ways to distract, ignore and cover up difficult emotional issues, and a faster pace of life than ever before, time for rumination is short. Maybe we are being "forced" more often by the mind's need to enter a different mental state to be able to deal with our challenges.