perhaps GTD could be part of a larger strategy
I've had some personal experience with depression, and I've had some luck keeping it at bay.
I don't think it's realistic to think that GTD is "the answer" to depression. But it seems very reasonable to me to think that it could help. From what I know about depression, I think that it would help.
You really need to attack depression with a full court press -- it's a complicated problem that requires a fairly complicated response. I try to exercise as much as possible, and I eat well. I make a point of socializing. And I try to stay on top of things that cause stress -- there's no doubt that stress can push you into the hole. Obviously, that's where GTD comes in.
My doctor told me that there are three broad categories of causes for depression. First of all, some people have brains that are more prone to depression than others -- there seems to be a physical or chemical difference between people. Second of all, things that happened when your personality was being formed can make you more or less prone to depression. But finally, things that are happening can cause depression -- if a spouse dies, or you get really sick, or you lose your job, you can become depressed.
I'm probably less robust in the face of trying circumstances than most people -- bad things that might not push someone else into a depression might get me. Presumably, that's because of factors that belong to one of the first two categories.
I don't know if you've heard of the bucket analogy that they use for allergies. Imagine you have a bucket that's filling up with allergens, and that's draining through a hole at the bottom. If the allergens overflow the bucket, you have problems. But if they come in at a rate slow enough to allow them to drain through the bottom without overflowing, you're ok.
I think that the analogy might apply to stress as well. There are things you could handle singly that overwhelm you when they hit all at once -- when you're bucket starts to overflow, you're in trouble. If you're prone to depression (as I am), you can think of yourself as having a smaller than average bucket. But perhaps GTD makes the hole in the bottom of the bucket bigger -- it allows you to handle more stressful situations than you'd be able to without it.
When I do fall into the hole (which happens less and less frequently), I try to "break the back" of the depression early on with medication. It's been very helpful for me to learn how to recognize it when I start to slip. It's much easier to prevent yourself from falling into the hole than it is to climb out of it once you're in.
There are things that I do that serve as warning flags for me -- if I start to blow off my exercises, hole up by myself and not talk to people, if my sleeping becomes more erratic, it suggests that I should start watching myself more carefully.
I'd encourage anyone who feels depressed to see a good doctor. The main problem with this thread is that whether it helps or not, using the GTD system shouldn't be at the core of your depression fighting strategy. Getting treatment from a good doctor should be at the core.
Depression is a problem that can be managed for most people. I've found that there are enormous differences between the best psychiatric doctors and everyone else. My guy is on the faculty of a major medical school -- look for someone like that. Don't say, "This is just the way I am." Fight back. Use the best people to help -- be wary of alternative schemes, or experts who claim to know things that doctors don't. I'm also wary of therapists who are "in the bunker" -- who base everything on their own experiences providing therapy, and who aren't up on the literature and dealing with colleagues on a regular basis. That's why med school guys are worth seeking out.
The question isn't really whether GTD is going to cure your depresison. The question is whether or not you're better off using the system, if the benefits justify the cost in time and effort. If it does, you should do it, and if you do it and it helps your depression, that's great. If it doesn't help your depression, at least you're more productive and better at your job.
