PTNS-501 Lessons

The doors to the dungeon won’t budge open. You fear that you have arrived late to class somehow, but that feeling is soon dispelled when a message is displayed in flaming letters when you let go of the door handle:

“As per the course’s syllabus, today’s class will take place on the Quidditch field. - V. Draekon”

You curse audibly, berating yourself for not reading the instructions before going down all those steps. In a sudden rush, you dash upstairs, hoping that you can make it in time before the lecture starts. Several rows of cauldrons and benches have been especially installed in the middle of the field, and a black mixture containing flecks of silvery light simmers gently on a stage placed at the front. It seems like you did not miss any part of the lecture; with relief, you take your seat and open your textbook to the appropriate page.

Introduction

I know that today’s location is highly unconventional, but this week we shall discuss a specific potion that requires brewing in an open area to have maximum efficiency - and, as such, I reckoned this could be a good opportunity to step away from the dungeons for a brief while. Nevertheless, before we delve into today’s information, I would like to introduce the topic we shall be covering for the next few hours.

Today we are going to talk about the counterpart to last class’s topic on happiness - namely, we will talk about clinical depression and the methods through which we can treat depressive episodes. I am aware that this might be a heavy topic for some, and for that exact reason I would like to open the class on a positive note.

Depression is an issue that afflicts many people, but one that does not need to be permanent nor crush your spirit down. Even though today’s first point of discussion will be the definition of depression, I want to let you all know in advance that most of what I want to impart to you is that there are many ways - be them mundane or otherwise - to improve our own feelings. I hope this will be a walk that we can tread together, and as always my owl post will be open for personal concerns or advice requests. I am not a qualified healer and cannot provide any kind of psychological advice, but I can - and always will - be able to point in the direction of someone that might help you.

Understood? Excellent. Then let’s move on.

Technical Definition of Depression

Many people use the term “depression” as a synonym for being sad; however, that use is not truly accurate and actually makes light of people who struggle with depression. The truth is that, even though every living being has to deal with sad circumstances from time to time, going through depression is not a condition that happens to everyone. For that reason, we must first take a look into the technical definition of depression.

From a causative standpoint, it is too difficult to determine what leads to major depressive disorder. Several factors - such as neurotransmitter deficiency, psychological hurt, chronic pain, bereavement and much more - can be part of the equation at play, and as such finding a perfect definition for the causes of depression is a work in vain. Rather, a good standard for depression should focus on the results arising from the condition, as they are more or less consistent between individuals.

Our clinical standard for diagnosing depression is defined by the DSM-5 (an abbreviation for “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition”), which establishes the following eight criteria in order to ascertain whether an individual is having a depressive episode:

1. Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day.
2. Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day.
3. Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.
4. A slowing down of thought and a reduction of physical movement (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down).
5. Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.
6. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day.
7. Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day.
8. Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.

Individuals that have at least five of these symptoms for at least two weeks, with at least one of them being either depressed mood (Item #1) or loss of interest or pleasure (Item #2), qualify for a diagnosis of depression.

It is also important to note that these symptoms must not be explained by a more precise diagnosis. For instance, an individual that presents five of the aforementioned symptoms due to drug abuse will qualify for a different diagnosis.

I would also like to note that, even though I merely described the criteria for major depressive disorder, there are other forms of clinical depression - such as seasonal affective disorder and bipolar disorder - that require the presence of different factors in order to be applicable. Nevertheless, since both of these conditions will be further discussed in a future lesson, for now this generic note on the existence of different types of depression should suffice.

Habits that Worsen Depression

It is true that we cannot control whether we have depressive episodes or not - as is the case with many other psychological conditions, there are several biological factors out of our control at play here. However, there are some negative habits we might partake in that can potentially exacerbate the effects of depression.

The first of these habits is inactivity. Some of you might remember that endorphins and serotonin, two of the neurotransmitters responsible for the feeling of happiness, are produced when we exercise; ergo, it stands to reason that not exercising causes a decrease in endorphin and serotonin production, intensifying the feeling of sadness elicited by depression.

In addition to that, a poor sleep schedule and a poor diet can also have deleterious effects on our bodies. Both inadequate sleep and inadequate nutrient supply impact the production of hormones, making it more difficult for us to bounce back from a depressive episode.

However, there are some social behaviors that can also take a toll on us. Most individuals afflicted with depression try to isolate themselves from others, either in fear of “being too much” and “spoiling the mood”, or because they struggle with a reduced sense of self-worth. This isolation, likewise, only serves to intensify the rift between the depressed individual and the rest of their support network, making their symptoms even more severe as time goes by.

A last point of caution I would like to mention here is excessive usage of social media in the modern era. According to countless studies, there is a direct correlation between social media use and a decrease in the user’s sense of self-worth, as they invariably make comparisons between the apparent lives of others and their personal reality.

I am aware that saying “go out more” or “eat better” is easier said than done; nevertheless, by being aware of these pitfalls and trying their best to avoid worsening a depressive episode, those who struggle with symptoms might be better equipped to fight better against the condition and even get the motivation to undergo psychotherapy or take required medications.

Perhaps this is the strongest message I can state at this point and the one thing I wish I can impart to all of you - in case you ever have to fight depression or support someone that does so, the best way to approach things is to look at what you can change rather than keep pushing against what’s not in your control. Little habits such as the ones listed above might seem inconsequential, but they could be the spark of strength that helps you, a loved family member or a dear friend to start their journey to recovery, one step at a time.

Approaches to Depression Mitigation

Now that we have covered the ways through which we can prevent ourselves from worsening depressive episodes, it is time to take a closer look at the methods that can be used to address major depressive disorder. The first method that I want to mention in passing - as this is the main topic for our class today - is the use of the Temperament Modifying Potion, a brew that helps us replenish the lacking neurotransmitters in our body. In short, the Temperament Modifying Potion is a mixture that is able to dispense an appropriate level of neurotransmitters into the drinker’s bloodstream through the use of semi-permeable capsules that, via diffusion, release the right dose of chemicals until the difference in concentration between the medication and the user’s bloodstream disappears.

I know that the former explanation was slightly too technical, so bear with me for a brief while. The key concept to be covered here is diffusion, which simply means that substances like to spread out from where they are more concentrated to where they are less concentrated. For instance, picture a glass of water; if you added a drop of blue dye to its contents, the dye would at first be concentrated in the area where the droplet was added but soon enough would disperse and tint the liquid in the glass as a whole.

Drinking the Temperament Modifying Potion works in a similar fashion. The brew in question contains several flecks of silver that are actually very small capsules containing a mixture of different neurotransmitters. These chemicals are isolated through a semi-permeable barrier that lets no other molecule in or out, which means that when the concoction is consumed by an individual, only the relevant neurotransmitters can flow into or out of the magical capsule. Therefore, the user’s level of serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins and dopamine can become the same as the potion’s, mitigating the biological causes of depression. To be honest, the explanation is significantly more complicated than that, and for that reason this shall serve as an introductory overview of the potion, although I will naturally entertain further questions about the dispensation mechanism of the Temperament Modifying Potion should you have them.

Another method - this one also applicable to Muggles - uses the same type of principle as described above. For those that have already heard about antidepressant medication, rest assured that they work in a very similar manner. Antidepressants stimulate the creation of neurotransmitters by your brain rather than supplying them from an external source, which can then help a person feel happier and more active.

If that is the case, why don’t we use Muggle medication instead? The reason for that lies in the advantages present when using the Temperament Modifying Potion, which carries in its midst a template of how much of a given neurotransmitter is desired in a person’s body. On the other hand, Muggle medications might cause the user to produce too much or too little of a given compound, creating serious side-effects.

Last, but not least, a third method involves the use of psychological, rather than biological, tools that can help us deal with depression. That is the function of psychotherapy, which can be defined as a series of verbal and psychological techniques employed with the intent to treat psychological disorders and mental distress.

There are multiple forms of psychotherapy, including psychoanalysis (focusing on the reasons why we act in specific ways), cognitive behavioral therapy (focusing on deconstructing negative patterns of behavior to avoid their consequences) or phenomenological psychology (focusing on personal experiences and a person’s life lived so far to understand their acts). There is no one form of psychotherapy that is superior to all others: in the same way that humans have different ways to learn, we also have different ways to perceive the world and change our behaviors. What matters the most is that we’re able to select the form of therapy that makes the most sense to us and keep working on personal development by attending regular sessions.

Psychological Immune System

The last topic I would like to broach in today’s class is the so-called psychological immune system. In simple terms, the concept of psychological immune system refers to the fact that, in the same way our bodies can defend against external harm from viruses and bacteria and get back to normalcy, our psyche likewise can address negative events in life and help us get over them with enough time.

This phenomenon was researched by Muggle scientists Timothy Wilson and Daniel Gilbert, who identified that after one year had elapsed, the average happiness levels of both lottery winners and paraplegic individuals were comparable. In a sense, the psychological immune system is the counterpart to the idea of the hedonic treadmill we studied last week - in the same way that there is no eternal happiness that never wanes, then so there must be no unsurmountable sadness that we can’t get past.

There are several components to the psychological immune system, all of them devised to make us feel more at ease with who we are and how we make decisions. For the sake of providing a brief overview on the most common strategies taken by the psychological immune system, take a look at the following table before we proceed with our brewing for the day.

I feel like we have more than enough theory for the time being. Let us now move to our next part of the class and start work on our brewing.

Temperament Modifying Potion

Estimated Brewing Time:
Pewter Cauldron: 4 hours, 15 minutes and 13 seconds
Brass Cauldron: 3 hours, 51 minutes and 55 seconds
Copper Cauldron: 3 hours, 30 minutes and 56.8 seconds

Total Brewing Time:
Pewter Cauldron: 4 days, 21 hours, 15 minutes and 13 seconds
Brass Cauldron: 4 days, 20 hours, 51 minutes and 55 seconds
Copper Cauldron: 4 days, 20 hours, 30 minutes and 56.8 seconds

Ingredients:
2 L of water
35 g of finely ground Knarl quills¹
14 mL of dog bile (yellow and black blend)¹
1 medium-sized (7 mm in diameter) dragon blood clot¹
4 strands of unicorn tail hair²
3 Dirigible Plums²
5 Flitterby wings²
10 mL of Pogrebin phlegm²
12 g of coarsely chopped dark chocolate³
15 g of carnauba wax³

Instructions

Part One:
1. With the heat still off, add 500 mL of water to your cauldron.
2. Bring the heat to 356 Kelvin (82.85°C/181.13°F).
3. Add 10 g of carnauba wax to your cauldron, then stir its contents twice counterclockwise.
4. Add the dragon blood clot to your cauldron, then stir its contents clockwise until the blood clot dissolves into the mixture. Depending on the toughness of the clot, three to six stirs might be used.
(Note: If the blood clot does not dissolve after six stirs, start anew. Brews made with overly tough dragon blood clots may cause the capsules to build up too much pressure and randomly explode, potentially causing personal harm to the drinker.)
5. Freshly grate 1 Dirigible Plum over your cauldron, then stir its contents three times clockwise.
6. Bring the heat to 360 Kelvin (86.85°C/188.33°F) and let the potion simmer in your pewter cauldron for 1 hour.
(This would be 54 minutes in a brass cauldron and 48 minutes and 36 seconds in a copper cauldron.)

At this point, your potion will be dark gray and emit no smoke. A flexible film will form on the surface of the potion; lightly tapping on that film with a wooden spoon will cause the coagulated surface of the brew to wobble without tearing apart.

Part Two:
1. Apply pressure to the film covering the surface of the potion with a wooden spoon until you rupture it.
2. Mix the contents of your cauldron with a wooden spoon until the ruptured film dissolves again into the brew.
3. Bring the heat to 356 Kelvin (82.85°C/181.13°F).
4. Add 500 mL of water to your cauldron.
5. Add 5 g of carnauba wax to your cauldron, then stir its contents once counterclockwise.
6. Add 5 Flitterby wings and 1 Dirigible Plum to a mortar, then crush both ingredients until you obtain a smooth paste.
7. Use the Siphoning Charm to transfer the contents of your mortar to a dish that can be heated directly.
8. Heat the contents of your dish over a 570 Kelvin (296.85°C/566.33°F) flame for 1 minute and 19 seconds.
9. Add the contents of your dish to your cauldron, then stir its contents three times clockwise.
10. Bring the heat to 360 Kelvin (86.85°C/188.33°F) and let the potion simmer in your pewter cauldron for 50 minutes.
(This would be 45 minutes in a brass cauldron and 40 minutes and 30 seconds in a copper cauldron.)

At this point, your potion should be light gray and emit yellow fumes that have a faint smell of rubber. Tiny spherical bubbles will occasionally shoot up from the brew’s surface and explode mid-air.

Part Three:
1. Bring the heat to 340 Kelvin (66.85°C/152.33°F).
2. Add 2 strands of unicorn tail hair to your cauldron, then stir its contents three times counterclockwise.
3. In a separate tray, add 35 g of finely ground Knarl quills and 12 g of coarsely chopped dark chocolate.
4. Mix the contents of your tray until you have both materials distributed equally in the container.
5. Use the Dehumidifying Spell on the contents of your tray.
6. Add the contents of your tray to your cauldron, then stir the contents of your cauldron twice clockwise.
7. Bring the heat to 410 Kelvin (136.85°C/278.33°F) and let the potion simmer in your pewter cauldron for 37 minutes.
(This would be 33 minutes and 18 seconds in a brass cauldron and 29 minutes and 58.2 seconds in a copper cauldron.)

At this point, your potion should be chartreuse with thin orange stripes that pulse wider from time to time. Its steam should smell strongly like yogurt.

Part Four:
1. Bring the heat to 368 Kelvin (94.85°C/202.73°F).
2. Add 100 mL of water to your cauldron. Repeat the same process with a pause of 2 minutes between each addition until all the remaining water is used.
3. With a syringe, inject 14 mL of dog bile and 10 mL of Pogrebin phlegm into 1 Dirigible Plum.
4. Add the prepared Dirigible Plum to your cauldron, then stir its contents once counterclockwise and twice clockwise.
5. Bring the heat to 710 Kelvin (436.85°C/818.33°F) for 2 minutes and 54 seconds, regardless of cauldron type, then bring the heat to 333 Kelvin (59.85°C/139.73°F).
6. Split open the Dirigible Plum added to the brew with the use of a Severing Charm.
7. Stir the contents of your cauldron clockwise until the Dirigible Plum completely dissolves into the mixture. Two to five stirs might be used at this point.
(Note: If the Dirigible Plum does not dissolve after five stirs, start anew and try to select Dirigible Plums with a more vibrant color. A failure to dissolve indicates that the Dirigible Plums were not reactive enough and that the Temperament Modifying Potion would not dispense the correct amount of neurotransmitters.)
8. Add 2 strands of unicorn tail hair to your cauldron.
9. Bring the heat to 388 Kelvin (114.85°C/238.73°F) and let the potion simmer in your pewter cauldron for 1 hour and 26 minutes.
(This would be 1 hour, 17 minutes and 24 seconds in a brass cauldron and 1 hour, 9 minutes and 39.6 seconds in a copper cauldron.)
10. The potion must mature for 4 days and 17 hours before consumption.

The final potion will be black with many silver flecks that shimmer spontaneously, like a night sky filled with stars. The brew smells like freshly grated orange zest and tastes like sparkling water.

Storage:

In order to prevent the deterioration of the magical capsules, store the Temperament Modifying Potion in a cool place away from direct sunlight. The potion can be stored for up to two years, provided that three drops of Dirigible Plum juice are added to the vial every month.

Usage:

Drink one teaspoon of the Temperament Modifying Potion on its own whenever you feel a resurgence of depressive symptoms. However, make sure to never consume the potion more than five times a month, unless otherwise instructed by your healer.

Caution:

Do not consume the Temperament Modifying Potion after drinking grapefruit juice. Side-effects when consuming this concoction are extremely rare, but can involve the formation of webbing between the drinker’s fingers and the development of a rough surface on top of the person’s tongue. If either of these side-effects occur, discontinue use until the symptoms subside and consult with a healer in order to determine if another potion is more suitable to treat your symptoms.

Closing

Some of you might notice that the restriction against drinking grapefruit juice is much more specific than the usual points of caution we might see for a potion. The reason for that is quite simple: grapefruits contain a chemical called 5-geranoxypsoralen, which oxidizes the capsules present in the Temperament Modifying Potion and causes the active principle levels of the brew to surge up drastically. It is still not yet understood why eating fresh grapefruit does not pose the same harm, however.

Another factor that has been unexplained so far is the reason why this potion must be brewed in an open space - I have explained that brewing in this way is more efficient, but never stated why that is the case. Although the explanation is quite complex, research indicates that exposing the potion to non-stagnant air facilitates the exchange of its chemicals in the drinker’s bloodstream. This is thought to happen due to the brew mimicking the air flow of the surrounding environment during the formation of the capsule structures.

Having said that, some might notice that this week has a lighter assignment load in preparation for your midterms. In addition to your conventional mandatory quiz, there are also two voluntary essays - one related to the contents of today’s class and one meant to be a review of Potions Year One and Year Two - to be written.

Dismissed.

Original lesson written by Professor Vaylen Draekon
Image credits here, here, here and here