>I have a hunch depression was rare in paleolithic times, mainly because
>there was very little time for it.
>
>There is some truth to the old adage that "idle minds are the devil's
>workshop".

  I've been told that HG's spent only one hour a day, to hunt, gather, and
store food. From all the National Geographics I've read, they seemed to have
much more free time than we do. Perhaps depression is associated with
stress? From bringing in a successful crop to kissing the corporate butt,
"Civilized" peoples have more values attached to failure than do HG's. A
Cheetah only gets 1 in 10 tries at a kill. A HG, is much more proficient.
They did'ent have divorce, crime, and most of the depressing social
situations, we now find ourselves in today. Years ago, I've heard that one
of the early explorers/settlers, tried to press into service the Native
Americans, whom they found to be lazy, to work their new land, without
success.