Pete,

I think you are mixing up things. Depression and being or not being an optimist have no connection. Depression is an illness, not a view of the world. An optimist can become severely depressed. A pessimist can also not be depressed. The nurture vs nature has too many permutations to state any conclusions factually.

Are there biological/genetic issues that increase the risk of depression? Probably, just like there are stronger and weaker immune systems that appear to be familial oriented. In fact, weakened immune systems could be considered a marker for increased risk of depression.

A pilot or even bombardier are chosen from a highly selective group of people.

My point is we can all learn to accept our condition and do the best with it. We do not need to rise to greatness to be successful with our affliction. The nature of brain injury is such that we will always have some limitations in our future regardless of whether we choose to push against those limits or not. The injury and anxiety of constantly pushing against those limitations can limit the success we can have had we just been more tolerant of our limits.

I, for example, need to make some decision early in my working life. I lived and worked in the middle of the Silicon Valley tech boom. I could have easily pursued and been successful in the high tech industry. Instead, I realized then accepted how stress was counterproductive to successful interpersonal relationships and my own well-being because of the roller coaster ride stress caused.

I chose a simpler path and was successful in a simpler way. No start-up hi-tech companies behind me, just a family raised with a father/husband present but still struggling with a lesser roller coaster of PCS. My wife never had to work for an income but we were not wealthy either.

This despite my academic history of high achievement even with my cognitive difficulties.

As I have said, I could have been much more financially successful in business but I would have been miserable to live with.

There are many survivor books written by mTBI, TBI and concussion survivors who have had to reinvent their lives. Doctors who become instructors and mentors because their cognitive skills limit practicing medicine, and many others who found an entirely different direction with a bigger impact on others due to what they learned about living in adversity.

We can be successful and still live in adversity. It is all relative.

Then, some move on but never get past their adversity. They wallow in anger and spite. Gail Denton, the author of Brain Lash sounds like she is carrying a huge load of anger and spite.

Success to me is releasing this anger and spite about our injury and limitations. Then, we go one living a successful life.