Acharya Prashant explains that depression arises from the mind's tendency to make poor trades, attempting to give away its essence—such as freedom, love, and sincerity—in exchange for pleasure, security, and social acceptance. He notes that this is a double failure because one's true nature, which is freedom, cannot actually be traded away, leading to an internal dissonance and suffering. Simultaneously, the rewards the mind seeks, like satisfaction and respectability, prove to be fleeting and worthless, leaving the individual with nothing of value in return for their perceived sacrifice.