Mental illness presents significant challenges to public health and wellness, especially disorders like anxiety and depression. There’s been a lot of research on how diet impacts depression, with some surprising results. Nowadays, there are several ways to treat depression, including:
– **Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)**: This type of therapy aims to change the way you think. Therapists use it to tackle issues like depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, phobias, chronic pain, and bipolar disorder. Usually, CBT involves about 20 sessions but can go on longer if needed. It helps to identify and change unhealthy thought patterns that influence mood and behavior.
– **SSRIs and SNRIs**: Medications like Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, Celexa, and Lexapro are commonly prescribed for depression and anxiety. They work by affecting brain chemistry. However, these drugs can come with side effects such as sweating, headaches, dizziness, nausea, dry mouth, and sexual dysfunction.
– **Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)**: This is a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic fields to reduce depression symptoms. Deep TMS™, in particular, is gaining popularity and is FDA-approved for conditions like Major Depressive Disorder, Anxious Depression, OCD, and Smoking Addiction in the U.S., and has similar marks in Europe. It works by sending magnetic pulses deep into the brain to influence neural activity.
Research shows that people who follow medically-recommended diets tend to have fewer depressive symptoms. These diets avoid processed foods and include items rich in folic acid, magnesium, Omega-3 fatty acids, and anti-inflammatory properties.
A study by Berk et al. found that lifestyle changes are key to managing depression. Factors like smoking, drinking, inactivity, and poor diet can increase the risk of depression. Additional studies have also confirmed that diet and nutrition play a significant role.
Some notable research includes:
– **2019 France; Adijibade et al.**: This study found a link between depressive symptoms and inflammatory diets, particularly in obese individuals. Processed foods are also tied to higher rates of depression.
– **2017 USA; Bergmans and Malecki**: They explored how an inflammatory diet is linked to mental health issues, finding a higher risk of depression and anxiety with such diets.
– **2019 the Netherlands; Elstgeest et al.**: This study indicated that a poor-quality diet is associated with current and past depressive symptoms, especially in men.
Experts agree that physical activity can significantly improve depression symptoms and overall well-being. Exercise helps with conditions like arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression. While the connection between exercise and depression improvement isn’t completely clear, regular physical activity has clear benefits.
Exercise helps distract from stressors and releases endorphins that boost mood. It also promotes social interaction, self-confidence, and healthier habits over destructive ones. Health and wellness coaches suggest at least 30 minutes of exercise 3 to 5 times a week. This doesn’t necessarily mean hitting the gym; activities like gardening, walking, going to the beach, biking, and playing sports are also beneficial.