Depression and Related Problems

The World Health Organization has predicted that depression will be the world's leading cause of disability by 2020. But what can we do about it?

Well, it may not break any records but for a start - let's try and minimise smoking!

Based on the results of a new study, researchers involved recommend quitting smoking to improve mood! In the study they tracked the symptoms of depression in people who were trying to quit and found that they were never happier than when they were being successful, for however long that was.

"The assumption has often been that people might smoke because it has antidepressant properties and that if they quit it might unmask a depressive episode," said Kahler. "What's surprising is that at the time when you measure smokers' mood, even if they've only succeeded for a little while, they are already reporting less symptoms of depression."

With smokers that only quit temporarily, their moods were clearly brightest at the checkups when they were abstinent but after going back to smoking, their became more depressed and sometimes the depression was actually worse than before. Surprisingly, participants who never quit remained the unhappiest of all.

So if you want to start feeling better, it's time to stop smoking!

And best get started quickly as another study has found that depression may be a consequence of and risk factor for Diabetes!

Research found that women with depression were about 17% more likely to develop diabetes after controlling for other risk factors, such as physical activity and body mass index (BMI). Those who were taking antidepressants had a 25% higher risk of developing diabetes than those who did not have depression.

After controlling for other risk factors for mood disorders, women with diabetes were 29% more likely to develop depression. Women who took insulin for diabetes had a further increased risk -- 53% higher than women without diabetes.

The WHO may be right, and if so - maybe we need to look at all this small things to try and curb depression in society. Maybe it seems like very small changes, but a number of small changes add up to something bigger!

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Stress and the Unknown Stressor

We all try and avoid stress if we can. But sometimes Stress is unavoidable, especially if the stress is just the waiting.

Researchers recently found that not knowing your diagnosis is a very serious stressor - and can be worse (in terms of stress) than knowing you have a serious illness!

In this study 214 women scheduled to undergo different diagnostic and treatment procedures ahd their stress levels checked. About half were awaiting breast biopsy to check a suspicious lump in their chest, whilst the others were undergoing treatment for cancer or uterine myoma or benign fibroids.

Breast biopsy patients reported significantly higher levels of anxiety/stress, compared to the group undergoing treatment.

The researcher running the study, Dr Lang, said: "These results really drive the point home that the distress of not knowing your diagnosis is serious." It seems that the emotional and psychological effect is far worse when you don't know what the problem is, compared to knowing about a serious illness under treatment.

Similar results were found in a 2008 study by Jacob Hirsh and Michael Inzlicht. They found that, with neurotic individuals, participants experienced immediate and uncomfortable response to uncertainty, even more so than when they are faced with clear negative information.

“Uncertainty can be very stressful,” said Hirsh.

So enough of umm-ing and ahh-ing, whoever you are! People need to know one way or another, because to not know is just stressful!

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Does Adolescent Stress Lead to Mood Disorders in Adulthood?

As depression in young people is increasing in successive generations, we have to wonder what is the cause for this increase? With people suffering earlier in life is stress the problem?

Researcher Mark Ellenbogen is particularly interested in the link between childhood stress and the development of depression.

"Previous studies have shown that kids from at-risk families are at higher risk of having a psychiatric disorder in their lifetime," says Ellenbogen. "We know that they're not just inheriting these traits but they are also being raised in environment that is stressful, chaotic and lacking in structure. Our goal is to tease out how this type of environment influences these children's mental health in adolescence and adulthood."

Ellenbogen's findings have shown that the adolescents of "at-risk" families have higher stress levels than kids from families without disorders, which continues into adulthood.

Ellenbogen says, "We have not yet confirmed that these children then go on to develop mood disorders of their own. However, we have some exciting preliminary data showing that high [stress levels] in adolescence doubles your risk for developing a serious mood disorder in young adulthood."

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Although this study focuses on the home life of children generating stress, if stress in childhood can indeed lead to the increase in mood disorders then perhaps stress through examinations, competition or homework (for some individuals) could also lead to mood disorders later in life?

Clearly, Ellenbogen is planning further study, so once there is evidence that's slightly more concrete, perhaps we will be able to say better the link between childhood stress and mood disorders in adulthood

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The Warning Signs of Stress

Stress warning signs:

Of course, different people deal with stress in different ways, but here is a list of mental and physical symptoms to help you understand if you're stressed.

The mental symptoms may involve you being:

•Angry
•Depressed
•Anxious
•Always hungry, or having no appetite
•Crying often
•Have trouble sleeping and feel tired
•Have trouble concentrating

The physical symptoms may involve:

•Chest pains
•Constipation, or diarrhoea
•Cramps, or muscle aches
•Feeling dizzy, or fainting
•Engaging in nervous behavior like biting your nails
•Twitches, or experiencing pins and needles
•Feeling restless
•Having sexual problems, from erectile dysfunction to lowered sex drive
•Feeling breathless
•Can't sleep

Having just a few of these symptoms may indicated that you are stressed, and you should address the issue.

How stress works
When you are in a stressful situation, your body will release the hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline, and these will go on to cause the physical symptoms of stress.

You may start sweating, and your blood pressure and heart rate may rise.

This, in turn, may undermine your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness, as well as lead your body to release fat and sugar into your blood stream, which may lead you to gain weight.

As stress raises your blood pressure, if you are stressed in the long term, you can develop high blood pressure, which in turn can increase your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.

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Virtual Food Causes Stress in Patients Affected by Eating Disorders

Food presented in a virtual reality (VR) environment causes the same emotional responses as real food.

The 10 anorexic, 10 bulimic and 10 control participants, all women, were initially shown a series of 6 real high-calorie foods placed on a table in front of them.

Their heart rate and skin conductance, as well as their psychological stress were measured during the exposure. This process was then repeated with a slideshow of the same foods, and a VR trip into a computer-generated diner where they could interact with the virtual version of the same 6 items. The participants' level of stress was statistically identical whether in virtual reality or real exposure.

Speaking about the results, Gorini said, "Since real and virtual exposure elicit a comparable level of stress we may eventually see VR being used to screen, evaluate, and treat the emotional reactions provoked by specific stimuli in patients affected by different psychological disorders."

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Interesting study showing how virtual food can create a response within those with Eating Disorders.

Could this affect advertising in the future? Especially as advertising is slowly moving to becoming more interactive..

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The Pain of Discrimination

"In a new study, researchers found that adolescents from Latin American and Asian backgrounds experienced more discrimination than their peers from European backgrounds and that the discrimination came not only from other adolescents but from adults as well. The level of discrimination also impacted these teens' grade-point averages and their health and was associated with depression, distress and lower levels of self-esteem.

601 Teens (equal males and females) kept a daily diary for 2 weeks to record any discriminatory events or comments they experienced. They were also asked to separately record on a four-point scale any physical symptoms, such as headaches, stomach-aches or general pain.

Among the teens in the study, nearly 60% reported experiencing discrimination from other teens, and 63% reported discrimination from adults; 12% reported experiencing discrimination on a daily basis.

The researchers found that teens who reported higher levels of peer or adult discrimination also reported more aches, pains and other symptoms, as well as a lower overall grade-point average. Thus, discrimination may not only tax adolescents' physical and psychological resources but may also affect their ability to achieve in school, the researchers said.

"Discrimination significantly predicted lower GPAs, higher levels of depression, higher levels of distress, lower self-esteem and more physical complaints," Fuligni said. "So the bottom line? Discrimination is harmful."

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This interesting study highlights the link between the personal world, i.e. one's own wellbeing and health, and the social world. This link can be good, in terms of positive interactions and suppport, but, as this study shows, negativity in the social world can create bad results in the personal world.

Although people may think the discrimination is only small, it can mount up on a single individual, much like in the story 'An Inspector Calls' by J.B Preistley, and can manifest itself in a number of physical and psychological problems.

The modern world already seems to be accelerating the number of people that are being diagnosed with depression and ADHD and personality disorders etc, and people are quick to blame the fast paced life and music and videogames. This study is an interesting wake-up call that shows how our interactions with each other, although seemingly harmless, may be commiting more pain than we realise.

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Link Between Everyday Stress and Obesity Strenthened

Stress can take a daily toll on us that has broad physical and psychological implications. Science has long documented the effect of extreme stress, such as war, injury or traumatic grief on humans. Typically, such situations cause victims to decrease their food intake and body weight. Recent studies, however, tend to suggest that social stress--public speaking, tests, job and relationship pressures--may have the opposite effect--over-eating and weight gain. With the rise of obesity rates, science has increasingly focused on its causes and effects--including stress.

A recent study conducted by the Departments of Psychiatry and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, examined the effects of stress on the meal patterns and food intake of animals exposed to the equivalent of everyday stress on humans. The results suggest that, not only does stress have an impact on us in the short term, it can cause metabolic changes in the longer term that contribute to obesity.

Stress is experienced by animals and humans on a daily basis and many individuals experience cycles of stress and recovery throughout the day. If, following stress, we consume larger and less frequent meals, the conditions are favorable for weight gain--especially in the abdomen. We know that belly fat, as well as stress, contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease, immune dysfunction and other metabolic disorders. Further studies using the VBS model will help us understand the relationship between stress and obesity and help us treat and prevent the development of these diseases

(More information on this study can be found by clicking HERE)
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With obesity and body image in the media more and more in recent years, it seems now more than ever trying to maintain a healthy diet and exercise is important - especially if you've had that extra-stressful day at the office!

Possible methods to help you relax? Meditation, Tai Chi or a nice cup of tea!