Mental illness is a major concern for public health, with anxiety disorders and depression among the most severe. A lot of research has been done on how diet affects depression, and the findings are pretty surprising. These days, there are numerous treatment options for depression:
– **Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)**: This type of therapy helps people change harmful thought patterns by reshaping their beliefs and perspectives. CBT is used to treat various conditions like depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, phobias, chronic pain, and bipolar disorder. Typically, it involves about 20 sessions, but can be extended if necessary.
– **Medications (SSRIs and SNRIs)**: These drugs, such as Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, Celexa, and Lexapro, are designed to treat depression and anxiety by affecting brain chemistry. However, they can have side effects like excessive sweating, headaches, dizziness, nausea, dry mouth, and sexual dysfunction.
– **Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)**: This noninvasive treatment uses magnetic therapy to ease symptoms of mental health conditions. Deep TMS™ is a specific technology that uses a special helmet to deliver magnetic pulses deep into the brain, offering relief from depression, anxious depression, OCD, and even smoking addiction. It’s approved by the FDA in the United States and CE marked in Europe.
Studies show that people who follow medically-recommended diets, avoiding processed foods and including nutrients like folic acid, magnesium, Omega-3 fatty acids, and anti-inflammatory foods, tend to have fewer depressive symptoms.
A significant study by Berk et al. found that lifestyle changes, such as not smoking or drinking, staying active, and eating well, are key to managing depression. Further research has repeatedly shown that diet plays a crucial role in mental health. For example:
– **2019, France (Adijibade et al.)**: This study found that inflammatory diets are linked to an increased risk of depression, especially in obese individuals. There is also a clear correlation between consuming processed foods and higher incidences of depression.
– **2017, USA (Bergmans and Malecki)**: Their research indicated that diets high in inflammatory foods are associated with a higher risk of depression and chronic anxiety.
– **2019, Netherlands (Elstgeest et al.)**: They found that poor-quality diets are connected to both current and past depressive symptoms.
Moreover, staying physically active is crucial for mental well-being. Exercise helps distract the mind from worries and reduces negative thinking patterns by releasing endorphins, which improve mood and overall well-being. Regular exercise also benefits physical health, boosting social behavior, self-confidence, and providing a healthy outlet instead of resorting to drugs or alcohol. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise, three to five times a week, and it doesn’t have to be at the gym. Activities like gardening, walking, biking, and playing sports can be just as effective.
