10 Triggers of inflammation to be avoided, to reduce the risk of depression
According to the World Health Organization, depression is one of the most prevalent serious brain disorders and the No. 1 cause of disability in the world. Preventing or reducing the incidence and prevalence of depression is therefore a major public health priority.
Posttraumatic stress disorder is the best known clinical model of stress-induced depression and anxiety. The disorder is associated with a significant increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines and loss of brain tissue.
2-fold challenge: Reduce severity of disease, reduce risk before disease
We psychiatrists almost always see patients after they’ve developed depression and other psychiatric disorders in which neuroinflammation is already present. In addition to pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy (both reduce inflammation), educating patients about adopting a healthy lifestyle—not smoking, exercising, eating wisely, avoiding weight gain, getting enough sleep, maintaining good oral hygiene, and managing stress—might reduce psychiatric relapse and prolong their life.
We also should be challenged by the fact that the pathways to inflammation, including the 10 I’ve described here, are common among the population at large. Let’s increase our efforts to preemptively reduce the risk of brain disorders by encouraging parents and their children to adopt a healthy lifestyle and maintain wellness—and thus avoid falling victim to depression.
