Does Inflammation Cause Depression?
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New research is demonstrating that depression, far from being one disorder, is most likely rooted in a variety of physical, psychological and social causes. Research is starting to show evidence that for some people with depression, the contributing biological cause may actually be inflammation. This new understanding can give you new tools to fight depression.
Inflammation may also play a big role in other mental health disorders like bipolar, anxiety, schizophrenia, OCD, autism and PTSD. So let’s talk about what inflammation is, how it impacts depression and mental health, and what we can do about it.
It’s long been known that inflammation causes a depressed mood. People with high inflammation due to rheumatoid arthritis or cancer seemed to have good reasons to be depressed. Scientists assumed that it was a psychological response to the stress of being sick that was causing the depression. But as research progressed, it seems that inflammation, stress, and mental health disorders like depression all play into each other. Stress causes inflammation, being inflamed causes mood disorders like depression, and mood disturbances can lead to more stress, a vicious cycle.
Much of the research for this video about the link between depression and inflammation is drawn from the book “The Inflamed Mind” by Edward Bullmore and the work of Charles Raison. https://www.med.wisc.edu/news-and-events/2020/january/inflammation-response-to-antidepressants/
00:00 Intro
02:49 Inflammation and depression
04:31 Studies
05:12 Causes
06:45 Treatment
Check out the transcript below:
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In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life’s direction.
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22 Comments
Now imagine you go to Emergency room with a broken bone and all you receive is a painkillers, which are extremely addictive opioids. This is how depression treatment looks like now. Disgraceful
The fact inflammation causes depression has been extensively proven and known for many years. Still if you want to treat depression your doctor neither tests your blood for deficiencies or inflammation, nor provide advice on lifestyle changes or inform that prescribed antidepressants are highly addictive. I'm really angry about the fact medical professionals are allowed to prescrive addictive drugs without informing patients about it and without even pretending to test if other options are suitable. If I lived in USA I would spend the rest of my live suing them, but in my country it's not as easy
I felt a drastic improvement in my depressive symptoms once I started Curcumin + Zinc + Vitamin D , from what I hear they all fight inflammation .
I noticed my moods being very down today and remembered that i had a cold and this tends to happen. I went to make a ginger lemon shake (whole lemon and a big chunk of ginger with apple juice and some ice) and the relief was almost instant. My nose stopped running and my moods returned to normal.
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This is a remarkably concise, clear and accurate summary if the area. I'm really impressed.
Adding to the ways of reducing inflammation: vitamins can reduce it, a diet high in fruit, veg and chicken and low in processed food helps, probioticscreduce inflammatuon in the gut, mindfulness reduces stress and inflammation, positive emotions ditto. Low dose asprin also reduces inflammation. Fish oil helps but ONLY if it has more EPA than DHA.
You misspelled the word ‘exercise’
Very posible doctor check my blood and find a high spikes with blood cells
I didn’t had flue.
Thanks for the theory! I can feel that recently my depression is getting worse as my chronic eye infection is
This is interesting and makes sense. One issue though is there are a lot of "alternative medicine" practitioners that are telling people they have "chronic inflammation" without medically relevant testing. Inflammation in a medical context is tested by C reactive protein. True chronic inflammation is pretty rare but many people are assuming they have it based on social media posts which is not helpful. Inflammation is normal, chronic inflammation is rare.
Your videos are incredible! Such a blessing to so many of us!
Does cold showers help reduce inflamation?
If you haven’t already look into curcumin for low mood/depression. Excellent studies out there. Make sure it has black pepper and it is a BCM-95 formula. You can take 500 to 1000 mg of curcumin twice daily. Take it with food and make sure you’re taking it with some oil like olive oil, or fish oil for better absorption. Do your own Research. If you already taking a depressant, I’ve heard great things to take curcumin along with it. Thanks for the video!
Anti-inflammatory diet and adequate amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, add some exercise.
Follow the Zone Diet.
Any Disease state, call it what you will, is Inflammation.
I applaud this woman for spreading the word.
Thank you.
Deal with what is causing the depression, medication with only prolong it. I had depression for 10 years and I got rid of it and I'm not going back, even a break-up couldn't take me back to that place for long because I knew how to deal with it and heal.
I have depression, anxiety,stress , authoritis inflammation,bps,Ed,inherania disk in my chest , bad teeth , diabetes, ashma, insomnia also deal with gaslighters plus I eat too much junk food cannot afford to eat healthy like the rich n wealthy .
CRP is just the tip of the iceberg
LPS (Lipopolysaccharide), a key part of the membrane of gram-negative bacteria, actives receptors like TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4) which then pump out pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-1beta (Interleukin-1beta), IL-6 and TNFalpha (Tumor necrosis factor alpha). These then create a change in the activity of brain regions like the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (a main one) to effectively have the net effect of removing pleasurable feelings and just make you feel terrible and disconnected all over, inducing sickness behavior
I would argue i have one of the most healthy minds ever but ever since feeling this chronic sickness in my gut i could just access none of it. It's like something is there messing up my brain everyday, putting itself between my synapses to disconnect myself from myself
Yes cell inflammation leads to brain inflammation that is the main cause of depression. But the cause of inflammation varies massively, including persistent viral reservoirs and serious injury.
My reoccurring sinus inflammation is destroying my brain. It amazing how brain inflammation can change the way you think and act.
You bet it does! Don’t even have to listen to know!
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