2012-12-09 14:56:43
Feeling in control can protect us against depression
I believe that the idea we have of the nature of diseases profoundly affects the way we approach them or try to prevent them. Obviously, believing that tuberculosis is caused by breathing bad air is not the same as believing that it is caused by an infection: in the first case, we will try to avoid bad smells, pollution, etc.; and, in the second, we will avoid coming into contact with contaminated people and we will try to get vaccinated. The correctness or incorrectness of our beliefs will affect the success or failure of our efforts to avoid the disease.
In my opinion, if there has been a set of illnesses that has been and still continues to be poorly understood by society, it is mental illnesses. These have been attributed to various causes, ranging from diabolical possessions to changes in bodily humors (fluids) (hence the expression being in a bad or good mood). Last October 10th, World Mental Health Day was celebrated. Perhaps for this reason, Science magazine has published a special section dedicated to one of the most prevalent mental illnesses in these times of crisis: depression.
As in the case of other diseases, the idea we have of depression and its causes will be essential to address it or try to prevent it. This is an aspect that the Science publication treats with particular attention. Each of us shows greater or lesser susceptibility to contracting flu, colds, or infections, in general. This idea is an integral part of popular wisdom. Science reveals to us that this susceptibility depends on the genetic effectiveness of our immune system, and the more or less hygienic environment in which we live. No one seems to doubt that the above is true.
DEPRESSION FACTORS
Depression is not an infectious disease; However, although many may not believe it, we all also show greater or lesser susceptibility to becoming depressed. This depends, first of all, on the variants of some genes that we have inherited. Variations in the genes that make certain neurotransmitters will affect our mood, depending on whether they are made correctly or in inadequate quantities. What’s worse: these gene variations will influence how the environment affects us. If this is not very conducive, some genes will defend us against the possibility of becoming depressed (just as variants of immune system genes could defend us against the possibility of being infected in an unhealthy environment) but other less effective ones will increase the probability of that we become depressed (as also happens with some genes in the immune system).
We know that even if our immune system is not perfect, vaccines help prevent infectious diseases. The same does not happen with depression. Unfortunately we cannot be vaccinated against it with a simple injection. However, scientific research is revealing more clearly every day the factors that can trigger or protect us from this disease and this knowledge can be used as if it were a vaccine to prevent it. What are these factors?
Well, these factors could be classified into two types: inevitable and avoidable. The inevitable ones (today) are, as we have already mentioned, the variants of some genes that we have inherited that participate in the functioning of the nervous system. However, even though they are inevitable, these factors can be modulated with the use of drugs.
Avoidable factors are those that depend on the environment in which we live, which perhaps we can change to some extent to avoid becoming depressed. For example, the educational environment in which we spend our childhood can affect the development of depression as adults. An adequate level of stress will allow us to learn and develop control strategies against it that will protect us from depression. Too intense stress, abuse in childhood, can lead to the so-called learned helplessness (the child learns the mistaken idea that there is nothing he can do to change things), which will enhance present or future depression.
A GOOD ENVIRONMENT
In this sense, it has been shown that certain psychosocial factors associated with resistance to depression include good teachers concerned about the comprehensive development of their students, and people who serve as role models. Also a history of improvement, of progress throughout life, can protect us from the effects of future bad times on depression, as can being focused on developing certain skills (such as sports or intellectual skills), the promotion of altruism, the commitment to fight for a valued cause, the ability to learn from difficult situations, and adequate attention to bodily health, particularly cardiovascular health.
It has recently been proven that the way we learn to deal with adverse events also affects our ability to resist becoming depressed. If we feel helpless in the face of them, depression will probably be triggered, but if we learn to face them, to take initiatives to control them, to act in some way, we will be protected. Certain psychological programs take advantage of this knowledge to achieve what we could call mental vaccines against depression.
Science continues to provide knowledge about ourselves that will improve our lives and those of our families and friends. Something to cheer up for, despite the dark times around us.
WORKS BY JORGE LABORDA.
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