Eating This Way Is A Sign Of Good Mental Health

People eating this way are less likely to suffer from depression and other mental health problems.

People eating this way are less likely to suffer from depression and other mental health problems.

People who eat intuitively have a lower chance of developing mental health problems, research finds.

Eating intuitively means eating based on hunger and fullness.

Dieting or restricting food intake is the opposite of intuitive eating.

Everyone is probably an intuitive eater when they are born.

But, over the years, the effects of social conditioning change how some people view food.

People learn that wasting food is bad, that certain tasty foods should be avoided, along with a host of other rules.

Unfortunately, these rules can paradoxically make people desire the banned foods more.

Some end up eating to excess because of the restrictions they have placed on themselves.

The conclusions come from a study of 1,491 adolescents who were tracked over 8 years, between the ages of around 14 to 22.

They were all asked questions like:

  • do you stop eating when you are full?
  • do you trust your body to tell you how much to eat?
  • do you eat everything on your plate, even when no longer hungry?

The idea was to see whether the young people were trusting their own internal bodily states or following some external guidelines.

The results showed that intuitive eaters tend to trust their own body so they stop when they are full, rather than when the plate is empty.

Intuitive eaters, it emerged, experienced fewer depressive symptoms, more satisfaction with their body, higher self-esteem, less binge eating and fewer extreme or unhealthy weight control behaviours.

People with the intuitive food behaviours were 74 percent less likely to binge eat.

Dr Vivienne Hazzard, the study’s first author, said:

“The fact that these results came from such a diverse sample suggests that the benefits of intuitive eating seem to cut across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines.”

The study was published in the Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity (Hazzard et al., 2020).

Fruit vs. Vegetables: Only One Is Linked To Lower Depression Risk (M)

Research has linked lower levels of depression to the consumption of dietary fibre, vitamins and high levels of antioxidants.

Research has linked lower levels of depression to the consumption of dietary fibre, vitamins and high levels of antioxidants.

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Scientists Uncover Depression Trigger in Everyday Foods

Is a common ingredient in your meals leading to depression?

Is a common ingredient in your meals leading to depression?

A high-fat diet can cause depression, research reveals.

The fatty acids enter the brain through the bloodstream and accumulate in the hypothalamus.

There they affect critical brain signals that are linked to depression.

It helps to explain why scientists have found that depression and obesity are often seen together.

For the study, mice were fed a high-fat diet, made up of 60 percent saturated and unsaturated fats.

The results showed that the mice began to demonstrate depressive behaviour after three weeks.

Professor George Baillie, who led the study, said:

“This is the first time anyone has observed the direct effects a high fat diet can have on the signaling areas of the brain related to depression.

This research may begin to explain how and why obesity is linked with depression and how we can potentially better treat patients with these conditions.

We often use fatty food to comfort ourselves as it tastes really good, however in the long term, this is likely to affect one’s mood in a negative way.”

Examination of their brains revealed that the fats had built up in the hypothalamus.

The hypothalamus is an area of the brain that causes levels of cortisol — the ‘stress hormone’ — to rise in the body.

Normally the hormone reduces once a threat passes, but in people with depression, their cortisol levels can remain high.

Higher levels of cortisol are linked to depression.

This may help to explain why people who are obese do not respond as well to antidepressant medication.

Professor Baillie continued:

“We all know that a reduction in fatty food intake can lead to many health benefits, but our research suggests that it also promotes a happier disposition.

Further to that, understanding the types of fats, such as palmitic acid, which are likely to enter the brain and affect key regions and signaling will give people more information about how their diet can potentially affect their mental health.”

The study was published in the journal Translational Psychiatry (Vagena et al., 2019).

Feeling Blue? Listen To This Type of Music

“Where words leave off, music begins.” ― Heinrich Heine

“Where words leave off, music begins.” ― Heinrich Heine

Beautiful but sad music can help improve mood when people are feeling blue, research finds.

For the study 220 people recalled something depressing that had happened to them.

They then recalled what type of music they had listened to afterwards.

Choosing beautiful but sad music emerged as the only strategy that people thought had cheered them up.

Dr Annemieke van den Tol, the study’s first author, explained the results:

”We found in our research that people’s music choice is linked to the individual’s own expectations for listening to music and its effects on them.

The results showed that if an individual has intended to achieve mood enhancement through listening to ‘sad’ music, this was in fact often achieved by first thinking about their situation or being distracted, rather than directly through listening to the music chosen.

Indeed, where respondents indicated they had chosen music with the intention of triggering memories, this had a negative impact on creating a better mood.

The only selection strategy that was found to directly predict mood enhancement was where the music was perceived by the listener to have high aesthetic value.”

The study was published in the journal Psychology of Music (Van den Tol & Edwards, 2014).

Struggling With Positivity? This Therapy Combo Brings Daily Happiness (M)

Two standard psychological techniques together help people feel more positive about life.

Two standard psychological techniques together help people feel more positive about life.

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10 Depression Therapies Most People Have Not Tried (P)

There is much more to depression treatment than CBT and antidepressants: explore these effective alternatives.

There is much more to depression treatment than CBT and antidepressants: explore these effective alternatives.

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The Seeds of Depression And Anxiety Could Lie In Childhood Sleep

Is a child’s sleep schedule a ticking time bomb for their mental health?

Is a child’s sleep schedule a ticking time bomb for their mental health?

Not getting enough sleep as a child increases the risk of developing emotional disorders later on, research finds.

Inadequate sleep creates more negative emotions and alters positive emotional experiences.

For example, after just two nights of poor sleep, children cannot get the same pleasure out of positive experiences, researchers found.

The children also found it more difficult to recall these positive experiences later on.

Poor sleep is already known to have all sorts of damaging effects, such as reducing the ability to:

  • Self-monitor.
  • Read other people’s body language.
  • Identify the emotions of other people.
  • Exercise self-control.

Dr Candice Alfano, who led the study, said:

“Healthy sleep is critical for children’s psychological well-being.

Continually experiencing inadequate sleep can eventually lead to depression, anxiety and other types of emotional problems.

Parents, therefore, need to think about sleep as an essential component of overall health in the same way they do nutrition, dental hygiene and physical activity.

If your child has problems waking up in the morning or is sleepy during the day, then their nighttime sleep is probably inadequate.

This can result for several reasons, such as a bedtime that is too late, non-restful sleep during the night or an inconsistent sleep schedule.”

For the research, 50 children between the ages of 7 and 11 had their sleep restricted for a temporary period.

The researchers concluded that, over time, poor sleep like this is likely to increase the risk of depression and anxiety.

People without the right amount of sleep do not seek out positive and rewarding experiences that require effort.

Dr Alfano said:

“There are multiple emotional processes that seem to be disrupted by poor sleep.

For example, our ability to self-monitor, pick up on others’ nonverbal cues and accurately identify others’ emotions diminishes when sleep is inadequate.

Combine this with less impulse control, a hallmark feature of the teenage years, and sleep deprivation can create a ‘perfect storm’ for experiencing negative emotions and consequences.”

The study was published in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews (Palmer & Alfano, 2016).

30 Minutes Sitting Here Has Magical Effect on Depression

A simple activity that reduces depression and blood pressure.

A simple activity that reduces depression and blood pressure.

People who spend just 30 minutes a week in a park have much better mental health than those who don’t.

Visiting parks weekly is also linked to lower blood pressure, the Australian research has found.

The longer people spend in the park, the lower their chances of depression and high blood pressure.

Dr Danielle Shanahan, the study’s first author, said:

“If everyone visited their local parks for half an hour each week there would be seven per cent fewer cases of depression and nine percent fewer cases of high blood pressure.

Given that the societal costs of depression alone in Australia are estimated at $A12.6 billion a year, savings to public health budgets across all health outcomes could be immense.”

Parks are now known to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and even combat heart disease.

Dr Richard Fuller, one of the study’s co-authors, said:

“We’ve known for a long time that visiting parks is good for our health, but we are now beginning to establish exactly how much time we need to spend in parks to gain these benefits.

We have specific evidence that we need regular visits of at least half an hour to ensure we get these benefits.”

The results come from an online survey of 1,538 people living in Brisbane, Australia.

Dr Shanahan said:

“So how can we encourage people to spend more time in green space?

We need more support and encouragement of community activities in natural spaces.

Our children especially benefit from spending more time outdoors.

Kids who grow up experiencing natural environments may benefit developmentally and have a heightened environmental awareness as adults than those who don’t.”

The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports (Shanahan et al., 2016).

Enrol In ‘Activate’ Now: The 10-Week Online Course For Low Mood

Are you feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or simply not yourself lately? It’s time to reclaim your happiness with PsyBlog’s 10-week online course, included in the Premium Membership.

Are you feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or simply not yourself lately? It’s time to reclaim your happiness with PsyBlog’s 10-week online course, included in the Premium Membership.


Activate: PsyBlog’s first online course

Activate is PsyBlog’s first online course, which is included in the new Premium Membership.

The course distils years of research and clinical experience into a practical, user-friendly 10-week program designed to help those feeling stuck or overwhelmed find joy again.

With a Premium Membership you will be able to access all 10 weeks of this course, with the first week currently now online.

The remaining parts of the course will be released week by week — keep an eye on the daily email updates for reminders.

A Premium Membership also gives you access to all members-only articles, premium content and other courses, as they become available.

What you will gain from the course

Over the span of 10 weeks, “Activate: How To Find Joy Again By Changing What You Do” will guide you through:

  • Understanding Behavioural Activation: Learn the science and principles behind this powerful technique.
  • Practical strategies: Discover actionable steps to identify and engage in activities that boost your mood.
  • Building positive habits: Develop sustainable habits that promote long-term happiness and well-being.
  • Overcoming obstacles: Gain tools to tackle barriers and setbacks, ensuring you stay on track.
  • Real-life application: Apply what you learn to your daily life.

What is Behavioural Activation?

Behavioural activation is a powerful approach that emerged from cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), one of the most effective methods for treating depression and improving mental well-being.

While CBT focuses on changing both thoughts and behaviours, behavioural activation zeroes in on actions, making it easier to implement and understand.

By focusing on what you do, rather than what you think, this method helps you gradually build a life filled with activities that bring you joy and satisfaction.

Why Behavioural Activation?

Research has shown that behavioural activation is just as effective as traditional CBT.

The beauty of this approach lies in its simplicity and practicality—changing behaviours is often more straightforward than changing thoughts.

As you engage in positive activities, your thoughts and feelings naturally begin to shift towards a more positive outlook.

Why choose this course?

  • Expert guidance: Learn from a seasoned professional with extensive knowledge of mental health.
  • Flexible learning: Enjoy the convenience of an online course that fits into your busy schedule.
  • Proven techniques: Benefit from evidence-based strategies that have helped thousands of people find joy and improve their mental health.

Start your journey to joy today!

Don’t let another day go by feeling less than your best. Take the first step towards a brighter, more joyful future.

Enroll now and unlock the tools you need to transform your life, one joyful activity at a time.

The Reason Depression Is So Toxic For Relationships

Mental health problems can lead to a vicious circle that badly damages relationships.

Mental health problems can lead to a vicious circle that badly damages relationships.

Women who are depressed lose their ability to read emotions and this damages their relationship, research finds.

Women’s depression also causes their husbands to become less empathic.

The loss of ’empathic accuracy’ on both sides erodes the relationship, leading to more depression — and so the vicious circle continues.

The conclusions come from a study of 50 couples who had been together for an average of five years.

Couples recorded how their relationship was going over a period of three weeks.

The results showed that when a woman was depressed, she was worse at reading her partner’s emotions.

Depression had no effect on men’s empathic accuracy.

However, when women became less empathic, their partner also became less empathic — so mutual understanding was lost in both directions.

The study’s authors write:

“…women’s depressive symptoms are associated with poorer interpersonal perception—both their own and their partners’.

This impairment is specific to negative feelings…empathic accuracy is an interpersonal mechanism that underlies the association between depressive symptoms and interpersonal stress.”

This shows the extremely damaging effect of women’s depression on a relationship.

Women become less empathic when depressed, and this damages the relationship.

Dr Reuma Gadassi, the study’s first author, explained that the effect spreads from women to men:

“It’s called the partner effect.

Women’s depression affects their own accuracy.

But it also affected their partner’s accuracy”

Dr Gadassi said this had important implications for treatment:

“…you can’t understand depression without taking account of gender.

Bringing only the depressed woman into therapy is not enough.

You really have to have both partners in the room.”

The study was published in the journal Psychological Science (Gadassi et al., 2011).

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