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Loneliness And Depression: Decoding the Epidemic!

We’re more connected than ever – but are we?

The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved

MOTHER THERESA

One is likely to be familiar with the unusually painful and complicated emotional state of experiencing loneliness through isolation, real or virtual.

What Causes Loneliness?

Loneliness is a universal human emotion but is unique to everyone. It is explained simplistically through the bio-psycho-social model that entails a multi-factorial role of biological (genetic), psychological (emotional state and thinking patterns) and social factors (environmental stresses). There are various examples of such psychosocial factors:

Significant change/ life event that brings about unfamiliarity
Feeling different/ out of place from the people around
Having no intimate partner
Not having someone to share with (even pets)
Not enough ME time (solitude)
Frequent heartbreaks/ betrayals
Not having someone to share a living space with (albeit quietly)

It typically brings anxiety about feeling unloved, unwanted and being unproductive not just in the present, but often extends into anxiety about the future. Not surprisingly, research has shown that one could feel just as lonely when surrounded by people, as much as when living in isolation. This tells us that it is more of a state of mind than external separation. For example, it has been seen in people in marriages, relationships, families and even those with successful careers over the years.

Loneliness causes people to crave human contact, but their state of mind makes it more difficult to form connections with other people.

To be happy, we need intimate bonds; we need to be able to confide, we need to feel like we belong, we need to be able to get and give support. Healthy relationships are key – perhaps the key – to a happy life.

Of course, being alone and being lonely aren’t the same. Loneliness feels draining, distracting, and upsetting; but desired solitude feels peaceful, creative, and restorative. While loneliness exhibited a discrepancy between one’s perceived need for an achieved level of social interaction, solitude is merely a brief and voluntary absence of social contact. In the words of Nikola Tesla, being alone-that is the secret of the invention, the cradle of creativity.

On a spiritual front, the existentialist school of thought views loneliness as an essence of being human. It advocates that all humans are born alone and ultimately die alone, and coping with this realization, accepting it and learning to direct one’s own life with grace and satisfaction is the human condition.

Loneliness and Depression

Mental health perspective states that Depression is intricately linked with feeling lonely. It marks a red flag for the suicidal tendency, with an unwillingness to live for others. It can also precipitate substance use disorders due to poor sleep quality, exhaustion or mere means of seeking socialization. At times, schizoid patterns of thought are linked with loneliness, by an autistic regression into a world of their own and evolving into a personality that prefers social alienation over interaction. Loneliness in younger age groups can potentiate destructive behaviors towards self or others and even affect memory and learning adversely, further leading to emotional issues.

When loneliness is chronic (lasting for years) it is linked to increases in cortisol levels (stress hormone) causing anxiety, depression, digestive problems, heart disease, sleep problems, and weight gain, further creating an increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity. It impairs the body’s immune responses, thus increasing susceptibility to illnesses.

What Happens When We are Isolated?

When we feel socially isolated, our nervous systems automatically switch into ‘self-preservation mode,’ which makes us more abrasive and defensive – even if there’s no threat. Loneliness makes the brain more alert to threats and the possible danger of strangers, as they remain more active in social situations. This hyper-vigilance to respond to social threats could be rooted in the subconscious, thus attracting more negative experiences.

Treatment for Loneliness

Because it has no single common cause, the prevention and treatment of this potentially damaging state of mind can vary dramatically. How do we combat this disease? Most doctors would recommend therapy, to understand the cause of the problem, reversing the negative thoughts, feelings, and attitudes resulting from the problem, and exploring ways to help the person feel connected. Alternative approaches include various lifestyle modifications, pet therapy, reminiscence of good old days and indulging in religious/ spiritual activities that encourage socializing and alleviate symptoms of depression.

Be More Social

An essential step towards dealing with loneliness due to lack of socializing is learning social cognitive skills along with social skills training. Results of meta-analyses suggest that correcting maladaptive social cognition offers the best chance of reducing loneliness.

Prevent Loneliness

Like for all disorders, preventing depression & loneliness is better than curing it. While curing loneliness requires one to make a conscious change in life, prevention helps to create positive avenues for bringing about the difference quickly. Education about loneliness, community activities, finding like-minded people, sharing values and ideas with people we meet, having affirmative beginnings to the days, and reinforcing positive attitudes towards relationships are some ways to prevent loneliness from creeping in into our lives.

Also Read: Pregnancy Fatigue: Unraveling Causes and Research-Backed Solutions

Make Time for Yourself

Without great solitude no serious work is possible. – PABLO PICASSO

Steal away opportunities for some time to be with yourself. A significant part of this is turning off the technology. The goal is not to be in solitude all the time either. There is value in interaction and collaboration, but there must be BALANCE. Right now, it seems like we’ve gotten away from this balance and we’re a little too connected.

Caution for Social Media Exposure

A University of Michigan study found that we’re more likely to use social media when we’re feeling lonely. Although it doesn’t necessarily make us feel lonelier, watching people’s lives go by on our newsfeeds can lead to feelings of unhappiness. So instead of logging into Facebook next time you’re feeling lonely, try face-to-face interaction and make a phone call to someone you love. Loneliness is subjective and is not to do with your number of likes!

Please note: This article is powered by Juno Clinic.

Juno Clinic is on its way to be India’s leading wellbeing company in terms of Quality and Reach. We provide a full stack of services including counseling, treatment, and assessment. Our therapists offer to counsel over video/audio/chat. The online platform has been developed specifically for seamless counseling process and high engagement level, which can be used by therapists anywhere in the world.

Also Read: Causes of Depression – The Reasons for Feeling Depressed

Why Should You Consider Diabetes Diagnostic Tests?

Dr Amrish Mehta, an M.B.B.S. with a Diploma in Pathology and Bacteriology as well as an M.D. in Pathology and Microbiology, shares his insights on diabetes, diagnosis of the diseases and stresses on the importance of diabetes diagnostic tests. Here is what we learned from our discussion about one of the most prevalent diseases in India today:

The Effects of Wrong Treatment: Ignoring Diabetes Diagnostic Tests

A lot of diabetic patients take the same doses of medication despite having inconsistent sugar levels. This can be very unsafe as it may lead to undertreatment or overtreatment of diabetes. When undertreated, it can result in serious health complications arising from uncontrolled blood sugar levels. Similarly, if you are overtreated, the drop in your blood sugar levels may cause hypoglycemia which is an emergency condition that leads to unconsciousness.Dr Amrish Mehta warns that in the long run, wrong treatment can cause microvascular or macrovascular complications. Microvascular complications arise from the damage of small blood vessels in various parts of the body, resulting in blindness, kidney damage or even peripheral neuritis. With macrovascular damage surrounding the arteries, cardiac episodes are a dangerous possibility. If the blood supply to the brain is affected, then you may develop cerebrovascular accidents or peripheral vascular diseases.

Test Your Blood Sugar Levels

There are three tests that you should get to monitor the rise in blood sugar levels in your body. These are serum creatinine, urine routine and urine microalbumin. Of the three, urine microalbumin is the most critical test. This is because, while elevated Serum Creatinine levels may indicate irreversible kidney damage, urine microalbumin helps detect kidney damage which can be reversed with immediate care.

A Routine Diabetes Check

The permissible blood sugar level is 65 – 110 mg/dL. It is always good to get your diabetes checked once in six months with these three tests:

Fasting Blood Sugar – On an empty stomach.
Post Lunch Blood Sugar – Two hours after eating a regular meal.
HbA1C – No food restrictions. (This is a diabetes mellitus test)

In cases where a fasting blood sugar test cannot be taken on an empty stomach, the HbA1C test is sufficient to check the presence of diabetes in your body.A test called ‘Random Blood Sugar’ is now being used as a replacement for fasting and post-lunch blood sugar tests. However, because sugar levels fluctuate depending upon the quality and the quantity of food, the random blood sugar test cannot be a standard parameter whereas the fasting blood sugar test is.Read More: Understanding Blood Sugar Levels

Measures to Prevent Diabetes

Two decades ago, diabetes was a cause for concern in people over the age of 40. However, nowadays, diabetes is prevalent in youngsters too. This is because children of this generation are exposed to inactive lifestyles and unhealthy meal options.If you would like to prevent diabetes from affecting your life, there are a few changes you need to start implementing on a regular basis. These are:

Increase the daily intake of green leafy vegetables and proteins.
Decrease sugar intake – such as tea/coffee, ice creams and sweets.
Replace snacks with soups and salads.
Walk for at least half an hour a day to boost basal metabolic rate and burn calories.
Cut down on vehicle usage and opt for walking.
Use the staircase instead of the elevator.

It is important to note that if you have a family history of diabetes, then there is a higher probability that you may get it too. However, by following the steps above to monitor your diet, watching your weight and exercising regularly, you can entirely avoid or at least delay the onset of diabetes by a minimum of five to ten years.Also Read: What Causes Low Creatinine: Medical Experts Weigh InConclusionUltimately, small changes can create a significant impact in the long run. While there is no particular age to start monitoring your lifestyle, starting early is always beneficial. All you need to do is get rid of the sedentary lifestyle and change your wrong dieting habits. Add to this the regular blood sugar checks, and you can effectively keep diabetes away.Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.

Decoding Sleep and Nutrition by Dr. Naaznin Husein

It is interesting to see we never miss charging our Mobiles in the night under any circumstance as we know having a phone running on low battery is utterly nightmarish at work.However, we often forget to recharge our batteries every night with adequate sleep, very often feeling completely tired and drained throughout the day.Some clear signs and symptoms of less sleep or disturbed sleep

Dark circles below the eyes
Urge to sleep an extra hour even after the morning alarm rings
Waking up tired in the morning
Increase in waist circumference
Increase in body weight
Loss of hair or baldness
Decreased Libido

A Fatigued, sleep-deprived mind leads to a tired and fatigued bodyIf you need a lie-in on weekends to make up for lack of sleep during the week, you may be at risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes, a study suggests.The findings, shown at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, suggested that an increase in sleep could help patients. Researchers also found that as little as 30 minutes a day, sleep debt can have significant effects on obesity and insulin resistance.Studies have already shown that shift work can rapidly put healthy people into a pre-diabetic state.The action of throwing the body clock out of sync is a thought to disrupt the natural rhythm of hormones in the body, leading to a host of health problems.It has been suggested that people who are experiencing short-term sleep restrictions process glucose more slowly as compared to individuals receiving full 8 hours of sleep, increasing the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.Know your sleep enemies and combat them

Avoid a heavy dinner after a long day at work

For friends who may have a long commute from work to home, ensure you grab a healthy lean protein-rich snack (Hard Boiled eggs, Chicken Wrap with vegetables, Tofu sandwich) or a mini-meal by 6.30 – 7 pm when leaving from the office and avoid falling prey to a heavy meal (Thali full Garam Khanna) when you reach home.

Avoid sleeping immediately after a heavy meal

This may cause a lot of heartburn and abdominal discomfort. This may be, especially if you overeat or eat certain foods that induce heartburn. Lying down may help as reflux symptoms can cause burning chest discomfort and a bitter taste in your mouth. Some people describe this as burping up food.

Avoid Very Spicy and Citrus foods

Spicy and acidic foods like citrus and tomatoes may be especially bothersome. Alcohol, chocolate, and even peppermint may also worsen heartburn and reflux.

The time between meal and sleep is critical

Eating too close to bedtime may harm your sleep. Ideally, keep a gap of at least 2 hours between meals and sleep.

Limit Consumption of Alcohol

Initially induces sleep.

Limit Caffeine

Also, caffeine in coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, and chocolate should be avoided. It blocks adenosine, a chemical that naturally makes us feel sleepy, and when consumed too close to bedtime may contribute to insomnia. It can also increase the need to urinate, which can lead to disruptive nocturia. Not everyone is sensitive to caffeine, but if you are, consider restricting its consumption to earlier in the day (stop using by mid-afternoon).

Avoid intense exercise close to bedtime

While training is a must, avoid intense activities closer to bedtime as it may lead to a complete stimulation and delayed sleep and complete disruption of circadian cycles. Light stretching exercises in the evening along with yoga and mindful meditation can help induce better sleep.Read More: What is The Best Time to Exercise?

Never forget a Hot Cup of Milk

A warm cup of hot milk or Turmeric Latte also known as Haldi milk can be a great sleep inducer and helps reduce inflammation.Include complex carbohydrates with lower Glycemic index food like millets (Ragi, Jowar, Amaranth (Rajgeera, quinoa) as a part of your night dinner. Avoid desserts and sugary foods closer to bedtime.

Food and Mood Connect

Lack of sleep increases stress, low levels of depression and huge cravings to satiate the taste buds Sugar, Fat, and Salt cravings. The desire to eat emptied calorie food, colas, chips, Samosas, Cakes is highly pronouncingAbsolute Food Essentials which Promote sleepWalnutsEnsure you include nuts like Walnuts. A daily dose of 28gms approximately, 12-14 halves of walnuts should be added as a mid-evening snack (In replacement to high fat- snacks) or as a pre-workout meal. The fatty acid makeup of walnuts may also contribute to better sleep. They provide ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid that is converted to DHA in the body. DHA may increase the production of serotonin, a sleep-enhancing brain chemical.Several other foods have sleep-promoting properties, but they have not been explicitly studied for their effects on sleep.

Milk: Another known source of tryptophan, milk has been shown to improve sleep in the elderly, especially when taken along with melatonin and paired with exercise
Bananas: Bananas contain tryptophan and are a good source of magnesium. Both of these properties may help you get a good night’s sleep
Oatmeal: Similar to rice, oatmeal is high in carbs and has been reported to induce drowsiness when consumed before bed. Additionally, oats are a known source of melatonin
Cottage cheese: Contains a significant amount of casein, which is a milk protein that is well known to sustain overnight muscle repair and growth when consumed before bed.

Other Daily Lifestyle tipsA warm water bath can soothe the body after a hectic day at work and helps relax the muscles.Reduce Screen TimeLong hours of screen time at night keeps us from falling asleep and sleeping well due to cognitive stimulation and sleep deprivation. Your brain’s electrical activity increases, neurons race and divert you from calming down into a peaceful state of mind for sleep.Also, the physical act of responding to an email, text, or video increases the tension in your body which results in stress. Your body then produces the stress hormone – cortisol, released by the adrenal gland aversive to sleep.Furthermore, the brain naturally creates the hormone, melatonin that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Too much light from video screens at bedtime affects the melatonin production giving the body the impression that you aren’t ready to sleep. Also, the screen emits light that suggests to the brain that it is still daytime which contributes to insomnia and sleep deprivation. Holding a device such as a smartphone close to one’s face increases this effect giving the brain the wrong signal as if it’s not time to go to sleep. The best advice is to stop watching TV or using smartphones and other screen devices an hour or two before bedtime to give your brain a rest and the correct signal that it is time to sleep.Must Read: How to Get A Good Night Sleep? – 10 Tips to Sleep Better At Night Harvard Medical School scientists concur that specific wavelengths of light suppress the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin in the brain.How much should we sleep?The National Sleep Foundation (NSF), along with a multi-disciplinary expert panel, issued its new recommendations for appropriate sleep durations”¦

New-borns (0-3 months): Sleep range narrowed to 14-17 hours each day (previously it was 12-18)

Infants (4-11 months): Sleep range widened by two hours to 12-15 hours (previously it was 14-15)
Toddlers (1-2 years): Sleep range widened by one hour to 11-14 hours (previously it was 12-14) heavy dinners after a long day of work
Pre-schoolers (3-5): Sleep range widened by one hour to 10-13 hours (previously it was 11-13)
School-age children (6-13): Sleep range widened by one hour to 9-11 hours (previously it was 10-11)
Teenagers (14-17): Sleep range widened by one hour to 8-10 hours (previously it was 8.5-9.5)
Younger adults (18-25): Sleep range is 7-9 hours (new age category)
Adults (26-64): Sleep range did not change and remains 7-9 hours
Older adults (65+): Sleep range is 7-8 hours (new age category)

So, stick to the age-old mantra –Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy and wise.Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.