Project Mental Health (Public) 🧠

NFTs
208

Additional information from colleagues for a clearer assessment of the state, and what might be worth looking at to optimize the results of the state

Also make an effort to improve your condition :)

Sorry if it’s not very well organized

Summary

PROFESSIONAL BURNOUT

Stress is a set of body reactions resulting from various adverse factors [Chronic stress: a critical risk factor for atherosclerosis - PubMed]. A small amount of stress can be beneficial. For example, intense or prolonged aerobic exercise temporarily raises cortisol levels to increase blood glucose [Neuroendocrine alterations in the exercising human: implications for energy homeostasis - PubMed], which is needed as fuel for active action in a time of threat or vigorous activity. It is one thing for a person to run away from or neutralize a threat and then relax. However, already chronic stress is associated with a higher risk of cardiac events and is recognized as a potent activator of vascular atherosclerosis [Stress, stress reduction and hypercholesterolemia in African Americans: a review - PubMed] [Chronic stress: a critical risk factor for atherosclerosis - PubMed].

If stress is not episodic, but chronic, the body gets tired of such stress and distress occurs. Distress is a state of suffering in which a person cannot fully adapt to stressors. A frequent manifestation of distress is depression.

Another consequence of distress is professional burnout. Professional burnout is a syndrome that occurs as a result of chronic stress related to work - bad mood, decreased mental abilities, sleep disturbance. Professional burnout is a kind of depression that applies only to work. But when such a person returns home, he/she does not feel depression. He returns to work, and depression at work begins again [Burnout-depression overlap: a review - PubMed] [On the depressive nature of the "burnout syndrome": A clarification - PubMed]. Modern science considers occupational burnout as an occupational depressive syndrome (ODS) [sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022399920308114] [doi.org/10.1177%2F2167702620979597]. Unlike depression, the 3 main features of burnout can only extend to professional activities [who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases]:

  • Exhaustion of energy in relation to one’s work
  • Cynicism about one’s job
  • Decline in professional performance

INFLAMMATION AS A CAUSE OF CHRONIC STRESS AND DEPRESSION

Increased inflammation is one of the causes of chronic stress. Inflammation increases the release of the hormone cortisol from the adrenal cortex [Biochemical markers subtyping major depressive disorder - PubMed]

Inflammation activates serotonin transporters in the brain [Biochemical markers subtyping major depressive disorder - PubMed], which leads to depression. Stress can result in elevated levels of inflammation, which can be determined by c-reactive protein levels in the blood. In clinical trials, anti-inflammatory drugs have been shown to be antidepressants [Cross-talk between systemic and cerebral inflammation in depressive disorders: Relevance to pathogenesis and treatment - PubMed].

So, depression and stress are inflammatory, but where does inflammation come from [So depression is an inflammatory disease, but where does the inflammation come from? - PubMed] [Why are depressed patients inflamed? A reflection on 20 years of research on depression, glucocorticoid resistance and inflammation - PubMed]?

  • Psychosocial stressors.
  • Poor nutrition
  • Lack of physical activity
  • Obesity
  • Smoking
  • Altered intestinal permeability
  • Allergies
  • Bad dental care
  • Sleep deprivation
  • Sunlight deficiency

And so, the most common source of chronic inflammation is obesity. Look at your stomach. If you are male and your waist circumference is 94 cm or more, and for a woman, 80 cm or more, that would be the source of likely inflammation [Effect of compassion meditation on neuroendocrine, innate immune and behavioral responses to psychosocial stress - PubMed].

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials concluded that meditation may be effective in treating major depressive disorder [Effects of Meditative Movements on Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials - PubMed]. Mindfulness meditation changed blood levels of stress-related biomarkers [Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Intraocular Pressure, Lowers Stress Biomarkers and Modulates Gene Expression in Glaucoma: A Randomized Controlled Trial - PubMed].

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Disruption, sleep deprivation, or reduction in sleep increases inflammation, and treatment of insomnia reduces inflammation [Sleep Disturbance, Sleep Duration, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies and Experimental Sleep Deprivation - PubMed] [Sleep Health: Reciprocal Regulation of Sleep and Innate Immunity - PubMed] [[Sleep and immune system] - PubMed].

Kefir consumption (250 ml in the morning and evening) restored sleep disturbance in postmenopausal women, resulting in lower stress scores [Effects of Kefir on Quality of Life and Sleep Disturbances in Postmenopausal Women - PubMed].

Inflammation in chronic stress causes a decrease in cortisol sensitivity, which stimulates an even greater increase in cortisol levels - a vicious cycle occurs [Biochemical markers subtyping major depressive disorder - PubMed].

Cortisol is needed not only to raise blood glucose levels [Neuroendocrine alterations in the exercising human: implications for energy homeostasis - PubMed] [Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, neuroendocrine factors and stress - PubMed] and prepare the body for active battles under stress, but also to lower excessive inflammation [Glucocorticoids and the Th1/Th2 balance - PubMed]. Given that the negative effects of cortisol on the body as a result of chronic stress have not been proven, and given that cortisol to some extent even protects against stress (lowers inflammation), a strategy aimed at reducing its levels is not logical. We need to remove the stress itself.

It is interesting to know when cortisol levels go up or down:

ADRENALINE AS A CAUSE OF CHRONIC STRESS AND DEPRESSION

Chronic stress, increases adrenaline and blood pressure levels, causes atherosclerosis [worldcat.org/title/physiology-of-behavior/oclc/879099798] [[Respective roles of cortisol, aldosterone and angiotensin II during pathophysiology of atherosclerosis] - PubMed].

Reduced sleep time causes a stress response leading to increased adrenaline and blood pressure levels [Sleep loss and hypertension: a systematic review - PubMed] [Sleep-deprivation reduces NK cell number and function mediated by β-adrenergic signalling - PubMed].

It is the action of elevated inflammation and elevated blood pressure [[Respective roles of cortisol, aldosterone and angiotensin II during pathophysiology of atherosclerosis] - PubMed] as a result of adrenaline that are now the proven mechanisms by which chronic stress can stimulate the progression of vascular atherosclerosis, regardless of blood cholesterol levels.

And even shorter. If you are chronically stressed, and indeed always, you need to optimize your blood pressure and c-reactive protein levels.

DEPRESSION IS A SYMPTOM OF VARIOUS DISEASES

Depression is a multifactorial condition that can be influenced by a variety of psychological, biological, social, lifestyle, dietary, and environmental factors [It is time to investigate integrative approaches to enhance treatment outcomes for depression? - PubMed]. Depression is a symptom of many disorders, like fever is a symptom of many diseases. And to cure it, you need to find and remove the cause, not mask the symptoms with medication.

THYROID DYSFUNCTION AS A CAUSE OF DEPRESSION

Hypothyroidism is a disease of the endocrine system characterized by a lack of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormone (TSH) is the main regulator of thyroid function, which is synthesized by the pituitary gland.

The prevalence of depressive symptoms in hypothyroidism is 60% [Prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among patients with hypothyroidism - PubMed]. Patients with hypothyroidism + with a TTG below 2.5 mU/l have 81% no symptoms of depression [TSH cut off point based on depression in hypothyroid patients - PubMed] compared with a TTG above 2.5 mU/l. Treatment of hypothyroidism with thyroid hormone T3 may improve symptoms of depression [Hypothyroidism and depression: salient aspects of pathogenesis and management - PubMed].

ZINC DEFICIENCY AS A COMPLICATING FACTOR IN DEPRESSION

The dopamine transporter is a special protein that is responsible for the reuptake of dopamine by nerve cells. The more efficiently the dopamine transporters work, the less dopamine there is, the more severe the symptoms of depression. Physiologically available zinc is a dopamine reuptake blocker, acting on the dopamine transporter [Role of zinc in the pathogenesis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: implications for research and treatment - PubMed]. Zinc enhances the effects of antidepressants by inhibiting the dopamine transporter. Only half of those treated for depression with monoaminergic antidepressants achieve remission, and zinc enhances the effects of antidepressants [Potential roles of zinc in the pathophysiology and treatment of major depressive disorder - PubMed] [The efficacy of zinc supplementation in depression: systematic review of randomised controlled trials - PubMed].

You don’t just take zinc without having depression on a regular basis, especially for years, as some biohackers do for fun. Excessive zinc intake can increase breakdowns in the genetic code of body cells by reducing the poly(ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP-1) enzyme, which is necessary for DNA repair [The topical antimicrobial zinc pyrithione is a heat shock response inducer that causes DNA damage and PARP-dependent energy crisis in human skin cells - PubMed]. And regular consumption of zinc for 9.8 years by adults aged 20 years and older is positively associated with overall mortality and cancer mortality [Association between dietary zinc intake and mortality among Chinese adults: findings from 10-year follow-up in the Jiangsu Nutrition Study - PubMed].

HOW DOES IRON AND VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY AFFECT MOOD

Anemia is a syndrome that is accompanied by a decrease in hemoglobin and red blood cells in the circulating blood and is characterized by impaired oxygen transport and the development of oxygen deficiency. Anemia is associated with depression [Relation between Depressive Disorder and Iron Deficiency Anemia among Adults Reporting to a Secondary Healthcare Facility: A Hospital-Based Case Control Study - PubMed]. If a general blood test shows that hemoglobin levels are lower than normal, it may be the cause of depression. The most common causes of anemia may be iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency in the blood. Blood tests to determine ferritin levels can be informative in determining iron deficiency. Vitamin B12 levels can be determined by a blood test for vitamin B12 (blood tests for vitamin B12 can only be taken one month after the last intake of this vitamin in tablets, or one month after intramuscular injection of the vitamin).

Increasing blood ferritin levels from 37 to 78.2 mg/dL with iron therapy (50 mg of elemental iron daily) for 6 weeks compared with placebo reduced the incidence of postpartum depression symptoms [The efficacy of early iron supplementation on postpartum depression, a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial - PubMed]. If ferritin is below 15 µg/L and hemoglobin is below 120 g/L, it is reasonable to compensate with iron for depression, as these criteria apply to other conditions related to brain function [Consumption of Iron-Biofortified Beans Positively Affects Cognitive Performance in 18- to 27-Year-Old Rwandan Female College Students in an 18-Week Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial - PubMed].

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY STANDARDS

8 weeks of moderate-power aerobic exercise (150 minutes per week) combined with strength training improved the effectiveness of medication therapy for depression [Exercise Leads to Better Clinical Outcomes in Those Receiving Medication Plus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder - PubMed]

Even 10,000 steps a day for 12 weeks improved mood in sedentary, overweight people [Effects of 10,000 steps a day on physical and mental health in overweight participants in a community setting: a preliminary study - PubMed].

ANTI-BURNING OUT, ANTI-DEPRESSION PROGRAM

  • Optimize body weight - BMI 22 - 25.
  • Stop smoking.
  • Cure cavities.
  • Eliminate sleep deficiencies by following your circadian rhythms - perhaps change jobs.
  • If necessary, use “dark therapy”, light therapy, sleep hygiene.
  • Be in the sun more often.
  • Meditation.
  • Use a glass of kefir in the morning and in the evening.
  • A course of massages.
  • Optimize thyroid function - TTH below 2.5 mU/l.
  • Optimize blood zinc levels at 1.14 -1.5 mcg/ml if depressed.
  • Optimize blood iron and vitamin B12 levels so that hemoglobin levels are at least 120 g/l for women and 130 g/l for men.
  • Practice 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic exercise, or 10,000 steps per day.
  • Have and keep a daily planner in which to make a daily plan of things to do for the month, and make a yearly plan and a yearly budget.
  • Whatever happens, always leave 1-2 days a week for complete rest from work and hassle, and 3-4 times a year go on vacation.
  • Treat age related illnesses.
  • Look for and eliminate the sources of inflammation. Inflammation is detected by a blood test for c-reactive protein (CRP) (optimal CRP value is below 1 mg/L)
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