Depression can be very depressing and difficult to combat. Fortunately, there is a simple solution that experts say has the power to heal.
Isolation, lack of movement and social contacts can easily lead to the appearance of dark thoughts, restlessness and distrust in oneself and others. In short, to depression.
A hobby can be, however, an important factor in maintaining an active, balanced lifestyle, shows a study published by the scientific journal Nature Medicine and cited by Mind Body Green.
Anything that pleases you can be a hobby
It is known that having a hobby brings benefits for the mood, because you are doing something with pleasure, which gives you satisfaction. And if this passion involves communicating with other people, all the better, as it combats social isolation.
The researchers wanted to see how hobbies influence the lives of elderly people around the world. They analyzed the data of over 90,000 people over the age of 65 from 16 different countries.
The authors of the study considered any activity that people do in their free time and that gives them pleasure as a hobby. This includes anything, from gardening to going to church or completing an integral.
The experts analyzed the data from several studies done in an interval of four to eight years.
What the studies show
The researchers found that a hobby is related not only to fewer symptoms of depression, but also to a higher level of happiness, self-assessed health and a higher degree of life satisfaction in people aged 65 and over. The results remained unchanged even after adding some variable factors, such as marital status, income and employment.
In countries with more people involved in a hobby, life expectancy at the national level and the degree of satisfaction is higher.
The best cure for depression, according to a new study
As the results did not vary greatly from one country to another, the study authors noted: “Given the relative universality of the findings, ensuring equality in hobby involvement within and across countries should be a priority for promoting aging healthy.”
Karen Mak, the leader of the study, also noted that hobbies can play a protective role for the elderly against the decline of mental health. “Life satisfaction was most related to engaging in a hobby,” she said. Hobbies can contribute to this satisfaction in old age “through many mechanisms, including feeling in control of the mind and body, finding purpose in life, and feeling good at solving everyday problems,” Mak added.
So, whether your passion is tending to the garden next to your house or playing cards with your girlfriends on a certain day of the week, the researchers’ conclusion is clear: don’t give up this hobby! Taking up your time with things that make you happy keeps you in an optimal mental state and fills you with optimism. Just what you need to fight depression.
Photo: freepik.com
2023-10-04 04:48:31
#prevent #depression #effective #solution #Andreea #Raicu
