What Is Depression-induced Neuroinflammation And How Can It Be Prevented?
Neuroinflammation caused by depression is much more common than we think. What are we really talking about? Neuroinflammation is a natural reaction in the brain that allows us to protect ourselves from harmful stimuli. However, it is more of an urgent solution for our brains that is far from healthy.
What are these stimuli from which neuroinflammation protects us? Some of them are stimuli due to chronic or mild stress or certain traumas. However, the topic we are discussing today is neuroinflammation caused by depression. How can we prevent this neuroinflammation? Here are some ways to prevent depression-induced neuroinflammation.
How can we prevent neuroinflammation caused by depression?
We can prevent depression-induced neuroinflammation, for example, by:
1. Stress reduction is the most important thing
Stress is one of the causes of depression that can cause neuroinflammation. In a world that moves faster and that also makes a person move at its own pace, stress has become a “natural” part of our lives, even though it shouldn’t be.
It is normal for us to feel stress in certain situations. It can even stimulate us, improve our productivity and activate us. But when stress becomes chronic and it begins to negatively affect our lives, we need to pay attention to it.
In what ways can we prevent neuroinflammation caused by depression when it is caused by stress? To do this, we offer a list of tips to keep in mind:
- Be convincing: Learn to say “no” when you can’t or don’t want to do something. This way, you avoid accumulating tasks and responsibilities that you are unable to meet.
- Learn to delegate: You don’t have to do all the work alone. If responsibility seems to fall on your shoulders, ask a coworker or friend for help. Surely they are ready to offer you their helping hand.
- Don’t exaggerate stress: Stress can be the result of exaggerated thoughts about the severity of a situation. So keep your feet on the ground and analyze the situation in the right way.
- Stop thinking about the future: It’s good to look to the future, but you shouldn’t live in constant anxiety anticipating situations and events that haven’t happened yet. Get started today.
2. Elimination of obsessive thoughts
Another way to prevent neuroinflammation caused by depression is to try to eliminate obsessive thoughts. If we are the people who turn things upside down and immerse themselves in their thoughts; for those thoughts that spin and spin away without stopping, it would be best to find a solution to this.
Obsessive thoughts can cause a lot of stress. It is important to know where they come from, whether these thoughts are useful to us, and whether they revolve in our minds just because we are stuck in them instead of obsessively acting and making decisions.
In this case, it is not about escaping or reducing thinking, but about meeting them in the smartest way. Don’t be left worried about a particular idea, just dress it up in words. If your obsession is due to another person, talk to that person. Don’t stay in place to spin your thumbs.
Imagine that you have a great fear of being left alone, and that your partner leaves you. In this case, don’t be left to worry bitterly and full of fear. Discuss this with your partner and then also with a professional to help you face the fear of your life.
3. Change your lifestyle
To prevent neuroinflammation caused by depression, we must do everything we can to keep depression away from us. The best way to do this, in addition to all the advice mentioned above, is to change our lifestyles. Here are some great tips for achieving this:
- Exercise: Exercise allows you to be much more positive and happy, reduce stress, and feel better. Thus, there is no doubt that exercise is a very important ally in combating neuroinflammation caused by depression.
- Do relaxation exercises: Try something new and go into the world of yoga and meditation. These two practices will help you get to know yourself more and deal with your feelings in a healthier way.
- Eat Healthy: A healthy diet will make you feel better; this does not happen if you eat a lot of junk food and follow other harmful lifestyles, such as drinking too much alcohol or smoking.
Depression-induced neuroinflammation: a summary
Preventing neuroinflammation caused by depression is important because this condition can contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease, for example. What if you invested in new lifestyles today? Would you dare to change?
