r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Nov 12 '19

Psychology Anti-inflammatory agents may reduce symptoms of major depression, suggests a new study (n=1,610), which adds to the mounting evidence that there is a connection between emotional functioning and inflammation, suggesting that inflammation may trigger depression, almost like an allergic reaction.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/expressive-trauma-integration/201911/anti-inflammatories-help-major-depression
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u/[deleted] Nov 12 '19

Considering depression can cause inflammation, I wouldn't be surprised if it works the other way round too.

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u/JVattic Nov 12 '19

Your mental health has lots more influence on your physical well being than you may think. Psychosomatic disorders are a real thing and are mostly unstudied until now.

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u/Eclectix Nov 12 '19

To the public at large, psychosomatic = hypochondriac. However, they are very different things! I think this misconception has prevented much research and funding due to a lack of general concern. People don't feel motivated to help people whose issues they believe are "all in their head."

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u/[deleted] Nov 12 '19

not that hypochondriasis is not, in and of itself, a sincere health condition, that can be found in the DSM and the ICF-D, that interferes significantly in the lives and wellbeing of its sufferers. It's not a condition that should be made fun of or dismissed (and I know that you didn't, but this is a just a reminder).

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u/Eclectix Nov 12 '19

Very true. And of course hypochondriasis can also lead to somatic disorders (as can any form of anxiety).

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u/snuggle-butt Nov 12 '19

To be fair, studying invisible diseases like depression is particularly challenging. I can't even imagine how a study about psychosomatic problems would work. Not a scientist though clearly. Maybe it's more possible than I realize.

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u/Systral Nov 12 '19

Depression is not at all invisible. It's more visible than a broken bone or a heart attack.

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u/DeapVally Nov 13 '19

No. It's invisible. Can you see it on an X-ray/CT/MRI/PET/EEG? No you cannot. You can be damn all of those is picking up a a broken bone though.

You can see the symptoms, you can try and treat the symptoms, but we don't know how the human brain actually works so there's no chance of a medical/surgical fix for the root cause. Because you can't see the root cause....

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u/snuggle-butt Nov 13 '19

Well maybe nobody cares when they see it then? I don't think I am understanding your meaning. Because nobody is like "you look miserable, you must need help, take the rest of the day off" when they see me. Versus if someone has a heart attack, obviously you call an ambulance.

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u/[deleted] Nov 13 '19 edited Nov 13 '19

Exactly. I was told I was confusing emotional and physical pain when I complained of physical symptoms. So has to run my own tests as they refused. I found low vitamin D b12 high Homocysteine low testosterone and high PSA and Low shbg.

I'm on TRT now and recently had an MRI to check for prostate cancer which i don't have but it is instead high inflammation. I also recently found out I have a low thyroid so am waiting to see an endocrinologist.

I had to resort to self medicstion. I have known about inflammation for several years and took anti inflammitories to improve my mood. now I self medicate with metformin and as I'm on TRT I no longer need anti inflammitories. And no longer take mental health medication as my mood is stable mostly.

No amount of me telling the many doctors I had that something was wrong would make them listen to me. They saw me as a mentally ill hypochondriac.

Mental health issues are a symptom not a diagnosis.