I have dealt with depression my entire adult life. In doing so, I have developed “triggers” that activate whenever they decide to surface. However, I can somewhat control my triggers because I’ve identified them. During my depressive bouts, I try to avoid my triggers because I know my self-talk is already toxic for my well-being. During my non-depressive times, I can conquer just about anything that I come across, as long as my self-talk remains positive.
You’re probably wondering by now “what does depression have to do with stroke?” Well, quite a bit, actually. However, I will focus on just one for today. A study suggested, “depressed people turned out to be 45% more likely to experience any type of stroke than those who were not depressed” (Mann, 2011). I know, crazy, right? I was also shocked when I learned this information myself.
How can depression cause stroke? When we are depressed, we typically become sedentary. Meaning, we don’t move. When we don’t move, it’s bad for our hearts. When we become sedentary, we also tend to eat less healthy foods which clogs our arteries. Depression is literally a vicious cycle that only you have the power to control.
Even though my depression is not related to my stroke, I thought this statistic was important to share with you all. After all, we are in the midst of social distancing thanks to COVID-19.
Due to the pandemic, depression cases are on the rise. According to Medical News Today, “Before the pandemic, 8.5% of U.S. adults reported being depressed. That number has risen to 27.8% as the country struggles with COVID-19” (Berman, 2020). What this means is, out of a population of 100 people, only 8 reported being depressed before the pandemic. Now over 27 people out of the same population of 100 people have reported being depressed. That is triple the amount of people who reported being depressed.
I cannot emphasize this enough- take care of your mental health. Drink plenty of water, eat a healthy diet, and get outside and move! Your future self will thank you for it.
If you are feeling depressed and need someone to talk to, below, you will find some hotline numbers you can call for assistance.
Reference List
Berman, R. (2020, September 19). US cases of depression have tripled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical news today. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/us-cases-of-depression-have-tripled-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
Mann, D. (2011, September 11). Depression may increase risk of stroke. WebMD. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com
/depression/news/20110920/depression-may-increase-risk-of-stroke
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