How to Make Your Depression and Immune System Worse:
The immune system is extremely complex and anytime there is a situation that exacerbates the homeostasis of this system it is very important to understand all of the factors associated with the potential imbalance to the system. Personal behavior, decisions about smoking or not, sleep alterations and patterns, and alcohol dependence are associated with immune functions and depression.
Depression has been associated with negative impacts upon overall health as well as accelerating the symptomologies associated with existing health disorders (Cohen, Kessler, & Gordon, 1997). Depression can be broadly categorized as a disorder that impacts a person’s mood and responsive behavior over a period of time that exceeds two weeks although there is variance in this time frame (Vedhara & Irwin, 2005). If there is extended depression pro-inflammatory cytokines are increased and this may be associated with HPA axis overactivity.
A person’s behavior has an impact with regards to the complex relationship between depression and the immune function. For example, patients that have behaviors that express a desire to fight depression or express self-efficacy regarding their mental or physical health are more likely to be able to move away from momentary depression rather than falling into dark depressive situations that lead to a further negative impact on the health of the immune system (Brannon & Feist, 2004; Vedhara & Irwin, 2005).
Smoking has been associated in a variety of studies with depression and decreased activity of the immune system; however there is not an abundance of evidence presented by Vedhara and Irwin (2005) to support this. Bower (1999) stated in his prior research that there are disruptions in the immune system when males suffering from depression smoke regularly. The study stated that those who suffer from depression and smoke have an increase of the development of cancer.
Alcohol dependence is a further example that discusses the relationship between the immune system and depressive disorders. There is a relationship between those who suffer from depression with an increase in alcohol consumption as well as a relationship between those who suffer from alcoholism with depressive symptomologies (Vedhara & Irwin, 2005). If a person presents symptoms of depression it is important to ensure that they avoid consumption of alcohol because serotonin depletion may occur or brain catecholamine levels may be reduced resulting in increased depression (Werbach, 1999). Generally it can be assessed that alcohol dependence is not a nutritionally sound and depletes the body from important vitamins and minerals that support the immune system (Holford, 2005).
Sleep alterations may not be noticed unless they are disclosed to a third party by the person that is suffering from the disorder. Sleep disorders, also called insomnia, is a symptom often reported by those suffering from depression which results in a decreased functionality of the immunological systems because the person is not benefiting from the natural healing process that occurs during the natural sleep process (Vedhara & Irwin, 2005). Further this disorder may be correlated with alcohol consumption as well as pre-existing depressive symptomologies. In summary it would be best to discuss all of these disorders and compare and contrast the relationships they have with the potential deterioration of a person’s immune system and the increased symptomology of depressive disorders.
Bower, B. (1999). Depressed smokers ride immune downer. Science News, 155(23), 358.
Brannon, L. & Feist, J. (2004). Health psychology: An introduction to behavior and health (5th Ed.). CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
Cohen, S., Kessler, R. C., & Gordon, L. U. (1997). Measuring Stress: A Guide for Health and Social Scientists. NY: Oxford University Press.
Holford, P. (2005). Optimum Nutrition for the Mind. CA: Basic Health Publications.
Werbach, Melvyn R. (1999). Nutritional influences on mental illness, (2nd ed.). Tarzana, CA: Third Line Press.
Vedhara, K., & Irwin, M.R. (2005). Human Psychoneuroimmunology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Dr. Lisa Samuel
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