Interviewed experts: Evaluation director of the Mental Health Application Center of the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Xiao Zhenyu Global Times Health Client Reporter Ren Linxian October 10 is "World Mental Health Day". The World Health Organization calls fo

Interviewed expert: Evaluation director of the Mental Health Application Center of the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Xiao Zhenyu

Global Times Health Client Reporter Ren Linxian

October 10 is " World Mental Health Day ", World Health Organization calls on mental health to each of us and the entire society. UN Secretary-General Guterres had previously warned that nearly 1 billion people worldwide suffer from mental illnesses, and the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the crisis. The latest data shows that about 1 in every 8 people worldwide suffer from mental illness; about 1/5 of them have had depression symptoms when they live to the age of 75.

At present, it has long been a consensus in the academic community that intervenes in mental health through lifestyles, and this is also the most direct and effective way for people to prevent mental illness in daily life. Recently, the World Federation of Biological Psychiatric Associations and the Australian Society of Lifestyle jointly released a "Lifestyle-based Mental Health Care Guide". The " Global Times Health Client" specially invited Xiao Zhenyu, director of the evaluation center of the Mental Health Application Center of the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, to summarize some simple and practical "methods to eliminate depression" for everyone.

1. Exercise in happiness . Exercise can prevent depression from multiple levels such as improving brain nerve structure, improving cardiopulmonary and metabolic functions, and improving self-efficacy. The guide recommends doing more resistance exercises such as aerobic exercise and weightlifting to help improve mood. In addition, having long-term exercise habits and integrating them into happy activities is more conducive to positive emotions, such as exercising with family and friends; listening to music, watching TV while exercising, etc.

2. Master the "relaxation" technology. Guide says that mindfulness exercises and breathing training can help relieve stress. Xiao Zhenyu explained that there are many ways to practice mindfulness, the most operational ones are meditation, writing diaries (recording positive things), etc. Breathing deep breathing is also a mindfulness exercise. The guide suggests that during breathing training, you should proceed slowly at a rhythm of 4 seconds of exhale and 4 seconds of inhalation. The study also found that yoga, Tai Chi and Qigong are all exercises that combine physical activities, mindfulness, breathing training and spiritual practice, which are more suitable for relaxing tension and sootheing stress.

3. Quit the "deathly" smoke. Although many people regard smoking as a way to relieve their emotions, studies have found that smokers are not only at a higher risk of chronic diseases and cancer, but also at a higher risk of depression . Experts say that when you encounter unfair things, inconsistent interpersonal relationships, and unpleasant emotional experiences, you do need to vent your emotions, but nicotine in tobacco may cause brain nervous system dysfunction, which is not conducive to mental health. It is recommended to relieve emotions through confiscation, exercise, etc., to calm yourself down, face problems, and respond actively.

4. Less job-hopping and less absent from work. Guidelines believe that long-term unemployment and unstable work will increase the risk of depression, and may also lead to problems such as alcoholism, social isolation, decreased self-esteem, increased economic burden, and decreased social status. Therefore, it is recommended that people who are able to work should actively participate in their jobs or seek public welfare activities to realize their own value; if they experience occupational burnout, they can temporarily reduce their working hours; long-term absenteeism, lateness and other behaviors should be avoided, otherwise it will reduce the sense of self-efficacy of , which will be detrimental to active work and life.

5. has a loose working atmosphere. The guide points out that excessive work pressure, workplace bullying and discrimination are the main factors affecting the mental health of employees. Xiao Zhenyu said that when encountering difficulties in the workplace, you must actively communicate and solve them, and you can reflect your actual situation and difficulties to your superiors; if you still cannot solve them after communication, you might as well "bear" and try to find some positive factors in unfavorable environments, such as seeking help from colleagues and listening to other people's experiences; if it is still difficult to overcome, change to a new environment that suits you.

6. has high-quality sleep.Xiao Zhenyu said that lack of sleep can lead to inattention and short-term memory loss, which also brings a series of chain reactions, affecting normal life, study and work, and bringing burden to the body and mind. The guide recommends that adults should sleep at least 7 hours a day, but they should not sleep too long, especially on rest days, you should go to bed early and get up early. If you have sleep disorder for more than 3 months, such as insomnia, early awakening, etc., seek medical treatment as soon as possible.

7. eliminates addiction to social media. study found that depression is significantly related to the length of use of social media. If the long time is used, the higher the risk of depression. Xiao Zhenyu believes that social media itself is not a bad tool, but improper personal use will have negative effects. For example, some people will develop a comparative mentality in social interaction, which will lead to psychological imbalance in comparison; long-term exposure to a large amount of negative news information will also affect mental health. The function of social media is to extend social space, improve communication efficiency, and provide entertainment and leisure. It is recommended that everyone make good use of its advantages when using social media, and the extra free time can be distributed to family and friends around them to participate in more outdoor leisure activities.

8. Embrace nature. The guide to points out that wandering in the green space for at least 10 to 20 minutes each time can bring many benefits to physical and mental health, that is, more outdoor sports, hiking, etc.

9. Master point communication skills. Guide believes that solving psychological stress requires learning to recognize, analyze and control stress. Using the career environment as a medium, providing employees with confidence training, communication skills education, etc. can strengthen employees' stress resistance and improve personal control and problem-solving ability. Xiao Zhenyu said that in communication, everyone can follow the principle of "toward things but not against people", do less commentary communication and more factual communication, so as to avoid many bad communication scenarios caused by personal subjective cognition or emotions. For example, if other colleagues make work mistakes, they actively communicate what the mistakes are and ask why problems occur, rather than accuse others of making mistakes.

10. has two or three "confidants". The guide said that social support has positive significance for reducing loneliness, repairing major mental blows, and reducing interpersonal conflicts. So having two or three close friends who often chat, talk, and go shopping is of great benefit to improving mood. ▲

Reference: "2022 World Federation of Biological Psychiatry Society/Clinical Guidelines for Lifestyle-Based Mental Health Care of the Australian Lifestyle Society", World J Biol Psychiatry.2022 Oct 6; 1-54.