Are cigarettes relaxing?

26 Wednesday Dec 2018

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

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anxiety, cigarette, cigarettes, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, depression, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, quit smoking, smoke, smoker, smoking, stress

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A lot of smokers reach for a cigarette to calm their nerves, but actually, the opposite is happening. And smokers who quit have less anxiety, depression and stress. That’s according to the British Medical Journal. In fact, smokers who quit get a mood boost that’s equivalent to taking antidepressants!

So why do smokers think cigarettes relax them? Because they interpret their withdrawal symptoms as stress. And those symptoms can come on after only a couple hours without a smoke. Then, once they light up again, those withdrawal symptoms go away. But within 6 weeks of quitting, ex-smokers experience a significant improvement in mental health.

If you’re a smoker, maybe it’s time to give up smoking for 2019.

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Coffee reduces depression!

15 Thursday Nov 2018

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caffeine, coffee, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, depressed, depression, Harvard, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife

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Did you know that drinking coffee could reduce your risk of depression? A study at the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed a decade’s worth of data on more than 50‑thousand people. The result: Those who drank two to three cups of caffeinated coffee a day were 15% less likely to develop depression than non-coffee drinkers.

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Does avoiding coffee make you grumpy or depressed?

03 Wednesday Oct 2018

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

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caffeine, coffee, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, depressed, depression, drink coffee, grumpy, Harvard, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, Mayo Clinic

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It makes sense. Harvard School of Public Health researchers found drinking 4 cups of regular coffee a day can reduce our risk of depression by 20%. That’s compared to people consuming caffeinated tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, or chocolate. Researchers aren’t exactly sure why caffeinated coffee is the best mood booster. But the Mayo Clinic says 400 milligrams of caffeine – about what’s in 4 cups of brewed coffee – is considered safe for most adults.

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What’s the key to reducing your risk of depression?

18 Tuesday Sep 2018

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

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Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, depressed, depression, family, friends, hang out with friends, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, sad

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Get together with friends and family regularly and in-person. Researchers at Oregon Health and Science University analyzed data on more than 11,000 adults… including how often they communicated with family and friends – either through calls, letters, emails, or face-to-face. The result: Those who saw loved ones in person were half as likely to be diagnosed with clinical depression – compared to people who had personal contact with loved ones only every couple of months.

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Do you use your phone a lot?

23 Friday Mar 2018

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American Psychological Association, APA, cell, cell phone, cellphone, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, depressed, depression, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, Northwestern University, therapy

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More than your friends? You may be bummed out. A study from Northwestern University found that the more time people spent using their phone – the greater their odds of depression. The link may be that people use their phones as a lifeline, to try reach out to others. Or that someone who’s depressed uses their phone as a way to escape and NOT interact with people, face to face. Whichever the case may be, if you use your phone more than most, you may want to seek counseling. Try Locator.APA.org. APA stands for the American Psychological Association, and you can find a therapist near you.

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Have you ever felt hungry after an argument?

31 Wednesday Jan 2018

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argue, argument, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, depressed, depression, fruits, ghrelin, Greek yogurt, hunger, hungry, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, Psychological Science, stress, stressed out, veggies

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A recent study in the journal Psychological Science found a direct link between our relationship stress and an appetite-regulating hormone called ghrelin. Basically, the more stress we feel, the hungrier we get! And unfortunately, lots of studies have shown that when we’re stressed out, we’re more likely to reach for high-fat, high-sugar treats, than something healthy… which significantly raises our risk for weight gain and depression. The good news? Researchers say just KNOWING about this reaction can help us stay healthy. Because while we can’t change how our body reacts to stress, we can change the foods we keep on hand. So, stock up on more fruits and vegetables, or Greek yogurt, than chips and ice cream! That way, you’re less likely to blow your diet the next time you and your partner argue.

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Are you feeling sad and blue?

31 Tuesday Oct 2017

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blue, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, depressed, depression, feeling sad, gloomy, having the blues, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, sad, University of Rochester

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Experts from the University of Rochester have found the reason we call feeling down “having the blues!” Because when we’re happy, colors seem brighter and more vivid… But when we’re depressed, the world looks gray and gloomy. That’s because our emotions affect the way our brain processes color! In other words, when we’re sad, our brain literally bleaches some of the color out of the images being sent from our eyes to our brain – and makes colors less intense – and gloomier – across the board.

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Turn your frown upside down!

02 Monday Oct 2017

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bad mood, be happy, brain, Candy Crush, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, depressed, depression, frown, go for a walk, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, play a game on your phone, rotten mood, sad, upset

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If you’re in a rotten mood, do this: Switch up what you’re doing for 10 minutes. That’s all it takes to help you shift into a better mindset. That’s according to internist Dr. Nancy Simpson. So, play Candy Crush for 10 minutes – or go take a walk. It’ll quiet the part of the brain that’s tied to depression and brooding.

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You may not be sad, but you could STILL be depressed.

01 Thursday Jun 2017

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angry, Columbia University Medical Center, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, counseling, depressed, depression, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, irritable, irritated, irritation, sad, treatment

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Half of people suffering from depression feel more angry and irritable than anything else. In fact, those emotions are indicative of someone who’s severely depressed, according to psychiatrist Dr. Philip Muskin from Columbia University Medical Center. For example, they’ll start an argument at the drop of a hat, like when they walk in the door from work. Or they’ll get ultra-irritated at small things, like a stain on their shirt. If that sounds familiar, to you or a loved one, seek counseling. 80% of people with clinical depression respond to treatment.

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Have you ever felt hungry after an argument?

31 Friday Mar 2017

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appetite, argue, argument, blow your diet, chips, depressed, depression, gain weight, ghrelin, Greek yogurt, high-fat, high-sugar, hunger, hungry, ice cream, Psychological Science, stress, stress levels, stressed out, vegetables, weight gain

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Research in Psychological Science found that as our stress levels rise, our body produces more of the appetite-regulating hormone ghrelin, which boosts hunger. And lots of studies have shown when we’re stressed out, we’re more likely to reach for high-fat, high-sugar treats, than something healthy…… which significantly raises our risk for weight gain and depression. And while we can’t change how our body reacts to stress, we can change the foods we keep on hand. So, stock up on more vegetables and Greek yogurt, instead of chips and ice cream! That way, you’re less likely to blow your diet after your next argument.

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Tag Archives: depression

Are cigarettes relaxing?

Coffee reduces depression!

Does avoiding coffee make you grumpy or depressed?

What’s the key to reducing your risk of depression?

Do you use your phone a lot?

Have you ever felt hungry after an argument?

Are you feeling sad and blue?

Turn your frown upside down!

You may not be sad, but you could STILL be depressed.

Have you ever felt hungry after an argument?