Neuroscience News - Feeling Sensations, Including Ones Connected to Sadness, May Be Key to Depression Recovery
“Norman Farb, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga, and Zindel Segal, a distinguished professor of psychology in mood disorders at U of T Scarborough, have discovered that keeping sensation alive in the face of stress is critical for well-being, particularly for those who have recovered from depression.”
“In the largest neuroimaging study to date of psychotherapy for preventing relapse and recurrence in depression, the researchers linked past depression with a greater tendency to shut down sensory processing when faced with an emotional stressor.”
“They also found that blocking out sensation is related to a greater risk of depressive relapse.”
“We don’t like feeling bad things, (but) we don’t really think about the implications of balancing our short-term relief with our long-term health.
“Our research explains why working to keep feeling is so important. It lays the groundwork for seeing that emotional stress actually robs us of sensation—and to undo stress, one must counter this inhibitory effect.”
“The study included 166 participants who had recovered from depression but were vulnerable to a future episode. They were divided into two groups. Over an eight-week period, one group underwent cognitive therapy with a well-being focus, while the other group underwent mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.”
“Between cognitive therapy sessions, 85 participants also had their brain activity measured through a fMRI scan while watching four consecutive clips from TV shows that wouldn’t normally produce an emotional trigger as a baseline—for example, a lifestyle-related show on HGTV—as well as clips from an emotionally charged movie such as 1983’s Terms of Endearment.”
“When exposed to the emotionally charged video clips, the parts of their brain that control sensations shut down more often than those who had not relapsed. Researchers also found that those who reported higher feelings of sadness during the movie clips weren’t necessarily more likely to suffer a relapse.”
“...when our brains shut out sensory information during a negative mood, we are left with only our thoughts to make sense of what is happening. Often, these thoughts fail to provide a wider view of what is going on—and blocking out bodily sensations locks people into an “echo chamber” of their negative views.”
Read the full article here.
#Depression #Mindfulness #Feelings
My Take:
I have to say, based on my own personal experience, that I was not surprised in the least by the findings of this study. Due to my background, and before therapy, I had extensive experience with either ignoring my feelings or just pushing them down as far as I could. The latter paragraph that I posted from the article also describes a process that I am all-too-familiar with. That is, when we our left with just our thoughts to decipher our mood, we are often worse for the wear. So yeah, for as innately uncomfortable as it is to feel, or dance with, negative feelings, I feel (ha) that we really do have to feel those sensations in order to heal.
A question for you all:
What are some examples in your lives (that you feel comfortable sharing) when you were able to successfully work through a sad feeling or sensation?
@sereneSunset26 it’s very true how depression becomes an echo chamber in your mind. You’re not letting in new information, the old information just bounces back and forth. I’d like to remember that in my next episode.
I Can’t think of specific situations of the top of my head, but I remember recently a couple times the feeling of being surprised that my depression went away without it normally lasting a few days. One was when I had to go somewhere. I didn’t want to but had to, and doing something different improved my mood. I’ve had that happen a few times actually.
the other thing was that I made myself go to a pre-agreed to social event. I really really didn’t want to do that. Being around people can make things worse. But that time it didn’t. I felt a little more connected at least for that moment.
@EmbracingChaos
"It’s very true how depression becomes an echo chamber in your mind. You’re not letting in new information, the old information just bounces back and forth. I’d like to remember that in my next episode."
You know, I've never thought about depression as an echo chamber of the mind before, but that is a great way to put it. Thankfully I haven't had to deal with major depression in a long time, but I think that's because I subconsciously take preventative measures everyday to keep it at bay. Because when I was in the thick of it, yeah, it's like our brains just pummeling us with the same (faulty) information about ourselves.
"I Can’t think of specific situations of the top of my head, but I remember recently a couple times the feeling of being surprised that my depression went away without it normally lasting a few days. One was when I had to go somewhere. I didn’t want to but had to, and doing something different improved my mood. I’ve had that happen a few times actually."
I know exactly what you mean by that. With my complex PTSD, it can spontaneously arrest and go into a kind of remission at times. Especially at times if I push past the resistance that it likes to offer.
"the other thing was that I made myself go to a pre-agreed to social event. I really really didn’t want to do that. Being around people can make things worse. But that time it didn’t. I felt a little more connected at least for that moment."
For sure. Even for the most introverted, we're still social creatures as mammals; that connection is important.
Thank you so much for your thoughts!
@sereneSunset26 I’ve been diagnosed with cptsd too. It is nice to hear that you are able to keep the depression largely at bay. I’m sorry this is kind of a big question, but were there defining moments in your recovery process that helped the most? Routines? External safety? Mindfulness? I’ve found things that help, but nothings really stuck long term. Maybe mostly because I keep getting myself back into stressful environments.
@sereneSunset26 This article is spot-on! I tend to go back into a depressive state when I encounter something particularly stressful and I shut-down completely. Feeling your emotions and accepting them helps a lot. Also it helps you be more self-aware and you can then try to get help
@comfortableNight4463
"This article is spot-on! I tend to go back into a depressive state when I encounter something particularly stressful and I shut-down completely. Feeling your emotions and accepting them helps a lot. Also it helps you be more self-aware and you can then try to get help"
On the PTSD front, I definitely understand this response to stress. This is where mindfulness has really saved me over the years. It's helped me to feel what I'm feeling before it permanently nests within me. My mindfulness isn't always *as* preventative as I'd like it to be, but it's definitely has done wonders.
@sereneSunset26 Agreed!
It’s true, the only way out is through. I believe uncomfortable feelings are there for a reason. They are there to be seen, to be cared for and to be accepted for what they are so we can grow! But I know from experience that they can feel very scary and we will try to do anything to not be present with those feelings. To even hide who we are..our authentic self!
I really like the following poem by Rumi.
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
@Mya07
"It’s true, the only way out is through. I believe uncomfortable feelings are there for a reason. They are there to be seen, to be cared for and to be accepted for what they are so we can grow! But I know from experience that they can feel very scary and we will try to do anything to not be present with those feelings. To even hide who we are..our authentic self!"
I agree; everything you said was and is spot-on! I believe that everything we experience in our bodies, from the sensation of physical pain to uncomfortable feelings, is a byproduct of our body trying to communicate to us.
And your second point is just as accurate. So many of us (myself included) will and do run from those kind of feelings. Speaking for myself, I would rather be authentic *to* myself, than lose that authenticity to a temporary escape from something I don't wanna feel.
@sereneSunset26
This is such a relevant article. I realized in my periods of depression, apathy becomes the most dangerous and ultimate symptom that comes out of the sadness. It's inability to feel any emotion that brings such a blunt and tiring feeling to your life everyday, you feel as if life is just dragging you along. Quickly you learn to become 'numb' to your senses, everything becomes ignored as you focus on getting your day over with rather than enjoying or living in the moment around you.
@sunnyWriting4806
"This is such a relevant article. I realized in my periods of depression, apathy becomes the most dangerous and ultimate symptom that comes out of the sadness. It's inability to feel any emotion that brings such a blunt and tiring feeling to your life everyday, you feel as if life is just dragging you along. Quickly you learn to become 'numb' to your senses, everything becomes ignored as you focus on getting your day over with rather than enjoying or living in the moment around you."
I've certainly had moments like that; anhedonia also comes to mind as well for me. I think a lot of what you said is why I pay as much attention to how I'm doing mentally as much as how I'm doing physically.