While we all have a lot to learn about the mind and the field of psychology, we have and will continue to make remarkable advances as we continue to study new things. One thing that we already know is that for the most part, psychological problems and mental health challenges don’t just suddenly arise in people later in life. They are often linked to one or more causes dating back years. A new study reveals that this could be the case with anxiety and depression.
The team of Orange County mental health professionals at SoCal Empowered is not only intensely interested in keeping up to date on new mental health developments, but we also want to share news that we think is relevant with the world. That’s why we’re going to delve into this new anxiety and depression study below, as the more we all know, the better off we’ll all be when it comes to our health – mental and physical.
About the Anxiety and Depression Cohort Study
The study, led by a researcher at the University of Texas at Dallas, took a long look at 165 people. These people were tracked from between 1989 and 1993, when they were 4 months old. They remained a part of the study until they were 26 years of age.
The foundational differentiator between what became the two groups in the study was whether or not a particular child showed signs of what is known as behavioral inhibition, or BI. Those with BI were identified by showing each of the subjects novel objects, people or situations.
The subjects that tended to respond to these new things with fear, hesitation or overt avoidance were put into the group with behavioral inhibition. Those who responded to these novel stimuli positively and without fear were placed in the other group. This set the stage for decades of additional check-ins and measurements.
Between the ages of infancy and 26 years of age, the subjects were given questionnaires to answer for self-reporting purposes and they underwent brain scans to track their overall progress and development. Specifically, the subjects were administered functional MRIs as adolescents to analyze their brains’ response to tasks designed to provide rewards upon completion. In this case, the reward was winning money.
The Findings of the Anxiety and Depression Study
When the subjects reached the end age, their progress was further analyzed dating back to the beginning. This analysis revealed the following:
- The association between those who displayed behavioral inhibition at ages between 14 and 24 months and depression was only present in those adolescents who showed a blunted response to rewards in their MRI results.
- The researchers found no such association between early BI, blunted responses as adolescents and higher incidences of anxiety as older adolescents and younger adults.
It should be noted that this was the first study of its kind with regards to its length and specific characteristics, and it was recently published in the JAMA Psychiatry journal. Those interested in reviewing the abstract can find it here.
What the Anxiety and Depression Study Means
In addition to the findings above, the anxiety and depression study found that overall, those young children that displayed behavioral inhibition initially were more likely to experience depressive episodes as early adults if their responses to monetary stimuli as adolescents were blunted.
However, and just as interestingly, while there was no direct correlation between this pattern and anxiety as young adults, there did appear to be such a correlation between those falling into this pattern and the development of anxiety as adolescents. That was not necessarily expected, although it seems to fit into the larger picture of what we already know within this realm.
Anxiety and Depression Are Often Linked
One of the reasons that this was noteworthy is that it’s already well known that people who suffer from anxiety are at least 50 percent more likely than others to develop depression later in life. We don’t know why yet, but this is yet another indicator that anxiety and depression share some type of link.
In addition, the researchers stated that to an extent, this development path is reversible. There are interventions that can be implemented to help a child let go of his or her inhibition so that the neural paths in the brain tied to anxiety and depression are unlocked and a more positive form of development can take place.
How SoCal Empowered Can Help
Our team of Orange County mental health professionals deals with people fighting conditions such as anxiety and depression every day. We understand what it takes to help people get out in front of these challenges so that they can enjoy a happy and healthy life going forward. This often includes a look back all the way to early childhood whenever possible.
That’s because every problem, whether it deals with mental health or something else, has a foundation that needs to be attacked in order for a person to enjoy long-term benefits. Simply treating symptoms is not going to provide someone with that opportunity. He or she will feel better for a short period of time, but eventually those symptoms will return and the struggles will reemerge.
We don’t work that way. We get down to the heart of things, so if you’re concerned about yourself or someone you love dealing with anxiety and depression or anything else, you need to contact us as soon as possible. We will help you determine the best course of action for dealing with it, whether that involves a stay with us or not.
Contact us today. It may be the conversation that winds up turning things around for you or your loved one.