In fact, under these conditions, the risk of developing this disorder practically doubles. This is the main conclusion of a study coordinated by Professor of Psychiatry Alan Teo, of the Oregon Health and Science University, which also highlights that contact by letter, phone or email, even if it is maintained frequently, it does not influence the chances of suffering it.
“Research in this field has long supported the idea that maintaining strong social bonds promotes mental health , but this is the first time that the protective role that, in the development of depression, plays a role in depression has been examined. certain type of communication with those closest to you ”, indicates Alan Teo.
The essay, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society , maintains that not all forms of socialization are created equal, and that face-to-face contact helps prevent depression better than digital communication. To determine this, Teo and his collaborators studied how more than 11,000 individuals over 50 years of age interacted with their friends. Thus, they observed that those who maintained very little contact in person experienced almost double the risk of suffering from depression in just two years . In contrast, 6.5% of the trial participants, who had had it at least three times a week, had only mild symptoms.
The team also found that in people between the ages of 50 and 69, the risk of depression decreased when contact was with friends, while in those over 70 it occurred if face-to-face was maintained with children and other family members. .
