Have you noticed that the low spirits of people around you seem to be quietly spreading? A survey in the UK shows that more and more people are suffering from depressive moods. This is not just a personal issue, it could be as contagious as a cold.
The spread of depressive moods
According to the latest data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics, one in six people in the UK has moderate to severe depressive symptoms, a proportion that has significantly increased over the past three years. It is widely believed that this is due to the mental pressure caused by the lockdown measures and the cost-of-living crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Finnish psychologists have proposed another possibility: depressive moods may be contagious.
The research by Finnish psychologists, led by Associate Professor Christian Hakulinen of the University of Helsinki, was published in the “Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry.” They tracked the health records of over 700,000 adolescents and found that if one student in a class shows clear signs of depression, the likelihood of his classmates also suffering from depression is at least 9% higher.
The social transmission of depressive moods
The study also found that if a student has multiple classmates with depression, the student’s risk of developing depression is at least 18% higher. This influence continues even after students leave school. A study published in the “Journal of Clinical Psychology” in 2014 also showed that depression can spread among college roommates.
The social contagion of “co-rumination”
Dr. Jack Andrews, a developmental psychologist at the University of Oxford, is studying this so-called social contagion phenomenon. He explains that depression may be spread through “co-rumination,” where individuals repeatedly fall into a state of negative thinking together without offering solutions.
Emotional transmission in adults
Andrews points out that scientists have found evidence of this phenomenon through social media. Emotions spread not only among students but also in the world of adults.
The spread of depressive moods is a complex phenomenon, and scientists are still exploring its mechanisms.
The key to preventing depression lies in recognizing its risk factors, early symptoms, and taking effective measures to reduce the risk of its occurrence. Effective prevention measures for depression include self-regulation, stress relief, relaxation, moderate exercise, balanced diet, maintaining a positive mindset, etc. Especially for middle-aged and adolescent populations, more attention is needed on their emotional expression and mental health. In the onset of depression, increasing awareness of the illness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are also important preventive measures.
As individuals, we can resist this “emotional cold” through a positive mindset and healthy lifestyle. Let’s focus on mental health, spread positive energy, and together create a more sunny social environment.
