Spaces for mood care: prevention and intervention in digital, community and health systems

Abstract

[...]depressed mood may also be a marker for, and potential mediating mechanism of, the physiological processes that lead to later-life dementia (see Schmitz et al, pp. 96–102); associations with other chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, heart and lung disease, and cancer make for an even greater impact on quality of life and functioning and mortality. 3–6 People with affective disorders may use a variety of methods to regulate their moods, including the use of psychoactive substances and self-treatment with alcohol, with associated harmful consequences including dementia. Singing improves confidence, respiratory regulation, performance skills, emotional activation and social support; this month, we report that it seems to be helpful for postnatal depression (Fancourt & Perkins, pp. 119–121), the treatment of which also improves the health of children of mothers with depression. 10 Treatment-resistant depression is a most worrisome condition, not least because the fear, worry and misery experienced by people is compounded as people become even more hopeless when treatments are not working. The studies linking mood disorders to other chronic conditions and drug use show that knowledge about the causes and treatments for mood disorders are needed for all health practitioners, not just in the mental health system, and in public health campaigns.