
Communicate This Way -- Cut Depression Risk in Half
Consider two methods of communication.
Method 1: Chatting face to face, a method Homo sapiens has employed for about 100,000 years. (Actually, no one knows how long human beings have conversed using language, but that’s the estimate made by Noam Chomsky, the world’s most famous linguist, so let’s go with that.)
Method 2: Chatting on the phone, emailing, tweeting, Facebooking, YouTubing, or blogging. We’ve done the phone thing for roughly a century, email for perhaps 20 years, and the rest for less than 10.
So… which of these, done often, is most likely to keep depression at bay?
Long-suffering readers of these missives know my mantra — if we co-evolved with a behavior, it probably promotes health and happiness. Conversely, new human behaviors are guilty until proven innocent.
And that’s why Method 1 wins handily, at least among folks over 50.
Here’s the lowdown:
A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that among older adults, those who met regularly in person with family and friends were much less likely to be depressed than those who emailed or spoke on the phone.
Researcher Alan Teo, MD, pointed out that strong social bonds have long been known to support emotional health. But this was the first study to assess what type of communication was best.
And the result was unequivocal.
Teo and his team looked at more than 11,000 people in the U.S. aged 50 and older. All were participants in the longitudinal Health and Retirement Study at the University of Michigan.
The team looked at how often each person spoke in person; on the telephone; and through writing, including email, with friends and family.
Then they assessed the risk of depression two years later.
They discovered that having a low level of face-to-face social contact almost doubled the risk of becoming depressed two years later.
Conversely, it didn’t seem to matter whether the subjects had a few or many phone conversations or written or email communications. These had no effect on the likelihood of depression.
So… is there a “prescription” here?
Well, subjects who had face-to-face encounters with family and friends at least three times a week had the fewest depressive symptoms two years later.
Sounds good to me.
It also sounds like a bare minimum.
I’ll be frank. The most health-destructive trend in modern life is not overprocessed carbohydrates. It’s not sedentary lifestyles. It’s not air or water pollution, damaging as those may be.
The most health-destructive trend is the increasing tendency of people to isolate.
I’ve cited this information before, but it’s worth repeating. A Brigham Young University study published in March looked at earlier studies encompassing about 3 million people.
It found that loneliness is more dangerous to health than obesity, and roughly as dangerous as alcoholism.
While it’s true that in the BYU study the dangerous physical health effects of isolation became more pronounced as people passed age 65, the negative effects of isolation crossed all age boundaries.
So…
Perhaps modern 20-somethings will soon find using social media to be as fulfilling and health-supporting as what the Silicon Valley types call “meatspace” discussion.
But I doubt it.
The world changes swiftly. Our evolution-driven needs are far less tractable.
For a future that any of us is likely to be around to see, meatspace will likely retain its value — the mocking moniker notwithstanding.
If you are human, I believe you can safely conclude that anything short of regularly conversing with another human being who shares your physical space is dangerous to both mental and physical health.
But I dislike framing this as a negative. So let’s flip it.
At a deep level, woven into our DNA, being with real people in real places can help make us physically and mentally vibrant.
So are social media useless?
Not at all.
Text, email, tweet, or Facebook message your friend and tell him or her where to meet you.
Regards,
Brad Lemley
Editor, Natural Health Solutions
Citation:
1. Alan Teo, M.D., M.S. Does Mode of Contact with Different Types of Social Relationships Predict Depression Among Older Adults? Evidence from a Nationally Representative Survey. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, October 2015

Written By Brad Lemley
Brad Lemley is a science and health writer and former senior correspondent for The Washington Post and Discover magazine. He is a tireless advocate for safe, natural, self-directed healthy living practices and therapies.
View More Free Articles
Why Your Muscles Are Your Brain's Best Defense
Forget expensive brain scans and head-scratching cognitive tests that make you feel like you’re back in school. Japanese researchers have stumbled onto something that could change how we screen for memory problems—and it’s so simple, you’ll wonder why nobody thought of it sooner. A quick, painless measurement you can get during a routine checkup might...
Four Carbs that Could Add YEARS to Your Life
You’ve likely been avoiding carbs like the plague. Health gurus, fitness influencers, and diet books have convinced you that carbs are the enemy—that they spike your blood sugar, pack on pounds, and fast-track you to diabetes. So you’ve eliminated bread, sworn off pasta, and feel guilty just touching a piece of fruit. But what if...
Upgrade from Bananas and Apples to These Powerhouse Fruits
I’m often asked which fruits are the best. So, let’s talk about it. I’ll cut right to the chase: berries win this contest hands down. If you’re limiting your options to apples and bananas, you’re missing out on a universe of superior antioxidant power. Those everyday fruits are like bringing a knife to a gunfight...
The REAL Reason Americans are Getting “Fatter”
You’ve heard it a thousand times: “Americans are getting fatter because we’re lazy.” We sit at desks all day. We binge-watch Netflix instead of hitting the gym. We’ve traded physical labor for sedentary lifestyles. It’s a tidy explanation for why obesity has skyrocketed in developed countries. There’s just one problem—it’s completely wrong… A groundbreaking Duke...
Mailbag: Room Won't Stop Spinning? Do THIS First
“I’m dealing with vertigo issues, lightheadedness, and dizziness. As recently as this last Saturday I had multiple occurrences throughout the day. Is there anything I can do for this? I’m 69 and in good health. I work out 4 to 5 times a week.” —Spinning Hi Spinning, When patients approach me with similar complaints, I...
Hidden Number Secretly Sabotages Male Performance
Guys (and gals that love them), we should talk. You know how we’ve always been told that bedroom troubles are just part of getting older—that we just need to live with them? Well, it turns out that’s not true. Scientists recently wrapped up a six-year study that followed over 100 healthy men, and the findings...
Shocking Study Links Kids' Snacks to Dangerous Early Puberty
Kids are growing up in a world vastly different from the one we knew. Back in our day, if a child wanted something sweet, it was a piece of candy or a homemade cookie. Today’s kids are surrounded by products filled with artificial sweeteners that didn’t even exist when we were raising our own children....
Outdated Vitamin Guidelines Put Your Brain at Risk
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think twice about vitamin B12—until your doctor mentions it during a routine blood test. But new research published in the Annals of Neurology suggests we need to pay closer attention to this crucial nutrient—especially as we age. Turns out, current guidelines for this essential nutrient might be...
The TRUTH About Supplement "Liver Dangers" REVEALED
There’s been a lot of buzz lately about liver damage from supplements—so, let’s talk about it. Reports of supplement-induced liver injuries have some folks wondering, “Could my natural remedy actually be harming me?” But before you toss all your supplements in the trash, let’s separate fact from fear—and talk about how to use supplements safely....
The 10,000 Steps LIE That's Ruining Your Health
I’ll be honest—I’m a little sick of the 10,000-steps theory. You know, the one that insists you need to take at least that many steps daily to stay healthy? You won’t believe where that claim originally came from. The 10,000-steps theory wasn’t handed down from the fitness gods on stone tablets. It originated from a...