Diet taboos for depression

There is currently no clear clinical "absolute fasting list" that applies to all patients with depression, but three types of dietary patterns have been proven to have a high probability of aggravating mood swings, interfering with drug efficacy, and even inducing acute symptoms. They are long-term intake of high-sugar and highly processed foods, exposure to alcohol and addictive stimulants, long-term extreme dieting, or an extremely single diet structure. Most of the other so-called "taboos" have individual differences, and there is no need to blindly apply universal standards to set limits for yourself.

Two years ago, I followed up with a client who was a sophomore. When the condition was at its worst, she didn't even have the strength to get out of bed. The only thing that kept her interested was ordering full-sugar bubble milk tea. At most, she drank three cups a day. During that time, her mood swings were particularly outrageous. One second she was texting me that the sun was so happy today, and the next second she was squatting in the corridor of the dormitory crying until she couldn't breathe. Later, she slowly changed the milk tea to freshly squeezed orange juice with a small amount of honey added to it according to the doctor's advice. She drank full-sugar milk tea at most once a week. In less than a month, the frequency of emotional breakdowns she recorded dropped from 6 times a week to 2 times. There has always been controversy about high-sugar foods. Studies supporting moderate consumption of sweets believe that short-term sugar intake can promote the secretion of serotonin and quickly relieve low mood. However, more long-term tracking data shows that excessive added sugar can cause blood sugar to fluctuate like a roller coaster, disrupting the stable secretion of neurotransmitters and aggravating symptoms of anxiety and irritability over time. Of course, there are exceptions. A girl I know who has been ill for 3 years eats a milk candy every day, which actually helps her get through the irritability of the morning rush hour at work. There is really no need to impose unified standards for such individual differences.

Speaking of this, I have to mention the pitfall of alcohol that many patients have stepped on. There was a male patient who was a programmer. He had been taking sertraline for three months, and his condition was almost stable. However, at a department dinner, he couldn't help but drink two bottles of cold beer. That night, he suffered a severe headache. For the next three days, he lay paralyzed in bed, not even wanting to check his cell phone. The mood he had finally recovered from fell to the bottom. It is true that many people think that "drinking two drinks can relax". A small amount of drinking can indeed temporarily paralyze the nerves and quickly dissipate anxiety. However, alcohol itself is a central nervous system depressant, which will not only reduce the efficacy of antidepressants, but also aggravate the symptoms of lethargy and unresponsiveness, and even amplify extreme symptoms. Duan thought, especially for patients taking SSRI and SNRI drugs, doctors will basically repeatedly emphasize the need to abstain from alcohol. There is really no room for negotiation on this. Unless you have stopped taking the drug for a long time and are in a particularly stable state, it is not impossible to take a sip occasionally, but the amount must be controlled.

There is another pitfall that many people are not aware of, which is extreme diet. There was a young girl who had just started working. When she got sick, she couldn't eat anything. She only ate white porridge and mustard for half a month. Later, when she went for a follow-up examination, she was found to be severely deficient in vitamin B12 and folic acid. The doctor said that these two nutrients are necessary to maintain the normal functioning of the nerves. The deficiency will aggravate the symptoms of depression and fatigue, and delay the progress of recovery. Different schools do have differences on this point. For example, some naturopathic schools advocate that a vegan diet can "purify the body" and improve depression. However, the general consensus in psychiatric clinics is that as long as you are not born a vegetarian, there is no need to force yourself to give up meat, eggs, and milk. Instead, you must ensure the intake of essential amino acids, B vitamins, and Omega-3, which are all good things to help you stabilize your mood. There is no need to go on an extreme diet in order to "become more beautiful". Depression can lead to low self-esteem. After dieting, blood sugar becomes unstable and mood swings become even greater. It is a completely vicious cycle.

Many people ask me if they can drink coffee? Can I touch chocolate? It really depends on the person. I have a patient who gets so flustered after drinking half a cup of Americano, and another patient who has to drink a cup of coffee every morning to be able to work energetically. As long as you don’t feel any discomfort after eating it, you can eat it. The only thing to be reminded is that chocolate substituted for cocoa butter and puffed foods with a lot of additives are okay to eat once in a while to relieve boredom. If eaten for a long time, the trans fatty acids in them will aggravate the inflammatory response in the body. Indeed, studies have confirmed that chronic inflammation is highly related to symptoms of depression. It never hurts to pay more attention.

Harmful, after all, diet is only a small part of depression recovery. You don’t have to focus on what you can and cannot eat every day, adding another layer of shackles to yourself. I often tell patients who come to me for consultation, if you really want to eat a certain high-sugar cake today, go and eat it. You will be happy after eating it. It will be much better for your mood than if you hold it in and feel guilty for a long time. If you are really afraid of stepping into pitfalls, just spend a week keeping a simple eating and mood diary. If you have obvious mood deterioration, palpitation, or insomnia after eating something, try to avoid it next time. It will be more useful than searching for a hundred general taboos on the Internet. After all, being sick is hard enough, and eating something you like is a very important little thing.