12 Surprising Mental Health Discoveries of 2024

Welcome to this week's edition of our Thursday newsletter, where we jump into the latest research and innovations in mental health.

The year 2024 has been a remarkable one for neuroscience and psychology, unveiling discoveries that challenge our understanding and open new avenues for enhancing mental well-being.

Today, we bring you 12 surprising mental health insights that have emerged over the past year.

In this edition, at a glance:

1. Handwriting Boosts Learning and Memory: Writing by hand engages the brain more deeply than typing, enhancing learning, memory, and conceptual understanding.

2. Gut Microbes Affect Mood: A healthy gut microbiome rich in anti-inflammatory microbes improves stress management, linking diet directly to mental health.

3. Night Shift Work Raises Depression Risk: Late-night or shift work is associated with a higher susceptibility to depression and long-term health issues.

4. Lifestyle Changes Can Prevent Dementia: Modifiable habits like better sleep, diet, exercise, and social interaction can reduce dementia risk, even with genetic predispositions.

5. Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy Reduces Stress: IFS therapy, focusing on understanding one's internal "parts," shows promise in alleviating PTSD, stress, and depression symptoms.

6. Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Depression: High intake of ultra-processed foods correlates with increased depressive symptoms, emphasizing the mental health impact of diet.

7. Deep Sleep Removes Brain Waste: During deep sleep, the brain flushes out toxins, a process vital for brain health and potentially mitigating conditions like Alzheimer's and depression.

8. Ketogenic Diet Benefits Mental Illness: The keto diet may improve symptoms of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and depression by stabilizing blood sugar and enhancing brain function.

9. Body Temperature Connected to Depression: People with depression often have higher body temperatures; heat-based treatments like saunas might alleviate symptoms through a cooling rebound effect.

10. Oxytocin Nasal Spray Reduces Loneliness: Oxytocin can enhance bonding and reduce feelings of loneliness when administered via nasal spray during therapy sessions.

11. Classical Music Enhances Mood: Listening to classical music synchronizes brain activity related to emotion processing, acting as a natural mood booster.

12. Mindfulness Reduces Depression Symptoms: Practicing mindfulness for just 10 minutes daily significantly decreases depression symptoms and improves overall well-being over time.

1. Handwriting Activates Complex Brain Networks More Effectively Than Typing

• Consider incorporating handwritten exercises in therapy sessions

• Especially beneficial for processing trauma and journaling exercises

Recent studies have shown that writing by hand significantly boosts learning and memory compared to typing. This effect is due to the intricate coordination between motor and visual systems during handwriting, which deeply engages the brain. For both children learning to recognize letters and adults seeking better conceptual understanding, handwriting fosters stronger cognitive connections.

Encouraging clients to take notes by hand could enhance their information retention and learning experiences.

2. Anti-Inflammatory Gut Microbes Linked to Better Stress Management

• Potential implications for anxiety and depression treatment

• Consider discussing probiotic-rich foods with clients

The gut-brain connection continues to garner attention as research highlights the role of gut microbes in mental health. Individuals who manage stress effectively often have a gut microbiome rich in anti-inflammatory microbes and a strong gut barrier.

Incorporating gut-friendly foods like kimchi or yogurt may support resilience to stress.

While dietary changes alone aren't a cure-all due to the microbiome's complexity, promoting gut health could be a valuable component of holistic mental health strategies.

3. New Evidence Links Late-Night Work to Increased Depression Risk

• Important consideration for shift workers

• May require specialized treatment approaches

Emerging evidence links working late-night shifts with an increased risk of depression and poor health outcomes later in life. This is particularly concerning for populations disproportionately affected by shift work schedules.

The findings emphasize the need for employers and policymakers to provide support that helps individuals maintain a healthy work-life balance, potentially mitigating long-term mental health issues.

4. Modifiable Habits Can Prevent Dementia

• Lifestyle modifications can significantly reduce risk

• New tool: Brain Care Score for tracking brain health

• Actionable prevention strategies for aging clients

Lifestyle modifications can significantly impact the risk [study] of developing dementia. Changes in sleep patterns, diet, social engagement, and exercise routines can reduce this risk, even among those with genetic predispositions.

Tools like the Brain Care Score are being developed to help individuals monitor and improve their brain health. This underscores the power of small, consistent lifestyle adjustments in preventing cognitive decline.

5. Internal Family Systems Therapy for Stress

• Growing evidence supporting IFS for PTSD and stress

• Promising results for depression treatment

• Consider incorporating IFS techniques into your practice

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is gaining recognition as an effective approach for managing stress and improving mental health. By encouraging individuals to acknowledge and understand their internal "parts" or subpersonalities, IFS helps in addressing underlying issues contributing to PTSD, stress, and depression.

While further research is ongoing, IFS offers promising results for clients seeking alternative therapeutic modalities.

6. The Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods on Mental Health

• Direct correlation with depressive symptoms

• Important dietary consideration for treatment plans

• Integration with holistic therapy approaches

A growing body of research links high consumption of ultra-processed foods with an increased risk of depressive symptoms. With these foods constituting a significant portion of many individuals' diets, raising awareness about their potential mental health impacts is crucial.

Encouraging clients to make healthier dietary choices may contribute to improved mood and overall well-being.

7. Brain Waste Removal and the Importance of Sleep

• New understanding of brain waste removal during sleep

• Sleep hygiene becoming increasingly crucial in treatment

New research has uncovered the vital role of deep sleep in the brain's waste removal system. During deep sleep, slow electrical waves synchronize neurons, effectively flushing out toxins and waste products. This process is essential for maintaining brain health and may have implications for conditions like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, headaches, and depression.

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8. The Ketogenic Diet and Mental Illness

• Emerging evidence for mental illness management

• Particularly promising for bipolar disorder

• Consider dietary interventions as complementary treatment

The ketogenic diet is being explored for its potential benefits in managing mental health symptoms. Research suggests that this high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet may stabilize blood sugar levels and improve mitochondrial function, which could support brain health.

Clinical trials are underway to investigate its effects on conditions like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and depression. It's important to approach this area with caution and consider dietary interventions as complementary to traditional treatments.

9. Higher body temperature associated with depression

• Heat therapy showing promise

• New avenue for symptom management

A surprising link has been discovered between elevated body temperature and depression. Studies suggest that heat-based treatments, such as sauna therapy, may alleviate depressive symptoms by inducing a cooling rebound effect that lowers body temperature.

10. Nasal Spray Shows Promise For Loneliness

• Potential aid during therapy sessions

• Enhanced social bonding effects

Research into the use of oxytocin nasal sprays reveals potential in reducing feelings of loneliness. Oxytocin, often referred to as the "love hormone," can enhance bonding and empathy during psychological therapy sessions. Although effects are temporary and the approach is still experimental, it underscores the hormone's role in promoting social connection and emotional well-being.

11. Classical Music as a Mood Enhancer

• Potential non-invasive treatment option

• Integration possibilities with traditional therapy

Classical music has been identified as a potential tool for improving mood and reducing symptoms of depression. Listening to classical compositions may synchronize brain activity in regions associated with emotion processing, influencing emotional regulation.

Incorporating music therapy into treatment plans could offer a non-invasive method for alleviating stress and enhancing mental health outcomes.

12. Ten Minutes of Mindfulness for Depression

• Just 10 minutes daily shows significant impact

• Measurable reduction in depression symptoms

Incorporating just ten minutes of mindfulness practice into daily routines can lead to significant reductions in depression symptoms over time. Short, consistent mindfulness sessions have been shown to improve overall well-being, decrease anxiety, and promote healthier lifestyle choices.

Encouraging clients to adopt mindfulness practices can enhance self-control and support their mental and physical health needs.

Group Supervision: Interventions & Strategies for Molding the New Therapist - 3 CEUs

Presented by Ashlenn Von Wiegand, Ph.D., LPC, CPCS, CCH, NCC

Training and equipping brand-new clinicians can feel like quite the undertaking. As busy supervisors, we can all benefit from maximizing our impact on the counseling community without jeopardizing the quality of our training. This workshop is designed for licensed clinical supervisors seeking to enhance their ability to lead impactful and engaging group supervision for new therapists.

When & Where:

• Date: Friday, January 17, 2025

• Time: 1:00pm – 4:15pm Eastern Time

Learn more about this course

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We value your insights and experiences. If you have thoughts on these findings or wish to share how you've integrated new research into your practice, please reply to this email.

Until next time, let's continue to learn and grow together.

Warm regards,

The TheraPulse Insider Team