Depression sufferers ‘need to socialise’

Over one in four people living in the UK believe they will be affected by seasonal affective disorder and become depressed this winter.

 This is according to Geoffrey Beattie, a professor in psychology at the School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Manchester.

 Mr Beattie said the change in a person’s social behaviour could be affecting their mood.

 Individuals are more inclined to venture outside and socialise in the summer but as soon as the nights begin to get darker and the weather colder they tend to reduce this interaction, he added.

 “People who spend more time on

their own, just watching television, can have more negative moods as a result,” explained the professor.

 He warned that mental approach could also have other effects on the health of an individual.

 There is a correlation between people who feel depressed and their susceptibility to cold viruses, Mr Beattie said.

© Adfero Ltd

 Private depression treatment news: 18 October 2011