How to Cut the Risk of Depression in Half

We all know that eating well, getting enough sleep, and exercising are good for our health. A Cambridge University study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry highlights an arguably more fun way to give ourselves a boost: going out on the town. While I am not suggesting you become a club rat, there is evidence that a night out may be just what the doctor ordered.

Researchers examined data collected from 2,000 British adults over age 50 over a 10-year period. After they analyzed data on their health and lifestyle, a clear pattern emerged. When people go out to enjoy a movie, show, or museum on a regular basis, their chance of becoming depressed plummets. Just one outing every few months was enough to cut their risk of depression by 32 percent. Those who went out once a month or more cut their risk of depression by nearly half. Given how down people are these days, that’s saying something. While it is unclear what exactly it is about cultural engagement that protects against depression, it is likely a combination of factors, including social interaction, mental creativity, cognitive stimulation, and the gentle physical activity of just getting there.

I recently attended a concert in NYC, and truth be told, it was terrible. It was a band I had loved from the '90s, but 30 years later, they were a little tragic. That said, there was something fun about the experience. I looked forward to going beforehand, I loved being with my friends at the event, and we laughed later about how awful it was. The social component looms large. I cannot help but think that social connection is what makes cultural engagement so protective against depression.

Gregg Henriques of James Madison University has argued that depression is a state of behavioral shutdown. When a person is feeling low, their knee-jerk response is often avoidance and withdrawal. This unlocks a downward spiral of critical thoughts and an inner battle that leave the person even more stressed, isolated, and depleted. Henriques argues that the only way to counteract what he refers to as shutdown syndrome is to harness the “paradox of effort.” Put simply, override the impulse to avoid and withdraw and instead deliberately participate in activities that move you toward your values, that boost positive emotions, and that enhance connection.

Avoidance may feel like the most natural response in the world, especially when it’s 12 degrees outside and everything seems upside down, but withdrawing will never pull you out of the cave. If anything, it will make it colder and darker. Think of cultural engagement as a way out of the cave and as an antidote to behavioral shutdown syndrome.

Override the temptation to retreat. Ignore the allure of another night at home in front of the television. Make plans with a friend to do something, and stick to them. We are often told that what we feel shapes what we do. But it goes both ways. What we do also shapes how we feel. Choose activities that engage you and connect you to others.