Headset which alleviates depression endorsed by NHS

We know that caring for a domestic cat can help alleviate depression. We know that it can help alleviate the feeling of loneliness and it can help people get through life particularly when they live alone. There are real, tangible benefits to living with a domestic cat and/or domestic dog companion but sometimes depression just sticks around. A cat owner cannot shake it off and if that's the case, which would be entirely understandable particularly in a more stressful world, this NHS endorsed headset might assist as well.

Flow headset superimposed on a model presenting depressive behaviour.

The Times newspaper, yesterday, refers to this device as a way to alleviate the emotional distress a person suffers when they break up with a partner. The headline for The Times was "£400 headset could help to fix pain of a broken heart".

But the pain of a broken heart includes depression, low mood and extreme sadness sometimes. So this device is designed to alleviate a low mood and it purportedly achieves this through very low level electrical signals sent through the brain with electrodes. That sounds a little bit shocking (excuse the pun) or it might to some people but as I said it endorsed by the NHS and its got some good reviews so I would like to mention it on this website.

The problem is this: a person who is sick or depressed cannot in all fairness and truth be a good cat caregiver. You got to be up to the business of cat caregiving to do a good job. It requires human input which makes this post relevant to the website.

The report is that "wearing the device for a few minutes a day with a mild electrical current may reduce feelings of misery, negativity and depression".

36 participants took part in a study. They wore the "transcranial direct current stimulation device".

The participants were split into three groups each wearing the headset for 20 minutes twice a day over five days.

In one group the current was aimed at the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain linked with task switching, inhibition, planning and working memory.

In a second group, the stimulation was directed at the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex which helps people make conscious decisions according to their motivations. And in the third group the headset was switched off.

Sometimes the gentle electrical current can cause tingling.

The study is published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research. The researchers concluded that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation was more efficient than the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation to deal with "love trauma syndrome". This includes distress, anxiety, insomnia, mood swings and obsessive thoughts.

The researchers were from Iran and Germany. They found that the device "significantly reduced LTS symptoms and improved depressive state and anxiety after the intervention, as compared with the sham group."

A month after the treatment stopped the participants said that they still felt better. The author of the study said: "These promising results require replication in longer trials."

In January of this year, and NHS trust said that it was offering a headset to deliver transcranial direct current stimulation treatment for patients with a diagnosis of depression. Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said that their patients use the Flow headset device themselves at home for 30 minutes five times a week for three weeks. After about three weeks they reduce the level of the treatment. They can then stop or continue to use it for as long as needed. It is designed to relieve depressive symptoms.

It's not cheap at about £400 in the UK. But if you are depressed and have tried a lot of things including drugs you might like to consider this as an alternative. I am not a doctor. I'm simply reporting what I read in the newspapers but I want to help people who are depressed and cat caregivers.

Flow headset in operation.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Banish depression by doing hot yoga and living with a cat companion

I have deliberately joined two ways to banish depression because I think together anybody who feels depressed or has been diagnosed with depression should wage a war on that mental condition and what better way to do that than owning a loving cat companion and participating in two hot yoga sessions per week?

Studies have confirmed that companion animals can alleviate depression particularly cats as it happens in one study. Another study recently published found that hot yoga can significantly reduce symptoms of severe depression. This is based upon a clinical trial.

Hot yoga

In nice to know that we have scientists stating that regular Bikram yoga classes, in which the participants pose in yoga positions in humid temperatures of 40°C, are an effective treatment option that can help to put depressed people into remission.

The clinical trial was led by Massachusetts Gen Hospital. They recruited 80 adults all of whom were suffering from moderate to severe depression. They were divided randomly into two groups.

The first group attended 90-minute hot yoga sessions twice a week while the others went on a waiting list.

After eight weeks, 44% of those who participated in Bikram saw big improvements in their depression symptoms to the point where they were no longer classed as depressed. This compared very favourably with only 6% of the control group who felt less depressed.

They assessed the depression using a standard assessment to call the Inventory of Depressive Symptomology Scale.

As mentioned, the participants attended two classes a week but even attending one class per week will help reduce depression, the scientists concluded.

The research is published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Maren Nyer, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the lead author of the trial said: "Yoga and heat-based interventions could potentially change the course of treatment for patients with depression by providing a non-medication-based approach. We are currently developing new studies with the goal of determining the specific contributions of each element, heat and yoga."

Cat companion

You will find many studies on the way that a cat companion can help alleviate depression in their caregiver. And you will find even more anecdotal stories which supports this conclusion. Many people find comfort in the companionship of domestic cats. They say that they have a positive impact on their mental well-being.

The effectiveness will depend upon the person. Obviously, you've got to like cats and you've got to be able to relate to your domestic cat companion because the closer the bond the more effective the "treatment" is.

Interacting with cats can provide emotional support. The caregiver receives unconditional companionship and love.

And the act of petting a cat has been shown to release endorphins. These are hormones which promote feelings of happiness, contentment and relaxation. 

The famous cat purr is a healer of bones and a panacea for the troubled mind.

And having a cat around the home can help instil rhythms and routines in both the cat and the caregiver which helps to stabilise home life.

And looking after a cat can instil a sense of purpose and responsibility in a person who needs structure in their lives. I'm referring here to retired people. They no longer have their work to help structure their lives. This can lead to a loss of purpose and depression.

Obviously, living with a domestic cat can help alleviate loneliness and loneliness can lead to depression.

But domestic cats are only one aspect of how to tackle depression albeit a major one as far as I'm concerned. There are no substitute for professional help if an individual feels they need it.

Drugs a last resort

But personally, I would regard drug treatments as a last resort. The preference would be to try both the above first because they are non-drug interventions which are far healthier.

All drugs are essentially poisons which means they have side effects. It is far better to deal with these problems, if one can, through non-chemical intervention. You don't want to alter your brain chemistry artificially if you can help it.

Bikram yoga

Bikram Yoga is a way to connect mind and body through breath, movement and sweat!

I would like to tell you what Abby McLachlan says about Bikram yoga. She is the founder of East of Eden, which is a yoga/Pilates and meditation studio in east London. Bikram Choudhury started the trend for hot yoga when he increased the heat of yoga studios in Japan in the 1970s to try to replicate Indian heat.

Abby states that: "Since the pandemic I've seen a rise in popularity for classes and work outs that people can easily replicate at home. Hot yoga very much falls into this category. We heat to 37°C, add high humidity through the use of humidifiers, and use aromatherapy scents to coloured lighting to enhance the experience. There are many benefits to practising yoga in a hot room. 

The heat increases the flexibility of your muscles, which can increase your range of motion and reduce the risk of injury. Your muscles also work harder, making standing postures and balances more challenging, but ultimately more beneficial. 

You might also detoxify in hot yoga through sweating more, and improve your circulation through better blood flow. You also find that your heart works harder in the heat giving you an enhanced cardiovascular workout"

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Please forgive any typos. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Cat Depression

Cat depression affects cats who are ill. Cats that are ill might get depressed as this is normal. I think the word "depression" is the wrong word to use in this context. Depression indicated clinical depression. An ill cat will feel uncomfortable and unwell which will make him or her unhappy but not necessarily depressed.

Picture in public domain

You will find that anti-depressants are not prescribed (or not normally prescribed) for cats who have been diagnosed as depressed, as a free standing medical condition, because cats are not diagnosed in this way. It is not possible to accurately diagnose a cat as being depressed as a free standing mental illness in my opinion. This is supported by the book Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook where there is not reference to such a condition.

Although cat behaviorists might prescribe anti-depressants to modify behavior - I disagree with this strongly. It is treating the symptoms and not the underlying cause and drugs such as these are to be avoided if at all possible as there can be side effects. Valium can cause severe liver problems in cats. Prozac is also prescribed for elimination disorders.

Anti-depressants such as Valium (diazepam) are used to calm a cat that is anxious and as a result does not use the litter properly. These are called "elimination disorders" or "inappropriate elimination". Once again this is not ideal because the underlying cause of the anxiety (probably something that we have done or are doing) is not addressed.

When a cat is depressed because he or she is ill, we should recognise this and spend more time with her. We should always speak gently and calmly with her and make sure she is getting the proper nourishment and is grooming herself properly. We can help with grooming.

When we leave the house it can help to leave the radio on. Human voices are comforting it is thought even if they are not the voice of the caretaker.

Peace and and quiet are essential to a depressed and sick cat. The cat should have a quiet comfortable area where she can sleep free from drafts and sunlight. The area should be ventilated and be warm. Sick cats can chill down. Some form of heating may be advisable but used with care.

Cat Depression Symptoms

I think we have to use our common sense here. A cat that is still (inactive), that is hiding and quiet might be depressed. Cats are good at hiding symptoms but the better way to decide if a cat is so called "depressed" is to check for symptoms of other illnesses. Common illnesses such as pink eye can be very upsetting to a cat and make the cat depressed for example. Major illnesses such as FIP will almost certainly cause acute unhappiness. As I said "depression" is perhaps the wrong word.



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