Can Negative Emotions Lead to Dementia?
For years I wondered about the early mental decline of my grandmother which, unfortunately, was repeated in my mother’s life. Would I succumb to their same fate? Was dementia 100% genetically predestined?
Thankfully, while researching for my book, Get Healthy for Heaven’s Sake, I came across numerous studies which began to put my mind at ease. Yes, it is true that there is a genetic component to dementia, but even more determinant is lifestyle factors—much of which we have control over.
Not surprisingly, sustaining a healthy diet and participating in regular exercise is a large part of steering clear of dementia in your third trimester of life. Yet the real eye-opener for me was when I discovered the strong connection between one’s emotional wellbeing and the onset/prevalence of dementia.
You see, both my grandmother and my mother shared similar emotional “traits”. They struggled with lifelong depression and anxiety, they kept to themselves—having limited social contacts or sustained friendships, they never volunteered in their communities or made it “their business” to help the less fortunate or a neighbor in need. In a word, they were emotionally and socially barren. I, in contrast to my mother and grandmother, strive to live a fertile life, which is why I believe I can rest confidently in my future mental acuity.
Because studies have shown such correlations as the risk for dementia rising two-fold for those who are chronically depressed, it is critical for each of us strive to eliminate chronic depression, stress, and anxiety for our “menu” of emotions. The presence of these harmful emotions not only suppress our brain’s production of “brain cell fertilizer” (brain derived neurotrophic factor) but also prompt our bodies to produce excessive epinephrine and dopamine which cause our brain cells to “misfire”.
Addition scientific research purports that it is crucial for us to be involved in personal relationships and in service to others so that we can produce sufficient quantities of endorphins and serotonin which our brain needs to maintain chemical health.
May this new understanding encourage you, as it did me, to strive for sound mental health and social undergirding.