This is more of a mini musing than a blog. It appeals to me just now to frame these 3 quick facts as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
1 The Good: exercise in any form can improve your mental health. Whatever you are able to do helps, even if it is only a short walk. I often trick myself by mentally committing to just 5 minutes. Most of the time I end up doing far more and if I can’t there is no sense of ‘failing.’
2 The Bad: research has linked second-hand smoke exposure with an increased risk of developing depression (Major depression and secondhand smoke exposure by Scott B. Patten and others). This seems to hold regardless of whether it is current exposure or childhood exposure. Another reason to stay away, far away, from this toxic habit.
3 The Ugly: antidepressant medication may result in up to twice the risk of developing dementia or cognitive impairment later in life. There hasn’t been a causal link established but there is an association. Definitely something to watch as it has the potential to make treatment decisions even more complex.
