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As more people are staying inside, there has been an inevitable increase in the amount of “screen time” in which people are using electronic devices, consequently having a negative impact on mental health.
Numerous studies have shown that an increased amount of screen time, which is considered to be more than two hours per day, is correlated with decreased levels of optimism and increased levels of depression and symptoms of anxiety.
This connection has come into greater focus recently due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, though it has been known and studied for years. A study published in 2015 by the Journal of the Canadian Academy of Adolescent Psychiatry found that even with consistent levels of physical activity, high screen time was associated with poorer mental health and academic outcomes.
Anxiety and depression were the most common symptoms among study participants, along with poorer quality of sleep.
What the research says:
Data published in the October 2020 edition of Psychiatry Research focused specifically on the association between screen time and mental health during COVID-19. More than 900 adults participated in the study. The average screen time per day was a little more than 7 hours per day in the overall population and was even higher among adults between the ages of 18 and 34. The results of the study found a strong association between screen time per day in hours and poor mental health overall. The relationship between screen time per day and poor mental health was also found to be significant in women and adults between the ages of 35 and 64 regardless of their gender.
The researchers concluded that public health responses to address screen use and promote good mental health practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting social distancing measures are encouraged.
How Nova Vita Can Help:
Nova Vita Wellness Centers offers intravenous (IV) vitamin therapy and ketamine infusion therapy to help alleviate a wide range of conditions while promoting overall well-being.
Ketamine infusion therapy is hailed as a breakthrough treatment option for several mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety.
As research from the Yale School of Medicine has found, ketamine triggers glutamate production, prompting the brain to form new neural connections.
This could allow the brain to be more adaptable and to create new pathways, which would in turn provide an opportunity to create more positive thoughts and behaviors. Ketamine may also reduce signals in inflammation, which has been linked to mood disorders in past studies, or help aid communication within certain areas of the brain.
When you take ketamine, it triggers reactions in your cortex that enable brain connections to regrow. It’s the reaction to ketamine, not the presence of ketamine in the body that constitutes its effects. This potential for long-term effect is one of the reasons so many in the field consider ketamine therapy a breakthrough for the treatment of both anxiety and depression.
If you have symptoms of anxiety or depression, you can take our online assessment to see if ketamine infusion therapy is right for you. For more information, give us a call at 512-387-5920, 512-200-7311 or you can schedule an appointment online.
