Have you ever been to a mental health care provider who helped you with your arthritis?
Sounds strange?
Well, this may become the new norm, thanks to a recently published study.
Depression and Arthritis
In the study, adults aged 50 and up were tested for depression and were asked if they were ever told by a doctor that they had arthritis. It turns out that there’s a clear correlation between the two: The more serious the depression, the higher the prevalence of arthritis.
So what’s the connection?
The researchers suggest 4 possibilities. We’ll deal with the third one:
Exercise.
“The association between depression and arthritis may be linked to poorer coping strategies including reduced physical activity and behavioral inactivation.”
In other words, if you don’t move your body around enough, you might get depressed, and your body may become rusty.
Depression Rates in N.J.
Depression isn’t uncommon among elderly adults in New Jersey. In fact, 3.5% of adults under age 65 who use private insurance suffer from the condition. And our very own Monmouth-Ocean region has the second-highest rate of residents diagnosed with major depression, just under the Philadelphia are, as you can see in this infogram.
Does this meant that there’s a higher prevalence of arthritis in the area too?
Maybe.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, there are over 1,500,000 people suffering from arthritis in N.J. Either way that’s a large number. We need to get ourselves exercising more.
Conclusion
Depression is tough. But when you add arthritis to it, it’s a double whammy. So, if you or a loved one suffer from depression, make sure to get on top of your body and do your daily exercises.
It’s tough to move around when you’re down, but if you wait too long, it may only get tougher.
Do you know a loved one suffering from depression and arthritis?
Please share in the comments below.