For a number of years, Botox has been useful as a treatment option for muscle-related conditions. It can help with excess sweating, incontinence, muscle spasms, and migraines. Botox is also helpful in achieving that smooth visage. However, have you ever thought that it could prove suitable for reducing your chance of depression?
What is Depression?
Depression is a mental health disorder. It causes you to have a low mood and affects your interest in activities. As a result, it can significantly impair your daily life. There are many biological, social, and psychological causes of depression, which makes finding a “cure” or “treatment” quite challenging.
Those who suffer from depression may find they have problems with their sleep – too much or not enough, concentration issues, changes in their appetite and energy levels, and altered behaviour. Around three million Australians suffer from anxiety and depression in a single year, and around half will have a mental health condition at some point in their life.
How can Botox help with Depression?
There are many treatment options available for people with depression, such as therapy and medication. However, there is growing evidence to suggest that Botox, which is derived from a bacterial toxin, may also prove useful.
Research has been carried out at the University of California San Diego that shows that those who have Botox injections for cosmetic reasons can experience a reduction in depression.
Study author and professor of pharmacy, Ruben Abagyan, Ph.D., said that for some years, clinicians have found that Botox for cosmetic purposes seems to ease depression.
He, along with other clinicians, believes that easing severe frown lines in the forehead area was able to disrupt a feedback loop responsible for negative emotions. However, Dr. Abagyan says it could be far more complex than that. He believed that it didn’t matter where the Botox was injected, for they were seeing similar results across several injection areas.
What the Studies Show
Dr. Abagyan and his Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences team reviewed the data of the United States Food and Drug Administration Adverse Effect Reporting System. This data outlined the responses of 40,000 people who had received Botox.
Their focus group included people who had received a Botox injection for a variety of reasons, and in various injection sites, such as the bladder, neck, and forehead. Depression was reported less often in 40 to 88 percent of Botox users in six of eight conditions and injection sites.
Co-author Tigran Makunts said the finding was exciting as it meant Botox could be yet another treatment option for fighting depression and low moods. Given the vast body of data, the research also held a lot more merit. While more trials needed to be carried out, this initial study was published in the Scientific Reports Journal.
Botox is a valid treatment option for a variety of muscle-related conditions. However, it may show potential in mental health, too. All Botox injections must be carried out by a registered and licensed medical professional. If you believe you could benefit from such treatment, seek advice from a medical professional.