Marie Claire Australia — June 2017

marieclaire.com.au 161

DRUG-FREE

MOOD BOOSTERS

OMEGA-3

Some studies report that

Omega-3 (found in oily fish)

improves mental wellbeing.

AROMATHERAPY

Balances and relaxes the nervous

system, easing tension and anxiety

and lowering blood pressure.

EXERCISE

Releases endorphins and

increases serotonin, regulating

mood, libido, appetite and sleep.

ST JOHN’S WORT

A herbal remedy that prevents

nerve cells in the brain from

reabsorbing serotonin.

YOGA

Paired with deep breathing, yoga

may alleviate mild depression by

reducing stress and anxiety.

HERE’S THE DEAL

The aforementioned study was inspired

by “facial feedback hypothesis”: our

facial expressions send signals to our

brain and influence our emotions. In

theory, if you can’t frown or show sad

expressions, you won’t feel as depressed.

Although researchers still don’t

know exactly how Botox functions as a

mood lifter, it doesn’t appear to work

along the same pathways as antide-

pressants. “We know people who have

failed every antidepressant [and]

respond very well to Botox,” says Dr

Eric Finzi, study co-author and assis-

tant professor of psychiatry at George

Washington University in the US.

Botox does not treat depression by

improving looks, he notes. “I have

patients who are 25 years old [with no

wrinkles] and I treat them with Botox

and their depression goes away.”

When administered correctly,

Botox is believed to be safe. Sydney

dermatologist Dr Naomi McCullum

says bruising is the most common

side effect. Longer-term repercussions

include brow asymmetry and ptosis

(drooping of the eyelids). Dr McCullum

also uses Botox to treat jaw-clenching

and sweating, while other doctors have

utilised it to combat migraines, spasms

and even urinary incontinence.

THE DOWNSIDE

Professor Mitchell isn’t convinced that

Botox is a cure-all, as there was poten-

tial for bias in Dr Finzi’s study.

Depressed participants were injected

with either Botox or saline. Six weeks

later participants were assessed, but

because three-quarters of the psychia-

trists could visibly tell who had been

injected with Botox, the results could

have been skewed.

“I’d be circumspect about putting

too much effort into saying this

[Botox] is something clinicians should

be using,” he says.

Botox is also a lot more expensive

than antidepressants. While the drug

can cost as little as $10 per month,

Botox is around $500 for 29 units, last-

ing three to four months.

After Botox, some of Dr Finzi’s

patients have been able to lower their

dosage of medication or stop taking

some meds under the care of a psychia-

trist. Botox may also help other disor-

ders, such as anxiety. “We think there’s

a good likelihood that we will have

significant improvement in some of our

patients,” says Dr Finzi. Stay tuned.

START A

CONVERSATION

Know someone affected by

depression? Join R U OK?’s

mission to inspire one million

conversations ahead of its

awareness day on September

14. Find out more at
    ruok.org.au.

One in

5

women in

Australia will

experience

depression^

WELLNESS