Do you ever feel that people have lost their minds or their grip on reality just a bit? There might be a scientific explanation for some of that, a trend of poor mental health habits that hopefully can be corrected through diligent lifestyle changes. The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress released an e-book titled “Depression, Dopamine & Drug-Free Interventions: How Chiropractic Care Supports Mental Health” to begin to pinpoint major changes in the collective psyche of many people across the globe, especially those who are heavily tech-reliant. Depression is a mental health condition that is becoming more and more prevalent. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 5% of adults globally suffer from depression, which equates to roughly 280 million people. This is a number that seems to be only increasing over time, particularly in the last few decades, and it was brought to focus especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety rates are also increasing at a similar rate.

Depression isn’t just in your head.

The main thing to note is that mental health impacts the function of the entire body and isn’t simply something that is “in your head,” a made-up issue of the mind. Physical depression symptoms are common and may be present without any emotional symptoms. Some patients who are possibly experiencing depression can exclusively present with only physical symptoms, which, in fact, can result in misdiagnosis as a somatic illness. Depression can negatively affect pain tolerance, fatigue, aching muscles, sleep and gut issues. Often, these physical consequences can have long-term effects and increase the risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Regarding chiropractors’ interactions with patients, it isn’t uncommon whatsoever to see symptoms of back, joint and limb pain in patients who also report depression diagnoses.

Depression and destructive behaviors

People dealing with depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges often turn to several destructive, unhealthy and addictive coping mechanisms that might seem to dull some of the pain of these conditions in the immediate moment. Some of these concerning behaviors include recreational or prescription drug abuse, alcohol consumption, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, shopping (i.e., retail therapy), disordered eating and tech addiction. The brain chemical dopamine is typically the most at play in this cycle, as it is connected to not only pain but also addictive behaviors and feelings of motivation. Our society now floods us with many unnatural dopamine stimulators that affect biochemistry. In the realm of Chiropractic, three interferences to health are recognized and labeled as the 3T’s: Thoughts, Trauma and Toxins. Technology functions as something of a toxin that also impacts thought processes and behavior.

With the proliferation of smartphones, this newer toxin that we carry in our back pockets and stay glued to day and night is changing the way our brains function, and not for the better. Social media, in particular, has been designed to heap dopamine on users. In a CBS News interview, there is a report on how former Facebook executive Tim Kendall told Congress that the company intentionally made its product as addictive as cigarettes. So social media sites like Facebook, X and TikTok are not just passively but actively feeding into addictive behaviors to increase interaction and profit. And as hard as it is for fully-grown adults to use social media in moderation, how much more formative of an effect is social media having on the kids and teens being raised on it? No wonder parents constantly complain about teen meltdowns over a confiscated phone.

These platforms are triggering the same neural networks of the brain that whir to life in casinos, online gaming and drug use to keep people coming back as if drawn by an invisible lasso. And the effect of individualized algorithms that learn better every day how to sell to us and addict us to things we like compounds the problem exponentially. Dopamine in the human body is not intended to run at a continuous high, but rather a moderated pace for proper mental health. The exploited human psychology has led to a continuous need for a dopamine fix and leaves us wanting more.

And just like with a drug habit, more stimulation becomes required to achieve a dopamine release, so the brain craves more time spent wanting to recreate it. Then, when not playing games, watching TV or TikTok videos, withdrawal symptoms can set in, including depression, inability to focus, mood swings and nausea.

How Chiropractic Can Help

Chiropractic care is becoming a supplemental healthcare option for those seeking relief from depression symptoms in a drug-free manner. That isn’t to say that a patient could not receive antidepressant prescriptions from a medical doctor as well, but for those seeking additional relief or who do not wish to take medication, chiropractic care can provide some measure of aid to depression symptoms and the physical issues that it presents. If used in tandem with other mental health strategies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and/or talk therapy, mental health flare-ups can be dealt with more swiftly and effectively by chiropractic patients in some cases.

Doctor of Chiropractic (DCs) are best equipped to provide a whole health approach to caring for patients reporting mental health challenges, evaluating the entirety of a patient’s health needs, rather than merely seeking to band-aid symptoms. At initial patient intake, a patient is assessed for mental health and physical health symptoms. A DC seeks to determine their patient’s state of mind and make sure they are safe, in addition to figuring out physical symptom solutions. There has been some promising research conducted in recent years that indicates that Chiropractic and spinal manipulation therapy that stimulates the vagus nerve shows promise as a treatment method for depression. Multiple scientific studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments can promote higher levels of hormones like oxytocin, which can help modulate pain and create feelings of connectedness. Improved joint function can also lessen other physical symptoms, such as headaches, balance problems, dizziness or muscle pain. Lastly, DCs can encourage, advise and remind patients to live a healthier lifestyle that will naturally support a more balanced mind, such as limiting social media use, maintaining a normalized sleep schedule, stress relief techniques, regular exercise and proper nutrition.