Time to get offline. Well, read this first and post it on Facebook. And then go out.
A new study says nothing works quite as well—not social media, not phoning, not emailing—to avoid depression than face-to-face contact. The report published in the American Geriatrics Society says that people who gather with others regularly are 50 percent less likely to report signs of depression.
Staying in touch via whatever means is still a good idea, researchers said. However, “the message is that (emailing or calling) are no substitute for face-to face contact, which acts as a sort of vitamin for depression prevention," said lead author Dr. Alan Teo of the Oregon Health & Science University.
Among the 11,000 retirement-aged adults surveyed, the researchers found that participants who met with friends or family three times a week or more tended to have the lowest risk of depression.
Researchers say it’s one of the first studies to seriously look at how the type of communication can serve as a safeguard against depression.
