February 18th is Usu (雨水), one of the 24 solar terms, when the snow accumulated throughout the winter melts and becomes rain or water. Although the beginning of spring (立春) has passed, and we await the spring when all things come back to life, the bare tree branches and limited sunlight still evoke a sense of melancholy. The incidence of depression has more than doubled worldwide due to the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, and in particular, Korea ranked first among OECD countries in 2020.
According to the 2023 National Health Insurance Service data, the number of people treated for depression in 2022 exceeded 1 million. Of these, there were 670,000 women, more than double the 320,000 men. This is because weather and emotions affect female hormone secretion more than men. By age, those in their 20s accounted for the largest number (18.6%) at 180,000, showing the social and economic stress experienced by those in their early years.
The clinical definition of depression is a state of sadness and despair that is difficult to overcome and disrupts the normal functioning of an individual’s social and personal activities. Depression is the most common cause of suicide, as evidenced by the suicide rate among the elderly in Korea, which ranks first among OECD countries, and the recent increase in the suicide rate among youth.
The cause of depression is unclear, but it is generally believed that social and biological factors work together. Among the various neurotransmitters in the human body, serotonin, secreted in the brain, is involved in emotions, sleep, memory, and appetite control. When deficient, it can act as a direct cause of depression, resulting in loss of self-worth, helplessness, lack of confidence, decreased appetite, and suicidal impulses. Therefore, preventing serotonin deficiency helps prevent depression.
The principle of antidepressant drugs is to increase the secretion of serotonin in the brain, and consuming sweet foods or chocolate also increases the secretion of serotonin. Cocoa, the raw material for chocolate, contains a substance that inhibits the decomposition of anandamide, a neurotransmitter. Anandamide is a substance secreted in the brains of humans and animals, and it stimulates mood, cognition, sleep, and appetite, making you feel good. Anandamide is slowly broken down when you eat chocolate, so the pleasant effect lasts for a long time.
A research team at University College London in the UK experimentally found that the group that ate chocolate was 70% less likely to show symptoms of depression than the group that did not. This shows that chocolate can reduce the secretion of cortisol, a hormone secreted when stressed, and help the secretion of serotonin, reducing depression.
Valentine's Day on February 14th naturally comes to mind. Initially, this day is the feast day of Saint Valentine, a priest who was arrested and martyred while secretly performing a wedding ceremony when the Roman Emperor Claudius prohibited young people from marrying to strengthen their military power. St. Valentine's Day, a holiday for lovers in 14th century England, was transformed into a day for women in Korea to give chocolate as a gift to men.
[White Day in Korea follows Valentine's Day and is celebrated on 14 March. On this day, it is the man's turn to return the gift and give his beloved a present].
In the future, the writer wants us to use Valentine's Day to reflect on whether anyone around us is depressed or struggling alone. Our small interest and consideration could be the help that someone desperately needs.
