If you're struggling with depression right now, you should know that your friends really do have your back. According to a new study, being around positive people when going through this tough time could lead to recovery.
The Huffington Post reports that a recent British study show how people with low mood to clinical depression could rely to their friends to keep them in a happy state. Published in the Proceedings of the Royal Academy, researchers have concluded that spending time with a depressed person actually helps him/her recover.
"There is a lot of evidence that people influence each others' mood," said study's lead author Dr. Thomas House, an applied mathematician at Manchester in an email to Huffington Post. "We tried to quantify that in the context of depression in adolescents."
For the study, researchers from University of Manchester and University of Warwick used an infectious disease model and tracked how moods spread among high school students in the US. Scientists then observed the effects of healthy friendships and the ability to develop a healthier mood for those who are depressed.
As reflected on the model, being around friends who were in a positive mood reduced a teen's probability of being depressed by 50%. Further, depressed teens who spent time with their happy friends increased their chances to recover by 50% within the next 6 to 12 months.
"Having sufficient friends with healthy mood essentially doubled depressed people's chances of recovery," House wrote.
Acquiring depression from someone who is depressed, however, is just a myth. Researchers added that being in a good mood may be contagious, but sadness isn't.
According to the study, major factors that develop depressive symptoms include social isolation and loneliness. "More work needs to be done but it may [be] that we could significantly reduce the burden of depression through cheap, low-risk social interventions," House added.
As surveyed, over 10 percent among students ages 12-17 have experienced major depressive episodes. For House, creating programs like "youth clubs or education in schools to encourage healthy, safe friendships amongst adolescents" should be a widely established.
