How A Straighter Smile Can Help Treat Your Chronic Depression

If you've been diagnosed with chronic depression, you've probably been prescribed numerous drugs and different types of therapy over the years. However, your doctors have probably never prescribed a set of braces to treat your disorder. It may sound unorthodox, but having a straighter smile can be an immensely helpful tool when it comes to alleviating depression.

Having a Positive Self-Image Is Key

There's no single cause for depressive disorders — they arise from a slew of neurological and psychological issues. However, having low self-esteem and a negative self-image will definitely add to your feelings of depression.

It's hard to be confident if you're self-conscious about a crooked smile. Getting a set of braces is an easy, non-invasive way to improve your looks and eliminate one of the underlying causes of your disorder. If you're worried about how your smile will look while your braces are on, you can get clear braces to make them much less noticeable. In either case, your braces will only be on temporarily, but your smile will be improved for the rest of your life. 

Smiling Your Way into Happiness

If you're unhappy with the way your teeth look, you probably subconsciously suppress your smiles. That creates two problems that can add to your depression. For one, smiling at appropriate times during conversations positively engages the people around you. If you're holding back your smiles, the interactions you have with people will tend to be somewhat muted and restrained. That can make your disorder worse over time because one of the best ways to deal with depression is having positive relationships that allow you to get out of your negative headspace.

Secondly, studies have shown that smiling more actually tricks your brain into being happier and more positive. Even if you don't feel like smiling, the physical act of doing so can make your mind feel good. Once your smile is straightened out by a set of braces, you can walk around smiling with confidence, and your brain will respond positively.

Use Every Tool at Your Disposal

Obviously, getting a straighter smile isn't going to cure your depressive disorder overnight. There sadly isn't any surefire cure for depression. However, it's one of many tools you can use to fight your disorder and live a happier life. Combine your brightened smile with a confident new wardrobe to improve your self-image. Your higher self-esteem along with conventional drug and therapy treatments will make your disorder much less debilitating. 

For more information, contact a company like Brian Smith Orthodontics.

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