Traumatic brain injury multiplies the risk of major depression eightfold. While the emotional trauma of whatever caused such deep damage may be understandable, from a blast in a war zone to a blow on the playing field, there’s a physiological component, too, that neuroscientists have long suspected but have been unable to identify.

“As clinicians, a lot of us had a gut feeling that [TBI-associated depression] is a different disease,” said Shan Siddiqi, a Harvard Medical School assistant professor of psychiatry and a clinical neuropsychiatrist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “Why did nobody detect it before? I think the reason is because unlike other psychiatric disorders, TBI caused a sort of structural reorganization of the brain.”

https://www.statnews.com/2023/07/06/depression-after-traumatic-brain-injury/

1. Social media makes it possible for us socialise far and wide. Reach out to friends online, call your parents, and learn how to practice mindfulness or meditation.

2. Head to the backyard for a dose of nature, or if you're in an apartment with no nature to gaze at, be sure to get to a green space for your exercise.

3. To help improve your sleep, try sticking to a routine and avoid screen time for at least an hour before bed. And lay off the alcohol – it reduces the quality of your sleep.

4. Just 10 minutes of exercise may improve our attention for the following two to four hours, so if you're struggling to focus, get that blood pumping.

5. Give your isolation brain a boost by laying off the high-sugar or high-fat treats. Have healthy snacks on hand instead, like fruit, vegetables and nuts.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2020-05-08/neuroscience-of-isolation-coronavirus-pandemic/12200144