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Psychiatrists Discovered Doing This Just Once a Month Cuts Your Risk of Depression in Half

Jessica Stillman

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Whatever your goals for 2025, science shows being happier will make you dramatically more likely to reach them. Being depressed, quite obviously, won’t. Which means no matter what you hope to accomplish, doing a few small things to cut your risk of depression will help.

What should those things be?

Psychology (and super-achievers) often offer the same worthy, well-known suggestions — things like exercise, spending time in nature, or more social connection.

These are all great ideas. But if you’re looking for a fun, lesser-known mood booster to add to your 2025 to-do list, I point you to a recent Cambridge University study. It found going out on the town to enjoy some culture just once a month cuts your risk of depression in half.

The surprise link between cultural outings and depression

The study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry examined data on 2,000 British adults over the age of 50 over a 10-year period. After analyzing information on their health and lifestyle, a clear pattern emerged. When people got out to enjoy a movie, show, or museum regularly, their chance of suffering from depression decreased dramatically.

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