How to overcome stress and depression at home. How to effectively deal with stress and depression

Is depression a disease or a condition of the body? Let's try to figure this out together. Medicine characterizes depression with the following symptoms:

  • depressed, depressed mood, loss of interest in loved ones, everyday activities, work;
  • insomnia, waking up early in the morning or, on the contrary, sleeping too long;
  • irritability and anxiety, fatigue and loss of strength;
  • lack of appetite and weight loss or sometimes, on the contrary, overeating and weight gain;
  • inability to concentrate and make decisions;
  • decreased sex drive;
  • feelings of worthlessness and guilt, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness;
  • frequent bouts of sobbing;
  • thoughts of suicide.

    On the other hand, depression can be seen as a response to stress. We encounter stress almost constantly when solving certain problems. For example, a bad grade on an exam or failure to pass a test causes stress (strong negative emotions) to a greater or lesser extent. We may experience stress when standing in a long line, due to difficulties at work or problems in the family, when there is no mutual love, when we want to do a lot but don’t have time for it, when there are unrealized opportunities, watching crime stories on TV every day and many other reasons, the list of which can be continued almost indefinitely. And after stress, a response (protective) reaction of the body necessarily occurs - a state of depression. In response to every, even the smallest (insignificant) stress, the body responds with adequate depression. But a little stress is even beneficial for the body. They constantly train it, putting it into a state of activation or training (according to the terminology of the Canadian scientist Hans Selye). The greater the stress, the stronger (deeper) and longer the depression. Depression of moderate severity lasts up to two weeks. In severe cases (during severe stress, such as the death of loved ones), depression can last for several months or even several years. That is why the obligatory commemoration of the deceased after 3, 9 and especially 40 days (“farewell to the soul”) helps to first reduce stress and then get out of the depressed state of family members, relatives and friends. During stress, the body mobilizes and uses its energy as much as possible and directs it to protect the body. After stress, the body is in a state of “low battery,” exhaustion, i.e., depression, after which a gradual accumulation of energy begins (“recharging” the body) until the moment of complete restoration of strength and energy. The process (duration) of depression or inhibition of the body in time (duration) is approximately three times longer than the time of exposure to a stressful situation (the process of excitation of the body) and this must be taken into account when eliminating the consequences of any stress, large or small.

    The graph shows the processes (two curves) of excitation and inhibition of the body under different stressful situations. The 1st graph reflects the body’s reaction to small (small amplitude and duration) stress that we encounter every day. Curve 2 reflects the body's response to severe stress. In the negative phase, the body is most energetically weakened and against this background various diseases can develop, especially during periods of prolonged depression. According to statistics, up to 70% of those who go to the clinic for somatic diseases have one form or another of depression.

    And so, “bombarding” the body with small stresses and protecting it with small and short-term depressions is a normal state of the body, accustomed to constant protection from the environment. Severe stress takes a lot of energy from the body and causes deep (on the graph the depth of depression is marked by the segment BC) and prolonged depression (severe lethargy of the body with a significant decrease in activity). The body gradually accumulates energy, trying to return to the state of dynamic equilibrium that it had before stress, i.e. self-healing. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the most difficult and dangerous time for the occurrence of other diseases for the body during depression does not come immediately after the end of the stress (point A, for curve 2), but after some time, from the end of the stress (point B ). During this period of time, you need to especially monitor your health. We can clearly conclude that the cause of all depression (depressive state) is stress. Depression is a nonspecific reaction of the body to stress. Minor depression, with mild stress, is a normal state of the body, which the body, as a rule, copes with on its own. Severe, deep depression is already a disease and you can’t do it without the help of a doctor.

    As a rule, in melancholic people, stress reactions are most often associated with constitutional arousal, such as anxiety or fear, phobia or neurotic anxiety. Cholerics have a typical stress reaction - anger. That is why they more often suffer from hypertension, stomach ulcers, and ulcerative colitis. In phlegmatic people, under the influence of stress, the activity of the thyroid gland decreases, metabolism slows down and blood sugar may increase, which leads to a pre-diabetic state. In stressful situations, they “press” on food, as a result of which they can become obese. Sanguine people with their strong nervous system tolerate stress most easily.

    Ideally, the body should not react to any stress at all or with a minimal reaction, but practically this does not happen in life and to achieve this, persistent and long-term training of the body is necessary. People who do not have a culture of health, especially young people, try to solve problems associated with stress and depression with the help of drugs (the fastest, easiest and most accessible way to overcome stress or get out of depression, but also the most harmful to health). Subsequently, they develop an addiction (constant craving) to drugs such as tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and so on, from which it is no longer possible to free themselves without outside help. And these problems are gradually moving from personal ones to state ones (the state’s fight against the drug mafia, treatment of drug addicts, etc.). Traditional medicine solves these problems with its own methods that are no less effective, but absolutely safe for health. And in order to minimize the effects of stress on the body, she developed certain recommendations and advice.

    TIPS OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE FOR STRESS
    You can relieve or reduce stress and its consequences using various techniques and methods:

  • Learn to remain calm and cool in a stressful situation.
  • Breathe slowly and deeply and imagine that you are breathing your stress out.
  • Try to relax.
  • Gently massage the earlobe and antitragus between the thumb and forefinger on both ears. Before massaging, apply a little peppermint oil or Vietnamese Star Balm to the tips of your massaging fingers. Traditional medicine is well aware that the antitragus and earlobe are reflexively connected to the head and brain.
  • Self-massage your entire body with a small amount of warm vegetable oil from the top of your head to your toes. For sanguine and choleric people, you should use sunflower oil, for melancholic people - sesame oil, for phlegmatic people - corn or mustard oil.
  • After the massage, take a hot shower or bath.
  • It is good for a believer to read a prayer during and after a stressful situation.

    Analyze the causes of stress. If you can currently change the situation that led to stress, then do it without delay. If nothing can be done, come to terms with it, take it for granted and find peace.

    Watch your thoughts. Try to replace your negative thoughts with positive ones.

    Exercises with health-improving Chinese (Tibetan) balls help achieve balance and strengthen the entire body. During a stressful situation or immediately after it, you need to roll two (three) balls in your hands. Instead of Chinese balls, you can use ripe chestnut fruits.

    At night, rub a little Karavaev "Auron" balm into the scalp and Karavaev "Somaton" balm into the soles of your feet - this will relax and soothe.

    Soothing bath.
    To relax and calm down, take a hot bath with 1/3 cup each of ginger and baking soda.
    Take baths with rosemary extract (especially for people with low blood pressure). After the bath, lie down and rest for 30 minutes.

    Phytotherapy.
    Drink tea from chamomile, angelica and comfrey (in equal quantities).

    Place 20-30 drops of rosemary preparation on your tongue.

    Pour 5 g of thyme into 500 ml of boiling water, leave tightly closed for 40 minutes. The indicated portion is taken 3-4 times a day. The infusion can be consumed no more than 2-3 times a week.

    Leave two teaspoons of Astragalus fluffy-flowered herb in 200 ml of boiling water for an hour and drink 1-2 tablespoons 3-5 times a day 30-40 minutes before meals.

    Pour 1 tablespoon of crushed valerian officinalis roots into a thermos with 200 ml of boiling water and leave overnight. In case of increased excitability, drink the infusion in 3 doses of 70 ml.

    A tablespoon of crushed mixture: flowers of hawthorn, motherwort, cucumber, chamomile, in parts - 3:3:3:1, brew 200 ml of boiling water, leave for 8 hours, strain. Take 100 ml 3 times a day an hour after meals.

    A tablespoon of crushed mixture: hawthorn fruits, St. John's wort, yarrow, hawthorn flowers, valerian root, in parts - 3: 3: 3: 2: 2, brew 200 ml of boiling water, leave for 5-6 hours, strain. Take 50 ml 4 times a day 30-40 minutes before meals.

    Juice therapy.
    Beetroot juice mixed in half with honey, take 100 ml 3-4 times a day for 10 days or long-term - 200 ml per day for 3-4 weeks.

    If you are experiencing deep sadness or grief, allow yourself to cry.

    Immediately after stress, take a cold shower (more suitable for sanguine and choleric people) or rinse your face with cold water (for melancholic and phlegmatic people).

    A good way to relieve stress is laughter. Start laughing, even if you have to make an effort at first. Watch a funny comedy movie.

    An effective way to relieve stress throughout the animal kingdom is to have sex.

    Traditional medicine advice.
    Eat herring with plenty of mineral water (suitable especially for melancholic people).

    Massage the whole body with a brush (with a needle roller, you can lie on the Kuznetsov applicator), then rub the body with alcohol and pine extract (you can use Karavaev’s Somaton balm for rubbing).

    Relieving severe stress before exams or sports competitions.
    A little stress before and during exams is definitely beneficial. It activates the body and mobilizes the body’s reserve capabilities to solve the task at hand. And it’s not for nothing that people advise scolding a student before taking and during exams. You can activate the body by vigorously rubbing the ears with hot palms (rub one palm against the other) until redness appears (so that the ears “burn”). But sometimes before exams or sports competitions the body becomes too excited (overexcited). Students are very worried, their blood pressure and pulse rise, they forget material that they knew well before, etc. Athletes before an important competition develop strong “jitters,” fine tremors in the arms or legs, and strong excitement. You can relieve such stress (overexcitement, distress) with a 5-minute massage of biologically active soothing points (II 4, heh-gu) located on the hands, in the space between the thumb and index finger, closer to the middle of the II metacarpal bone.
    Holding the point between the index and thumb of the massaging hand, apply light rhythmic pressure (using the thumb). Press on the point until a slight sensation of fullness, aching, heaviness or slight pain appears. Perform a massage first on one hand and then on the other hand.

    TIPS OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE FOR DEPRESSION
    Now let's talk in more detail about depression. For each type of temperament, depression occurs differently and the ways to overcome it are also different. Depression in melancholic people is characterized by fear, anxiety, nervousness and insomnia. In untreated cases, the following remedies help:

    Take basil and salvia tea. Brew? teaspoon of basil and? teaspoon of sage in a cup of hot water and drink twice a day.

    Place warm sesame oil in your nose (3-5 drops in each nostril). Do this on an empty stomach in the morning and evening.

    Rub warm sesame oil onto the top of your head and soles of your feet.

    Take regular baths with sea salt. Water temperature 38 degrees C, bath duration - 15 minutes.

    Regularly visit the Russian (“wet”) bathhouse, especially in the fourth phase, including the new moon, of the lunar month.

    Wear glasses (such as sunglasses) with a yellow filter.

    Spend more time socializing.

    Depression in phlegmatic people causes a state of “mental heaviness” and can be associated with oversleeping, weight gain, and lethargy. The following recommendations are useful:

    3-4 day fasting on fresh apple juice.

    Get active in physical exercise.

    Regularly visit the Finnish ("dry") sauna, especially in the first quarter of the lunar month.

    Take ginger tea. Brew 0.5-1 teaspoon of ginger powder in a cup of hot water and drink twice a day.

    Wear glasses (such as sunglasses) with a pink or red filter.

    Depression in choleric people is usually associated with anger, fear of failure and loss of control, with the fear of making a mistake. At the same time, thoughts of suicide are not uncommon (this is already a serious disorder, where you should consult a doctor). Choleric people often become highly dependent on success and, in case of failure, easily become upset and experience depression, which does not last long or is not too deep. People with a choleric temperament are most susceptible to seasonal affective disorder, which usually occurs during the winter and is a fairly mild form of depression.

    For all types of depression, try to use the following remedies:

    Before going to bed, rub coconut or sunflower oil into your scalp and soles of your feet. It is good to rub Karavaev's "Auron" balm into the scalp.

    Prayers are good for believers. For the rest - various types of meditation, for example this:

    It is my right to have what I need for life and my own development. Life is wonderful. She brings me everything I need. Every day I feel better and better in every way.

    Every morning, repeat this formula in a low voice, in a monotonous tone of prayer with your eyes closed, twenty times in a row, counting mechanically on a string (rosary) with twenty knots. Say this formula with confidence, with a firm conviction that you will achieve what you want.

    Wear glasses (such as sunglasses) with a green filter.

    Traditional medicine tips
    Phytotherapy:

    Fresh and dried Schisandra chinensis berries and seeds. At home, the tincture or decoction is prepared at a ratio of 1:10. I take a tablespoon of the decoction 2 times a day, and 20-40 drops of the tincture. The effect of the drugs occurs within 30-40 minutes and lasts 5-6 hours. It is best to take them in the morning, on an empty stomach, and in the evening, 4 hours after meals. Taking them is contraindicated in cases of nervous agitation, insomnia, cardiac dysfunction and very high blood pressure.

    Infuse three tablespoons of chopped oat straw in 400 ml of boiling water - the daily dose.

    Pour 200 ml of boiling water over a tablespoon of aster chamomile flowers, cool and strain. Take a tablespoon 3-4 times a day.

    Infuse a tablespoon of the raw materials of rhizomes and roots of angelica in 200 ml of boiling water. Drink 100 ml 3-4 times a day.

    Pour two teaspoons of crushed gentian pulmonary herb into 200 ml of water and boil for 10 minutes. Drink 100 ml 3 times a day 30-40 minutes before meals.

    Infuse 5 g of crushed roots and leaves of spring primrose in a thermos (500 ml) for 2-3 hours. Take a tablespoon 2-3 times a day.

    Pour 200 ml of boiling water over a tablespoon of peppermint leaves and cook for 10 minutes. Drink 100 ml morning and evening.

    Pour 10 g of St. John's wort herb into 200 ml of boiling water, leave, strain. Drink warm, in the evening or before bed. Suitable for phlegmatic and melancholic people. Contraindicated for pregnant women, hypertension and constipation.

    Pour 200 ml of boiling water over a tablespoon of the mixture (leaves of the tamarind, peppermint leaves, valerian root - in equal parts) and leave. Drink 200-400 ml of infusion in the evening.

    From ancient recipes. Wipe yourself in the morning with water with the addition of table salt (a teaspoon of salt per 500 ml of water).

    Well, you can learn how to effectively maintain your health from the book “Health Science”.

    Literature:
    Vasant Lad. Ayurvedic home remedies. M.: Sattva, 2000, 320 p.
    Mikhailovsky A.V. Encyclopedia of Traditional Medicine. In 2 volumes. Mn.: PolyBig, 1997, 608 p.

  • Emotional overload has long become an integral part of our lives. After all, many daily problems require attention and immediate solutions. And, in the end, the nervous system simply cannot stand it. People are used to calling such psychological discomfort stress or depression. But the majority, making these “diagnoses” for themselves, actually do not distinguish between these conditions at all. So what is the difference between stress and depression?

    Defining stress is quite simple. Unlike depression, stress usually goes away along with the cause of its occurrence. For example, if stress was caused by work, then you can get rid of it during vacation. But if the stress does not go away even in a new environment, then it means that we are talking about anxiety, which can soon develop into depression. In a state of depression, a person not only feels a loss of strength and decreased activity, but also loses a sense of joy, interest in life and even hope. Everything around becomes fresh and colorless. Previously, this condition was called melancholy, today it is depression.

    Stress and depression vary greatly in symptoms and treatment, but are almost always related. For example, everything can begin with the most harmless nuances - with resentment. However, usually people plunge into a stressful situation after a traumatic event (death of a loved one, accident, job loss, conflicts, etc.). Minor stresses also become harmless over time. They accumulate gradually, so for some people depression may appear in apparent complete well-being. Often stress, and then depression, grows out of family relationships. And it all starts with little things that almost no one notices. For example, constant attempts to make your significant other better, which causes outbursts of anger, resentment and disappointment, and then overexertion.

    During depression, it seems to a person that this feeling will remain forever; he sees his future only in gloomy colors. The state of depression can last for several weeks or several months. And with prolonged depression, this condition can last for years. Many people believe that sharing a problem with friends or acquaintances can easily get rid of psychological stress. However, this is a misconception. Stress can only become stronger over time, causing a feeling of physical heaviness that is very difficult to get rid of. As a rule, everyone has their own effective method of liberation, which is not suitable for everyone.

    There is no need to be discouraged, because life without depression is quite possible. The source of this problem is a lack of serotonin, the pleasure hormone. Of course, it can be added to the body with the help of medications, but they do not last long. Therefore, the best assistant in such a fight is sport. As studies by English, German and Israeli scientists have shown, exercise also produces serotonin, and, moreover, it works better and much longer than any medications. Regular moderate exercise can not only increase serotonin levels, but also reduce the production of the stress hormone.

    It should be remembered that depression is not a sign of weakness, but a serious problem that needs professional help. Depression can lead to loss of family, job, obesity, or even alcoholism and drug addiction. Therefore, if you suspect depression, you should urgently consult a psychiatrist or psychotherapist.

    When talking about depression, we often touch on the topic of stress. When it comes to stress, people often think of depression. These states go hand in hand, replacing each other or provoking one another. How to overcome stress or stress will be discussed in this article, where we will mainly talk about conditions inherent in healthy people.

    From time to time, every person falls into a depressed or stressful state. It does not refer to psychological disorders, pathologies or disorders. Every healthy person has appropriate emotional reactions that manifest themselves in response to a particular event.

    It is noteworthy that stress can provoke depression, just as depression can cause stress. It should be understood that these conditions are normal and healthy if they last for a short time.

    • Losing something valuable can naturally cause depression. It is quite normal to grieve over your loss if this grief lasts no more than 2 weeks.
    • Physical activity, emotional swings, and lack of sleep can provoke a stressful state. This state is quite normal if a person calms down immediately as soon as the situation changes (problems go away, proper rest appears, emotional difficulties cease to arise, etc.).

    These conditions become abnormal and dangerous if their duration exceeds more than 2 weeks and the mood does not normalize when stressful situations pass.

    What are depression and stress?

    It is necessary to distinguish between depression and stress, since we are talking about two different conditions. What depression and stress are will help you separate these concepts and clearly monitor them:

    • Stress is a surge of emotions that arise as a reaction to some event. This is usually an emotional response that lasts only as long as the person is exposed to the stressful stimulus.
    • Depression is a condition that can result from an outburst of negative emotions. The situation that triggered the depression has long passed. A person is immersed in the past with emotions and memories, which provokes a corresponding internal state in him.

    Stress is an emotion, tension. And depression is a state, a mood. The difference is quite noticeable.

    Mindfulness allows many people to note that stress and depression occur in people at different times in life, for different reasons. While one person may be deeply affected by being fired from a job, another individual may view the event as insignificant. Here we should highlight the category of people who are most prone to depression or stress:

    1. Dreamy. Today, trends are becoming fashionable when a person is forced to dream about a bright future. Having a positive outlook on your own life helps you maintain a positive attitude. On the other hand, dreams are shattered by an unpleasant reality, which shows that a person has nothing bright in the coming future. When a person dreams of something that he will never achieve or that he does not put effort into, then he can become depressed.
    2. Unprepared to face difficulties. This is to some extent combined with daydreaming. When a person takes actions towards his goal, he rarely thinks that his decisions and actions may be wrong. Difficulties often indicate that a person is taking wrong actions that will not help him achieve what he wants. If an individual is not ready to admit his mistakes and change his actions, then he plunges into a stressful state.
    3. Expectations. Sometimes a person does not act, but simply waits. It is not he, but other people, fate, life that should bring him joy, happiness, and prosperity. As a result, a person is faced with the fact that he has nothing. Resentment towards the world around us provokes stress, and dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs provokes depression.

    Stress and depression - symptoms

    If we talk about two different conditions that arise or provoke each other, then we should note their differences in the symptoms in which they manifest themselves. Depression can be easily differentiated from stress by their inherent symptoms.

    Depression - its symptoms:

    • Depressed, depressed mood.
    • Loss of interest in work, yourself, people, life in general.
    • Sleep disorders that manifest themselves in early awakening or prolonged sleep.
    • Anxiety.
    • Increased fatigue.
    • Lack of appetite and, as a result, weight loss.
    • Loss of strength.
    • Irritability.
    • Overeating.
    • Loss of attentiveness and ability to make decisions.
    • Attacks of sobbing.
    • Feelings of worthlessness and guilt.
    • Helplessness.
    • Hopelessness.
    • Decreased libido.
    • Thoughts about suicide.

    Depression is often a consequence of the stress that a person faces almost every day. The need to solve problems always causes stress. Depression occurs after stress if it lasts for a long time. Stressful sensations are quite normal when they arise at the time of a specific situation and help to mobilize one’s strength.

    Stress can be characterized by the following symptoms:

    • Mobilization of forces.
    • Protecting the body itself.
    • Increased activity, readiness for action.
    • Energy accumulation.
    • Excitement and tension.

    If we talk about the transition of stress into depression, then it should be noted that this phenomenon occurs when a person does not solve his problem and does not use the strength and energy that has accumulated in him. If a person is passive at a time of stress, then his problem is not solved, which makes it constantly excite him. The duration of a stressful state provokes depression.

    If absolutely all people are subject to stress, then only certain categories are susceptible to depression as a result of stress - people who do not act, do not decide, and are passive. Their characteristic character traits are:

    1. Helplessness.
    2. Lack of initiative.
    3. Irresponsibility (the desire to shift it onto someone else's shoulders).
    4. Indecisiveness.
    5. Fearfulness.

    In a depressed state, these sensations become aggravated, which often causes psychosomatic illnesses, the treatment of which requires a medicinal approach.

    How to overcome depression and stress?

    So that a person can avoid negative conditions, he is offered various techniques that help overcome depression and stress. They can be used both to eliminate both conditions, and in specific cases. First, let's learn how to eliminate stress that occurs in all people:

    • You should remain cool and calm. Remember that your reactions to situations are completely natural. You should not give in to emotions; it is better to turn your energies to solving the problem.
    • Keep your breathing calm. Calmness in the body helps to maintain calmness in the mind. Breathe deeply, freely and slowly, concentrating a little on your own movements.
    • Help yourself calm down. Various stroking and massage movements will help here. So, you can rub your earlobe, give yourself a light massage of your hand, shoulder blade, neck or other area of ​​the body. Touch should be pleasant.
    • Use a hot shower to relax.
    • The situation needs to be resolved or accepted. If it is possible to eliminate the problem, then you should direct your efforts to this. If the situation is unsolvable, then it is necessary to accept it and come to terms with its existence. Why worry about something that has already happened and cannot be changed?
    • Watch your own thoughts. You should check yourself every time negative or pessimistic thoughts arise. They definitely won't help you relax.
    • Change your attitude towards the situation. This method helps you look at the situation from the other side, help yourself get rid of negative emotions, see options for solving the problem, etc.

    Music therapy is often used to relieve depression. This method is also suitable for dealing with stress. Listen to your favorite music that puts you in a positive, “fighting” or relaxing mood. There should be no pessimism, sadness or sadness in it. You need a positive attitude.

    Try to communicate with positive people, watch good shows and movies, and read encouraging literature. You are already in a stressed or depressed state. To fix this, you need “artillery” that works in a positive direction and affects you positively.

    Treatment of depression and stress

    If we talk about specialized medical treatment of depression and stress, then it should be understood that only a doctor can prescribe medications and dosage of drugs. It is not recommended to use medications on your own, especially if they are potent drugs.

    If treatment is required by a healthy person who has been temporarily overcome by emotions of stress or depression, then various recommendations will help:

    • Let the experiences pass through yourself. You should not run away from emotions or ignore them. It’s better to allow yourself to worry and grieve for a few days to get through the raging emotions. Then you can begin to leave them in the past.
    • Take vitamins C, E, B and macronutrients, especially magnesium and calcium.
    • Take sedative medications: Persen, Novo-Passit, tinctures of valerian and motherwort, Nervoflux, Passiflora extract.
    • Take medications if you experience apathy, melancholy, lethargy: Imipramine, Paroxetine, Clomipramine, Fluoxetine.
    • Treat subpsychotic symptoms with Desipramine and Pyrazidol.
    • Eliminate anxiety, unaccountable restlessness, and gloomy irritability with Ludiomil and Azafen.
    • Eliminate suicidal thoughts with Amitriptyline.

    It is better if a doctor takes care of the administration and dosage of medications. He will take into account all the symptoms of the conditions and prescribe the necessary medications. On your own, it is better to resort to:

    1. Yoga.
    2. Meditations.
    3. Soothing baths with sea salt, ginger, soda, rosemary extract.
    4. Herbal medicine, when medicinal herbs are used as decoctions: angelica, chamomile, comfrey, thyme, valerian roots, hawthorn flowers, motherwort, St. John's wort, cudweed, millennium.

    Bottom line

    Stress is a natural state of the body when a person is engaged in solving some tasks or problems. Depression is already becoming the first bell that indicates a deviation from the norm. A person is not yet considered sick if he has depression, but in the absence of treatment measures the situation may worsen. The result can be unpleasant - the development of clinical depression, which is treated with medication and therapy together with a psychiatrist.

    Stress is a normal reaction of the human body to unpleasant situations occurring around us. It is quite natural to experience negative emotions. You should not be afraid of them or run away. However, it is not recommended to allow your stressful state to last for a long time and turn into depression. This already speaks of negligence towards oneself.

    Every person should take care of their mental state. No success is worth turning into a sick person in the process of achieving it. It will be impossible to enjoy the benefits of humanity if the ability to enjoy life and experience interest in anything is lost.

    Emotional overload has become an integral feature of our lives: every day so many problems require our attention and immediate solutions that the nervous system simply cannot stand it. We are accustomed to explain the psychological discomfort that we experience under the yoke of overload as stress or depression.

    Experts are worried that when we make such “diagnoses” for ourselves, we do not distinguish between these conditions at all. In fact, stress and depression may be interrelated, but they have very different symptoms and, most importantly, require different treatment approaches.

    What is stress?

    Stress is characterized by increased nervousness, short temper and irritability, which is often accompanied by unmotivated anxiety and difficulty concentrating. All this seriously reduces efficiency and significantly degrades quality.

    life in general, therefore, a person who finds himself in a stressful situation needs mild sedatives that can restore him to lost peace of mind and at the same time allow him to lead his usual active lifestyle. It is precisely this mechanism of action that distinguishes the natural herbal preparation “Persen”. It contains extracts of peppermint, lemon balm and valerian - medicinal plants that have long proven themselves as an effective remedy in the fight against stress. Depression is also a very common disorder of the nervous system; moreover, sometimes it develops as a result of chronic stress, but it manifests itself with completely different symptoms.

    What is depression?

    Depression is characterized by loss of energy, disturbances in appetite, associated sudden fluctuations in weight and specific sleep disturbances: a person suffering from depression usually wakes up in the early morning and cannot then fall back to sleep. To overcome chronic fatigue, depression and emotional exhaustion that are characteristic of depression, it is better to use natural remedies that can improve the functional state of the nervous system.

    Among medicinal herbs, St. John's wort, which is part of the drug "Deprim", has this mechanism of action.

    And we also need to remember that very often our nervous breakdowns are not to blame for any specific events, but for our attitude towards them. Therefore, experts say, it is very important to learn to separate the important from the secondary in life and not to be nervous about those circumstances that cannot be changed.

    Depression and stress always go hand in hand. Many people doubt the definition of these concepts and do not know whether it is a condition or a disease? And what are the main differences between stress and depression? In order not to get confused, you need to understand these terms.

    Stress, depression symptoms

    Depression is characterized by the following symptoms: depressed, depressed mood; loss of interest in daily activities and work; waking up early in the morning or sleeping too long; insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, irritability, loss of strength; weight loss, lack of appetite or, on the contrary, overeating; loss of concentration and inability to make decisions; decreased libido; feelings of guilt and worthlessness; bouts of sobbing, feelings of helplessness, hopelessness; thoughts of suicide.

    Depression often occurs after stress and is seen as a response to a stressful situation. Stress awaits us everywhere, and when solving a problem, we almost always encounter it.

    Stress is negative strong emotions that grip a person. To make it clear, let's look at the following examples. Negative emotions grip a person during a crush in line; work-related difficulties; when you do not realize your potential; after parting with a loved one; watching crime stories on TV; after a series of failures and disappointments. After a stressful situation, a person is overcome by a response that acts as a kind of protection for the body. This is what it is. The human body responds to every minor stressful situation with adequate depression. Small stressful situations are often useful for activating and training the body. The longer the stress, the deeper the depression. The time frame for the average severity of depression reaches two weeks.

    Severe stressful cases (death of loved ones, etc.) can lead to a depressive state for up to several months or even years. During a period of stress, the body is completely mobilized and directs all its energy to its defense. A stressful situation depletes the body and leaves it in a state of low battery, namely depression. Next, energy accumulates until complete restoration of strength.

    The duration of depression is three times longer than the process of arousal itself (the time of exposure to a stressful situation). This must be taken into account when eliminating the consequences of any stress. During a period of depression, a person’s activity decreases, the body is energetically weakened, and a variety of somatic diseases can develop. When the first symptoms of the disease are detected, drug treatment is prescribed, which is carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

    Statistics show that 70% of people visiting the clinic have diseases caused by depression. Severe stressful situations take a lot of energy from a person, thereby causing deep and prolonged depression. It is clear that the cause of any depression is a stressful situation, and the depressive reaction manifests itself in the form of a nonspecific reaction of the body to stress. Minor depression affects a person after mild stress. This is a normal state for the body and the body copes with such phenomena on its own. In case of severe depression, you need to consult a doctor, since you will not be able to cope on your own.

    All people experience stress differently, and this depends on the type of nervous system. Melancholic people often perceive stressful situations with excitement, anxiety and fear. Cholerics show anger. Phlegmatic people withdraw into themselves and internally experience a stressful situation. Sanguine people tolerate stress most easily because they are endowed with a strong nervous system. Ideally, the human body should not react to a stressful situation, but this does not happen. To achieve this, you need long-term, persistent training of the whole body. Due to illiteracy, people solve their problems by taking drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, and going to church.

    How to overcome stress and depression

    Traditional medicine offers its own effective methods for solving problems. By listening to the following tips and advice, you can reduce the impact of stress. To reduce stress, it is very important to remain calm and cool. Try to breathe deeply and slowly, imagining that you are breathing out the stress from yourself. It is very important to relax by imagining pleasant life moments. Massaging your earlobe with massage oils whose aroma is pleasant to you can help with this.

    How else to overcome stress and depression? Self-massage of the whole body will also allow you to relax as quickly as possible and be transported to a world of pleasant sensations. A hot shower and a bath are very helpful in the fight against stress and depression. It is important to analyze the causes of stress and if you have the power to change the situation, then do not hesitate to change it. If nothing can be changed, then try to reconcile yourself and take everything that happens for granted. Control your thoughts and replace your negative thoughts with positive ones. It's difficult, but real. There are no hopeless situations, but there is an incorrect attitude towards stress and, as a result, an incorrect decision.

    How to properly and quickly overcome stress and depression? Music therapy can help with this. Initially listen to music that resonates with your mood. Perhaps this is sad music, then they switch to neutral, soothing music and finally switch to cheerful, positive music. For music therapy, three songs are enough to level your mood to your normal level.

    If a bad mood haunts you and this is not due to endogenous reasons, it is important to learn to manage your mood. It has already been noted that the morning mood directly depends on the evening mood. Therefore, it is important to read literature before going to bed and watch only positive programs. By falling asleep on a positive note, you will wake up in a good mood and will be able to maintain a good mood for the rest of the day, provided that you avoid unpleasant people and negative events during the day.

    Treatment of stress and depression

    If an irreparable tragedy in life has happened, then you need to let your grief pass through yourself, accept it, and not abstract yourself from your experiences, since they will still overtake you. If difficulties arise in coping with your condition on your own, the following sedative medications for depression and stress will help you: Novo-Passit, Persen, Nervoflux, Motherwort and Valerian tinctures, Passiflora extract. It is mandatory to take vitamins B, C, E and macroelements Calcium and Magnesium.

    Drugs for depression and stress used for such manifestations as apathy, melancholy, lethargy are Imipramine, Clomipramine, Paroxetine, Fluoxetine. Subpsychotic signs of the disease are relieved with Pyrazidol and Desipramine. Gloomy irritability, unaccountable restlessness, anxiety are eliminated by Azafen and Ludiomil, and suicidal thoughts are relieved by Amitriptyline.

    However, it is not recommended to prescribe medications on your own, since the treatment regimen is prescribed by a doctor who directly monitors the process and makes adjustments. On your own, you can resort to yoga and meditation. It doesn’t matter at all that you do not have sufficient knowledge in this area. It is better to do it poorly than to do nothing at all to overcome stress and depression.

    Treatment for stress and depression includes taking soothing baths containing ginger, sea salt, baking soda, and rosemary extract.

    Herbal medicine, which consists of taking drinks from the herbs angelica, chamomile, comfrey, thyme, valerian roots, hawthorn flowers, motherwort, cucumber, St. John's wort, yarrow, will ease and relieve stress and depression.

    Hello! The fact is that my husband is an unbalanced person. He constantly yells...at me, at the children. We have two. There is a 2.5 year old daughter and a 5.5 year old son. Screams in almost any situation. He screams if we left the house at the wrong time, if we’re driving somewhere, he screams while driving... with obscenities... he screams for any reason... if someone hasn’t turned on the turn signals or is driving in the middle or something else. Sometimes he looks out the window and calls out people who, in his opinion, parked poorly (for example, why the hell are you standing up like that, you goat piiiiiiiiiiiiiii... I wish they could break off your legs... People like that should be taken and shot). This is all said in front of the children. Once we were traveling on business and in three hours he yelled at me 5 times. Either I was somewhere for a long time, then there was a traffic jam and we would be late, although there was still an hour of time. I had to take the document to my mother. I went to take it and a minute later he was already calling and yelling where I was and why for a long time and my daughter was crying in the car. Instead of calming her down and enticing her, he shouted at me. He probably shouted at her too. He yells at children if they run, shout, or play. Screams if they are scared. For example, there was a situation. We were leaving the house and my son stood in the corridor near the door and did not leave. He tells him to move away and come out, but his son stands there. And at this moment they start drilling very, very loudly in the entrance. He got scared out of surprise and stood there scared. And at that moment my husband started shouting at him to move away from the door, so that he would come out. A similar situation happened to me. We were walking down the street and suddenly a dog barked loudly behind the fence and I got scared and shuddered. And my husband started shouting at me something like, “Why are you scaring me like that?” It's the same with children. The children spilled water, fell, he yelled at them - why aren’t you looking at your feet…. For example, a child is crying, and he is yelling. He never felt sorry for anyone. The child was running, fell, hit himself, he yelled - why the hell are you running like that?
    When my son was about 3.5 years old, he had night tantrums. He woke up and just screamed. I couldn’t calm him down, he calmed down on his own after about 20 minutes. And while he was screaming, my husband was yelling at him - stop yelling, why the hell, you’ll wake up the neighbors, called him sick, a moron, and said that he needed to go to a psychiatric hospital.
    I must say that my husband really wanted a son and tried to persuade me when our relationship was a couple of months old.
    My condition now is expressed by deep periodic apathy or depression. There are no feelings for my husband, probably only irritation when he is irritated, and apathy. I don’t want to be intimate with him, because of this there will be quarrels, because he wants to. Previously, I constantly talked to him about how I felt, what his attitude would lead to, explained, asked him to control himself, for the sake of the children and for himself (because he wants the children to bring him a glass of water in his old age, but with such an attitude no one will will bring nothing). Now I gave up and realized that nothing would change him. Previously, he apologized and said that he knew what he was shouting, but now he apparently got used to it and is not going to change.
    I don't know what to do. How to change your life. My daughter will go to kindergarten only in a year, so that I can find a job. I’m almost constantly tense, I’m afraid to say a word or do something, because I can hear him screaming that I’m doing something wrong. I painted a picture by numbers, he told me which layer to apply the paint and insisted. My explanations that I can handle such a trivial matter myself do not reach him. He doesn't care what I feel, he doesn't care about my desires. Recently my father died and at that time he demanded intimacy from me and was also surprised why I refused. I feel like meat, he only touches me when he needs sex and then only in two places. He will never just hug and kiss you. He may ask for intimacy when the children in the next room are watching cartoons, supposedly they won’t come, and again he freaks out because I refuse. I told him that I don’t want it every day, but he still freaks out.
    I have already forgotten what it means to live normally, without negativity, with a smile. I understand that I have to change my life, but I don’t know how, I don’t know where to get the strength. If, while living with him, I still try to smile, then his psychos will ruin everything again. Despite the fact that I am insecure and he contributes to this even more. He tramples me as a person and tramples my children. But the children are happy with him, this is important to me, it is important that the children have a father. If I get divorced, it is unlikely that the children will have a stepfather. Somehow life turns out that no one needs me. There has never been a person who loved me, who needed me. I don't think my husband knows how to love. He only needs me for intimacy, to cook, wash and raise the children. That is, so that there is benefit from me. He once said a toast - oh, I’ll have to endure you for the rest of my life. And he said “I love” only during sex and only when I was active, and this was not so many times in 6 years. Basically I’m a log because I don’t want to, but I do it because he freaks out and terrorizes my brain and takes it out on the children. Sometimes I think about cheating in order to feel something good, but I think I won’t be able to live with him, I’ll probably give myself away. I really miss warmth, warm and kind feelings towards myself, perhaps some compliments. But even if I leave him, where will I get them? Nobody is interested in me.
    Among my friends, there is one girl who is really interested in me, understands me, supports me, asks how I’m doing, but unfortunately she is on the other side of the country. Correspondence certainly helps, but it’s not enough. I have a friend in the city, but she doesn’t understand me. I don't tell my family.
    I don’t know how to find self-confidence with him (while he breaks this confidence) or without him (especially before my husband, I never had super confidence. There were failures that broke me, but they passed and left a mark, and my husband traces only increases). I would like to have someone nearby who would help, but there is no such thing. But I’m unlikely to cope on my own.
    I want to get rid of apathy, somehow protect myself from its negativity and live with a smile for the sake of my children. But now I don’t even want to take care of the children, I’m more often on the phone, either playing games, or watching a movie, or reading something. Apparently this is how my brain relaxes, moving away from the environment. How to start living?

    • Sorry for writing you this, but it’s better to leave such a husband - a tyrant. If he oppresses you and doesn’t let you live in peace, leave. This is not love. You have two children. So take them and leave. A person, if he wants, will change.
      You are needed! Why did you decide that no one needs you!? Yes, there are many men who want to live with a woman if she has children from her first marriage!
      Find a job, go to a beauty salon) You will feel better. Just don't give up)
      I sincerely wish you happiness))

      Dear Elena, what you said is very scary! First of all, you cripple your children with your spinelessness and humility! He does this because you allow him to!!! If you do not find the strength to leave him, the fates of your children will repeat yours! The son will be a tyrant, and the daughter will be a victim in her family! Understand, no one else will help them except their mother, and the mother is afraid of some asshole man who keeps the whole family in fear and solves his ego!? Come to your senses and think about your children, since you don’t care about yourself! Shake it up! You are not a snail! You are a woman who will never disappear, just try to become an example and protection for children! You will love it yourself and you will wonder why you didn’t do it before! I wish you strength! Don’t damage your children’s psyche, they won’t thank you later!

    Hello. I am 16 years old. I am writing here because I decided to try to change something. The advice in this article seems obvious. I really hope that someone can advise something specifically in my situation. For six months now (maybe more) I have been under the influence of apathy. True, before that I thought it was depression (and I also attributed to myself schizophrenia, sociopathy (I don’t know if it can be characterized as a disease) and many other “terrible” mental disorders, until I came across the term “apathy”). I can't say what led me to this apathy. I have never had any tragedies in my life. These six months I have experienced practically no emotions (and this is very reflected on my face). There are outbursts of anger, much less often - tears caused by emotions. But this happens very rarely and for very strange reasons, for example, recently I cried because I was born here 16 years ago, and not in America in the 60s (I wanted to be in the 80s). At the same time, the disco music of the 80s put pressure on me. Before that, I cried while listening to Tsoi, but for reasons unknown to me. Perhaps at that moment I really wanted him to be alive. It’s interesting that I haven’t seen tears in appropriate situations for a very long time. Quite recently, I broke up forever in just a minute with a very close person (friend), with whom I had experienced a lot over 9 years, and I didn’t feel anything. There was a time when I left the only boyfriend in my life and I also didn’t feel anything. Basically, I used it to understand what it was like to date. And, as expected, I was not satisfied. And so I smoothly moved on to how my worldview has changed. I don’t want to describe it here, I’ll just say that I now think very globally, that is, I completely reject human values ​​and equate people with all other living organisms, whose only goal should be reproduction. This worldview creates some discomfort for me, despite the fact that it also changes over time - recently I see hypocrisy in almost every person’s smile, not to mention in these relationships. In addition, a special hatred of people has accompanied me for a very long time (up to 2 years). All of the above is accompanied by incredible laziness in me. Laziness manifests itself always and everywhere. I don't care about my future at all. I've really started to like apathy lately (that's why I'm coming here), I've started to see something beautiful in it and enjoy it. Now I feel like an immortal, sophisticated, inhuman being, detached from people (perhaps this simply replaces everything I described). Perhaps what really... makes me feel human is heavy music, as well as a real passion for it. Recently I discovered a fetish for organ music. There is another “mitigating symptom” of my apathy. These are rare, but very colorful surges of... inspiration, or something. I just want to do everything at once, I’m inspired, filled with happiness and the desire to live. and this lasts at most 5 seconds. As soon as I realize that that same surge of happiness has arrived, I begin to cling to it, but it subsides in a second, and I, as if devastated, am again as usual. these tides are not controlled in any way and are not connected with anything. I can't add anything more. I talked to my parents, they don’t understand. I would like to ask you, perhaps, to give advice that will help me get out of apathy myself, without the participation of strangers. Thank you in advance.

    • The more you immerse yourself in heavy music that depresses your already oppressed mental space, the more difficult it will be for you to find a reason for joy! There is one piece of advice: don’t look for something to cheer yourself up, try to please someone else, someone close to you! Just a person on the street... learn to give, and not expect that happiness will be with you, or that apathy does not go away... It’s just that you are still growing, there will be many more different situations in life that require strength, perseverance, and courage from you! But kindness and mercy can reveal a different side to you! Don’t go into the “darkness”, it gives rise to aggression and personality suppression, find the “light” in yourself and give it to people, just like that, don’t expect gratitude!) I wish you good luck and find yourself!!!

    In short, because I don’t have the strength to write it down, I’ve been on the verge of a nervous breakdown for two weeks now.
    A serious check is coming to me on Thursday. And I prepare and roar, roar and prepare. Because I’m sure that I work worse than anyone else in the area. Because I’m sure I’ll embarrass myself during the inspection. I really think so. And even the monstrous mistakes of my colleague, who, by the way, hangs on the honor board, did not reassure me. We were together at the preliminary check of documents - yes, I had comments, but she had them more seriously, I was surprised to the core. But I am sure that everything is at a different level for her - after all, she has been on the honor roll for a long time and is generally an extremely respected person - and I, who accidentally fell into the system and miraculously stayed in my place for almost 4 years.
    I am very surprised when people consult me ​​(not from subordinates, but from colleagues, for example). I’m sure that I can’t say anything worthwhile; I’m surprised when my opinion is taken seriously. I seem like a schoolboy to myself, I try once again not to open my mouth (in order to pass for smart). I have no idea how I manage a team of 58 people, I’ve been amazed at this for four years now.
    I am sure that the audit will reveal everything that I am trying to hide about my understanding of reality, everyone will understand that I am really stupid, they will disgrace me and relieve me of my position. This will probably be a relief to me.
    I have constant, unaccountable fear, everyone notices that I have become very nervous and irritable. I don't sleep well, I'm constantly worried. I've been taking Persen for more than a week, it usually saves me, but not this time. It's really time for me to see a psychiatrist.

    Hello, my name is Alina. I am 14 years old. Lately I don't understand what's happening to me. I am usually very active and my day is always very busy. School, tutor, two dances, homework. And I've been very tired lately. The holidays started and I thought I would rest. But for about a week now I’ve been walking around as if lifeless. I try to behave as before, but when I’m left alone, I literally drown in my thoughts and my soul feels like a stone. I am haunted by drowsiness and very sad all the time. It’s especially disturbing that I don’t want to do anything and I don’t know why I should live at all, for what, I’m trying to look for meaning, although I understand that it’s not necessary. And I am very afraid of this condition. Please tell me what to do.

    • Hello, Alina. It is necessary to talk with your parents about your condition; they will definitely provide you with support, help you make the right decision in reducing your school load, increasing the time for night rest or introducing daytime sleep, and enriching your diet with vitamins.
      Your emotionally uneven, unstable background is explained by the period of puberty, which is characterized by mood swings, the search for the meaning of life, a feeling of sadness and weakness.

    Hello, what should you do if you are trying to forget the past, but I can’t??? What should I do? This prevents me from living, in general, I live with a man who betrayed me more than once, and constantly ran to his ex, besides, we are not married, this Santa Barbara began from the first month, as soon as we started living together.
    When I remember everything inside is burning like that, he ran to her and didn’t let me go, told her that he loved her more than anything in the world, that he was disgusted with hugging and kissing me, that he wouldn’t let her go anywhere else (literally), and then he ran to me , then she started sending me their correspondence, and he refused, but still confessed later after I told him that I knew, and he stood on his knees, cried, begged not to leave, and I believed like a fool, but every time this was repeated time after time, then I realized that, in principle, I was interested in playing this “game”, I wanted to prove that I was better, that I would snap my finger and he would come running.
    What's the end result? I proved it, but I realized that I was living and torturing myself, and I couldn’t leave because I was already used to him, but also with the thought that when I was pregnant, he wrote to her - “I want you,” and at that time I I was on hold, I almost had a miscarriage due to nerves, after leaving the hospital I went into his phone and saw this correspondence with her, I was hysterical all day and all night, the next day I had a miscarriage, and for some reason I felt so empty inside, for everything I didn’t care, I didn’t want to see or hear anyone, in general I didn’t care about everything.
    A year has already passed, and I understand that I want to go somewhere far, far away, where this shit is not there, to rest, relax, but I can’t leave my family (sister, mother, nieces)
    I don’t really understand why I’m doing all this, because before that I had a man who beat me constantly for no reason, broke my rib, cut my leg, hit my head, broke my psyche, etc.
    I understand that a little more and I’ll go crazy, but I don’t know where to turn, in fact, I’m a normal, adequate person, a good housewife, a neat girl, but when I remember everything that happened, I don’t believe in the future, I can’t trust anyone, I know that Everyone without exception can deceive, and everything inside just turns upside down, like a madwoman I re-read old correspondence with these nasty messages, sometimes I try to let it go and live easier, but it absolutely doesn’t work.
    WHAT TO DO???? TELL ME? I’M VERY TIRED, REALLY 🙁

    I broke up with my husband, we lived together for 18 years, I love him very much, he motivates the separation with a midlife crisis, he wants to radically change his life and unfortunately me too... I’m crushed, I don’t want anything without him, I’m crying, loss of appetite, apathy, weakness . I take afobazole and valemidine, so far there is no result. Please advise how to get back to life...

    • Hello, Irina. We sincerely sympathize with you, but slowly try to return to life. You are the most important person in your life, so start treating yourself well: cherishing, loving, feeding and clothing deliciously, pampering. Talk to yourself encouragingly and use self-orders to achieve your goals for the current day.
      We recommend that you read:

    Hello. I have been in a state of apathy and depression for a long time; a number of failures in life, disappointments, and the inability to solve some problems have led to the feeling that I am sliding lower and lower. My life has become indifferent to me, I feel empty. Several months ago I lost my job, and even active searches have been unsuccessful. With great difficulty I force myself to get up and do something. It seems that everything I do is of no use to anyone, and that I am in a complete vacuum. Although, this is not true... My mother and sister help me now, but I feel ashamed and bad that I practically live at their expense. Although they love me and don’t blame me for anything, I still feel like a pig.
    I had to decide and overcome a lot - they bullied me at school, my husband also turned out to be a tyrant at home, he broke me mentally... As a result, he left us and got married at the moment when a most complex operation was planned for our son. I fluttered around for some time, worked, raised, tried to move forward with creative projects. Enough for several years. And now I feel like I’ve run out of strength, a feeling that all my endeavors have failed, and that no one needs my abilities. And there’s also the pressure that I’m already many years old (42), and nothing else awaits me.

      • Thank you for your attention and support!!!

        There are times when the day goes by in three, or even more.
        Something in my soul turned upside down, I worked very intensively, I again let the memories pass through me, and realized that they are now like a literary work for me. I remembered this method - in childhood, when things were difficult, or just for the sake of playing, I began to think of myself as “she,” imagining myself as just a girl from a book. 🙂 And I started to put it into some small stories. This helped me detach myself from my emotions.

        And I tried to mentally reduce the current situation to the point of absurdity, and in the end it became funny to me. 🙂

        Thanks for the opportunity to speak! This is so important when there is absolutely no one to openly tell about what is pressing from within. After all, not always and not everything can be shared even with family and friends.

        Now you can try to dream. Build a new image.
        Thought is truly material, which is why a person so easily drives himself into a real hole... Which means he can also get out of it. 🙂

    The phone rings, I pick up, and there is a woman’s voice screaming hysterically, then I find out that this girl is my boyfriend, with whom I have been living for 6 years. And she has been dating him for 4 years. Disappointment, how to move on, I don’t know how to trust people?? How to forget this nightmare?

    • Just calm down and rely on reason, not emotions. Break up, otherwise the bitterness will remain forever. I advise you to read what love addiction is!