Depression is a state of low mood in a person, in which there is constant sadness, melancholy, apathy, fear, a feeling of loss, irritability and loss of interest in daily activities. The disease is twice as common in women and is usually episodic.

Unlike ordinary sadness or upset, most bouts of depression last for weeks, months, or even years. Some people with depression have a chronic, mild form of the disease called dysthymia. A smaller number of patients suffer from manic-depressive psychosis, in which bouts of depression alternate with periods of elation.

Depending on the component that predominates in the disease, there are several variants of depressive disorders: anxious, melancholy and apathetic. Also, depression can be disguised as various diseases, accompanied by pain in the abdomen, behind the sternum and other parts of the body. In this case, the patient constantly visits doctors, looks for a wide variety of painful manifestations, and demands treatment.

Causes of depression

The causes of depression are not fully understood. The occurrence of depression becomes more likely if a person has been affected by a number of factors, which include unfavorable heredity, side effects of certain medications, congenital features(for example, introversion - a person’s focus on himself) and emotionally traumatic events, especially the loss of loved ones.

The causes of depression are varied:

Depression may also appear or worsen without any obvious reason. This type of depression is called endogenous. These differences, however, are not very important since the symptoms and treatments for these types of depression are similar.

Men and women

Women are twice as likely to suffer from depression as men, although the reasons for this are not entirely clear. Psychological research shows that women often react to a traumatic situation by withdrawing and blaming themselves.

On the contrary, men tend to deny the traumatic situation and become distracted by some activity.

Hormonal changes

Of the biological factors, in most cases hormones play the main role. Changes in hormones that contribute to mood changes before menstruation (premenstrual syndrome) and after childbirth sometimes play a role in depression in women (such as postpartum depression).

Similar hormonal changes may occur in women as a result of using oral (taken by mouth) contraceptives (birth control).

Dysfunction thyroid gland, which is quite common in women, is also a common cause of depression.

Traumatic event

Depression that develops after a traumatic event, such as the death of a loved one, is called reactive depression. Some people experience temporary depression as a reaction to certain holidays or significant anniversaries, such as the death of a loved one.

Side effects of drugs

Various medications, especially those used to treat high blood pressure, can cause depression. For unknown reasons, corticosteroids (hormones) often cause depression when they are produced in the brain as a result of a disease (such as Cushing's syndrome). large quantities. However, these hormones improve mood when prescribed as medicine.

Diseases

Depression also occurs with some medical illnesses. Such diseases can cause depression both directly (for example, when a thyroid disease is accompanied by changes in the level of hormones that contribute to depression) and indirectly (for example, when the pain and functional impairment that occurs with rheumatoid arthritis lead to depression).

Often depression, which is a consequence of physical illness, has both direct and indirect causes. For example, AIDS can cause depression directly if the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) damages the brain; At the same time, AIDS can also indirectly contribute to the appearance of depression when a person realizes the severity of his condition, changes in relationships with others and an unfavorable prognosis for the course of the disease.

A number of mental disorders predispose to depression, including:

• neuroses;
• alcoholism;
• many forms of substance abuse;
• schizophrenia;
• early phase of dementia.

Depression can be a symptom of the following diseases:

Symptoms of depression

Depression is a common mental disorder in our time, which is based on a syndrome classically characterized by a triad of symptoms:

Psychological symptoms of depression

• constant bad mood or feeling of sadness;
• feeling hopeless and helpless;
• low self-esteem;
• tearfulness;
• constant feeling guilt;
• difficulty in making decisions;
• lack of pleasure from life;
• feeling of anxiety and excitement.

Besides:

Physical symptoms of depression

• slowing of movements and speech;
• changes in appetite or weight;
• constipation;
• unexplained pain;
• lack of interest in sex;
• changes in the menstrual cycle;
• sleep disorders.

Social symptoms of depression

• decreased performance;
• rare participation in public life;
• desire to avoid communication with friends;
• neglect of hobbies and interests;
• difficulties in everyday life and family life.

Types and forms of depression

In Russian psychiatry, the following main types of depression are distinguished.

Neurotic depression

Neurotic depression is characteristic of a separate category of people characterized by indecisiveness when making decisions in certain moments, uncompromisingness, combined with uncertainty, straightforwardness.

The disorder begins with the emergence of ideas about unfair treatment of one’s personality, its underestimation by others, management, loved ones, with a decrease in mood, an increase in tearfulness.

It is characterized by the following symptoms:

• General weakness
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Broken state
• Constipation
• Morning headaches
• An alarming awakening
• Low blood pressure
• Lack of sexual desire.

Psychogenic depression

Psychogenic disorder is typical for people who find themselves in conditions of loss of vital values. This could be divorce, death, dismissal from work, etc.). The patient's condition is characterized by mood swings and excessive sensitivity.

The disease develops quickly over a short period of time. During this period, there is a clear fixation on the loss, the emergence of anxiety, concern for one’s fate, the lives of loved ones, and an increase in internal tension.

Those who are ill complain of sluggish thoughts, melancholy, negatively assess life prospects, speak out about their own insignificance, and in their memories of the past point only to pessimistic facts.

The only way out of this painful situation is seen only in suicide. Persons with pronounced features of the hysterical type are characterized by increased irritability and a tendency to whims. Attempts to leave life for them are due only to demonstrative behavior.

Postpartum depression

Postpartum depression is common among young women. It develops two weeks after birth. The birth of a baby is a critical period in the life of any woman, so the mother’s body is very vulnerable.

The causes of such depressive disorders are sudden hormonal changes against the background of increased responsibility for the child and the mental characteristics of a young mother (depression before childbirth increases the chance of relapse).

Symptoms:

• emotional instability;
• increased fatigue;
• sleep disorders;
• increased anxiety;
• feeling of rejection of the child.

Somatogenic depression

A somatogenic disorder provokes a physical illness, for example, a brain tumor, an enlarged thyroid gland, fibroids, etc. In such cases, depression is secondary in nature and goes away after recovery from the underlying disease.

Circular depression

Circular depression is characterized by daily, seasonal mood fluctuations. Those who are ill look at the world as if through glass, describing the surrounding reality as uninteresting, “dull.” They are characterized by early awakening and the inability to continue sleeping; thoughts about their worthlessness and hopelessness in life force them to “grind” them for a long time while lying in bed.

How to get out of depression yourself

First of all, you need to understand that feelings of emptiness, uselessness and despair are symptoms of a disease that do not correspond to the real state of affairs.

Even if it is difficult and seems pointless, try:

Treatment of depression

Despite popular belief, even the most severe types depression can be successfully treated. The main thing is to realize that there are problems and turn to specialists.

Treatment of depression includes psychotherapy and prescription medicines– antidepressants. The participation of family and friends, as well as self-help, can help in treating depression.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy can be used as the only method of treating depression (for mild forms of the disease) or in combination with drug treatment. There are 2 main types of psychotherapy used in the treatment of depression:

• cognitive-behavioural;
• interpersonal psychotherapy.

Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy was developed specifically for the treatment of depression and is effective at almost any age and for any form of depressive disorder.

The main goal of cognitive behavioral psychotherapy is to restore distorted ideas about oneself, the world around us, and the future. During treatment, you will be shown new ways of thinking and perceiving reality. Changing your behavior and habits will also help you get rid of depression. The duration of such therapy is 6-12 months.

Interpersonal (interpersonal) psychotherapy focuses on existing problems, errors of perception, difficulties in the interaction of a person with depression and the people around him. This type of psychotherapy is highly effective in treating depression, especially in adolescents and young adults.

Antidepressants

In the treatment of various types of depression, antidepressant medications are used, which restore the optimal balance biologically active substances And normal work brain, helping to cope with depression. The success of drug treatment for depression largely depends on the patient himself.

It was noted that almost any antidepressant has a good effect and helps eliminate depression, and treatment failures are mainly due to the patient’s reluctance to comply with the drug regimen recommended by the doctor, breaks in treatment, refusal to continue taking pills until the end of the full course of treatment, etc. d.

If you do not feel a positive effect within 4-6 weeks after starting the medicine, or if you have side effects, contact your doctor. Perhaps the doctor will change the medicine.

If, while taking the medication, you notice an improvement in your health and the disappearance of symptoms of depression, you should not stop taking the medication yourself. Contact your doctor and work out a plan for your next steps together.

When treating the first episode of depression, the antidepressant is continued for at least 4 months; for repeated episodes of depression, treatment can last more than a year.

Questions and answers on the topic "Depression"

Question:Hello. I am 37 years old. I have two small children. Please tell me how to deal with my problem. I have been sick for 8 months now. After changing jobs, something happened to my head. The doctor diagnosed a severe depressive episode. I constantly think about the same thing, that I will be left without work, because I cannot work at all. The mood is always bad, you don’t want to do anything, nothing makes you happy. Constant voltage thoughts about the same thing never go away in my body, I can’t relax and live peacefully and raise children. I still regret all the time that I changed jobs and didn’t go back when I had the opportunity. Can you please tell me if I am given disability for this disease or will my ability to work return over time?

Answer: Hello. Disability may be granted if depressive syndrome occurs against the background of some serious illness. You need to regularly visit your doctor, try to follow all his recommendations, take prescribed medications, and over time everything will get better.

Question:Hello. I have hidden depression, I take antidepressants, my physical ailments are gone. What about depression itself, i.e. bad mood, it will inevitably come? Thank you.

Answer: Antidepressants have a complex effect. However, even while taking such medications, try to improve your mood on your own. Walking will help fresh air, chatting with friends, playing your favorite sport in your free time.

Question:My mother is 50 years old. The menopause has begun. And she felt that she did not want to live. I often began to have severe headaches, goosebumps, pain in the face, a burning sensation both in the head and throughout the body, insomnia, feeling hot and cold, dizziness, fear, fear, being alone at home. Then thoughts about death appeared, that life was lived, nothing interested. When you feel better, you try to do something to distract yourself from these thoughts, but to no avail. Please tell me how to treat my mother.

Answer: In this case, you need to consult a gynecologist for a personal consultation - it is possible hormonal correction would reduce psycho-emotional and autonomic symptoms. However, treatment in this case is selected by trial under the supervision of the attending gynecologist.

Question:I'm 21. I'm in a terrible mood. Over the years, very often there have been influxes of bad mood, when I don’t want anything, and I just think about quitting everything, in particular work, I don’t want to leave the house, I especially don’t want and can’t see people. When I didn’t work, I didn’t leave the house for a month, I could sit in front of the TV and not even go to the store. And constantly cry, and also a constant feeling of anxiety that almost never leaves me, and therefore I often think about the meaning of life and do not see it, and more than once I have thought about ending it. I don't know what to do? Am I depressed? If yes, what should I do to treat it? Can I buy antidepressants without a prescription? Can you help with anything?

Answer: In your condition, you need to consult with a psychologist, it is recommended to conduct several courses of psychotherapy, you need to take antidepressants, but you can only buy these drugs with a prescription, so it is imperative to see a doctor. You are still too young, you still have your whole life ahead of you and the main meaning of life for you is to give birth to a child, because this is what a woman was created for. Do not deprive yourself of the opportunity to become a mother and receive the boundless love of your child.

Question:Hello. Do serotonin preparations, for example, serotonin adipate or Fine 100, help with biological depression (when you can’t get up)? Thank you.

Answer: The drug Serotonin adipate is not used for the treatment of depressive conditions, but Fine 100 can be used as a dietary supplement for general condition disorders, low mood, and depression.

Question:Is it possible to treat depression without taking medications?

Answer: Yes it is possible. There is therapy that works well for depression. Various forms of counseling (psychotherapy) are good for treating depression. The depression treatment program is selected individually for each patient. You can work both individually and in groups.

Most often, depression develops against the background of stress or a long-term traumatic situation. Often depressive disorders are hidden under the guise of a bad mood and character traits. In order to prevent serious consequences, it is important to understand how and why it occurs. depression.

Causes of depression

Depressive disorders can appear at any age and in representatives of any social group. This is explained, first of all, by the fact that the values ​​of modern society exert significant pressure on a person. People strive for social well-being professional success, external attractiveness. If this cannot be achieved, a person may fall into despair, have a hard time experiencing failures, and, as a result, depression develops. Severe psychological trauma, such as death, can also lead to depression. loved one, family breakdown, breakup of a relationship with a loved one, serious illness.

IN in rare cases depression occurs without any obvious reason. Scientists suggest that in such situations, features of neurochemical processes play a role, in particular, the exchange of neurotransmitters (norepinephrine, etc.).

Symptoms of depression

The emotional manifestations of depression are very diverse. These include feelings of anxiety, despair, and decreased self-esteem. A person suffering from depression experiences constant fatigue, sadness. He ceases to be interested in what previously brought him joy and becomes indifferent to others.

The behavior of patients also changes. Depression can be suspected if a person loses the ability to take purposeful actions and cannot concentrate. A person who is sociable and cheerful by nature, falling into depression, begins to avoid contact with friends and relatives, “locks himself within four walls.” Often there is an attachment to alcohol and drugs.

Patients with depression also have some peculiarities of thinking. Thoughts about oneself become negative, a person fixates on the negative aspects of his life, considers himself unnecessary, worthless, and a burden to relatives. It is difficult for the patient to make decisions on his own.

Besides the changes emotional sphere, depression is also characterized by physiological (somatic) manifestations. Most often, the sleep-wake pattern is disrupted and occurs. Appetite may disappear completely or, conversely, intensify and lead to overeating. Patients complain of pain in the heart, stomach, and suffer. The body's energy reserves noticeably decrease, and patients quickly become overtired even with minor physical and mental stress. Sexual disorders often occur.

Complications

Unfortunately, drug addiction is very often caused by depressive states. Alcohol and drugs give the patient a false sense of well-being. Depression also underlies a variety of social phobias (fear of losing a loved one, fear of being in a public place), and in severe cases can lead to suicidal thoughts and attempts.

What can you do

First of all, you need to know that depression can and should be fought.

If you notice that one of your loved ones begins to criticize themselves too often, conflicts with family members, work colleagues, experiences inexplicable feeling fear, you should consult a doctor. If the patient is diagnosed depression, he needs to be supported, try to cheer him up, even if he himself is not interested in this. Relatives of the patient should understand that depression is a transient condition for which it is necessary to provide psychological assistance without plunging into illness yourself. Try to convince the patient that it is not his fault that he has developed depression. Together you will cope with this difficult condition.

What your doctor can do

Without treatment, depression can last for months or even years. The basis of treatment is the use of medications and psychotherapy.

Medicines for the treatment of depression (antidepressants) are selected individually for each patient and are taken long-term, for several months. Drug treatment will be successful if the patient strictly adheres to the recommended medication regimen.

The goal of psychotherapy is to help a person learn to regulate their own emotions. This method of treatment involves the active participation of the patient himself, his willingness to talk about his problems. All information received by the doctor during a psychotherapy session remains secret.

Prevention of depression

In order to prevent the development of repression, you need to learn to overcome stressful situations. Healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, correct mode work and rest - that's what will help you fight and maintain peace of mind!

Depression is a mental disorder characterized by loss of the ability to feel joy, decreased mood, and suffering. In recent years, the world has seen a catastrophic number of people experiencing symptoms of this disease. The insidiousness of the disease lies in the fact that the patient does not realize that he is caught in the web of depression, and therefore cannot overcome the depressive state on his own. It allows you to determine the type and characteristics of the disease special technique differential diagnosis, which is successfully used in modern medicine.

Causes of depressive disorder

The exact causes of depression are still unknown. They often appear under the influence of several factors at once. The risk group for depression (ICD code 10) includes people with low self-esteem, pessimists and adolescents. In psychiatry, there are a number of reasons why a person develops anxiety-depressive personality disorder:

• taking drugs, psychostimulants;
• taking antidepressants;
• alcohol abuse;
• childbirth, pregnancy;
• avitaminosis;
• neurological, oncological, endocrine pathologies;
• uncontrolled or long-term use neuroleptics;
• stress;
• hereditary predisposition;
• small amount consumed sunlight;
• side effects of medications;
• lack of dopamine and serotonin in the blood;
• experiences (separation or death of a loved one, loss of money, job, change in social status and other negative factors).

Why is depression dangerous?

If you leave depressive state If you can’t do it yourself, you should definitely contact a specialist, otherwise over time it can lead to disastrous results. Consequences of mental disorder:

1. Problems with loved ones. The person becomes withdrawn and alienated. It’s difficult to be around someone like that all the time, especially if depression occurs in women.
2. Deterioration appearance . A patient who cannot overcome the symptoms of depression becomes indifferent and stops taking care of himself. Motivation disappears, hair loses its shine, splits, nails break, skin turns pale and peels.
3. Decreased quality of life. A person loses energy, activity, and a feeling of uselessness appears. At severe course disease there is a risk of suicide.
4. Cardiovascular diseases. If the help of a specialist does not arrive in time, then, against the background of constant worries, a person will experience physical pain in the area of ​​the heart, head, abdomen. If the depressive state is not relieved in time, chronic heart disease may occur, and the likelihood of seizures and even death is high.
5. Diabetes mellitus. The risk of obesity is increased by 58%. Bad mood, mild anxiety or regular sadness causes a person to “eat up” problems, which contributes to the development of diabetes.
6. Tobacco, narcotic, alcohol addiction . When it is impossible to get rid of a depressive state for a long time, people try to free themselves by taking psychotropic substances. However, their side effects only aggravate the problem, reducing the functional characteristics of the brain.

Classification of the disease - types

There are two types of depressive states: exogenous, when the disorder is provoked by an external stimulus ( stressful situation) and endogenous, when depression is caused by internal experiences, often inexplicable to the patient himself. Until quite recently, it was believed in medicine that the first type does not pose a particular danger to humans, that the condition is transitory.

Endogenous species was considered complex disease leading to serious neurotic pathologies. Now doctors are sure that it is an external stimulus that provokes a severe disorder, and endogenous depression is characterized as a mild depressive episode.

Symptoms and signs

It is rare when a person can lift himself out of a depressed state. Basically, the disease only develops without the intervention of a specialist. Men and women tend to experience the same symptoms of depression. Conventionally, they are divided into 4 groups: mental, behavioral, physiological, emotional.

People feel a sense of sadness low self-esteem, sleep disturbance, loss of appetite, refusal of activity, negative outlook on the future. When a profound degree of depression develops, especially in older people, adolescents or women during pregnancy, characteristic signs of the disorder can be observed:

• lethargy;
• loss of libido;
• autonomic dysfunction;
• deterioration of self-care skills;
• idea of ​​guilt;
• somatic distress;
• suicidal tendencies;
• hallucinatory syndrome;
• difficulty in communication;
• obsessive fears.

Diagnostics

The most important factor in the treatment of depression is its diagnosis. It is very difficult to get out of depression on your own, and a person, entangled in depressive psychosis, does not know what to do. During the interview, the specialist must take into account many factors in order to prescribe adequate treatment. The defining mechanisms of psychological diagnosis are the identification of the characteristics and causes of the disease.

After determining the cause, the doctor refers the patient to biochemical diagnostics, which is based on identifying the levels of norepinephrine and serotonin. This will allow us to determine which mediator is not enough to select the right series of antidepressants. To diagnose depression, there are special questionnaires that are considered psychodiagnostic scientific tools. The most popular methods:

• Beck scale.
• Methods of differential diagnosis using the Zung scale.
• Self-rating depression scale.
• Questionnaire of Depressive States (DSI).
• Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).

Treatment

Based on the results of tests and biochemical diagnostics, the doctor prescribes individual psychotherapy and/or drug treatment. Doctors are confident that latent depressive syndrome (latent depression) of any stage is curable. The most effective therapy is achieved by combining medications, psychotherapy, therapeutic exercises and physiotherapy. Mild depression can be treated at home. If the patient is predisposed to an acute form of mental disorder, he may be admitted to a hospital.

A person's lack of ability to cope with depression on their own requires help in the form of antidepressants. Their essence is to force the human body to produce nerve impulses that are responsible for activity, behavior, and mood. What medications do you need to take for this:

1. Tricyclic structure (Imipramine, Amitriptyline). Block the reuptake of neurotransmitters. Very strong impact and a lot side effects. Prescribed only in outpatient setting in the most severe form of depression.
2. Second generation with tricyclic action (Pyrazidol, Befol), which already affects other receptors. Fewer side effects, have sedative effect, but cannot cope with severe forms of depression.
3. Third generation antidepressants (Fluoxetine, Citalopram). Affects serotonin metabolism. Phobias are corrected panic attacks. Convenient one-time use.
4. Fourth generation antidepressants (Milnacipran, Duloxetine). Selectively affect serotonin and norepinephrine without affecting other mediators.

Which doctor treats you?

Psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, and neurologists help fight depression. The first ones work with the client’s thoughts and emotional experiences. Using available tools, they ask questions about how the person is feeling and provide moral support. Psychotherapists also rely on the power of words, but they work with the expansion of consciousness, teach how to overcome depression, change attitudes towards oneself, help find strength in overcoming everyday difficulties, and in rehabilitation after depression. These specialists, unlike psychologists, have the right to treat depression with antidepressants or tranquilizers.

A psychiatrist helps you get rid of moderate and most severe forms of depressive disorder. Specializes in mentally ill people. He will not conduct intimate conversations and will not require the patient to describe his condition. The work of a psychiatrist is a tough position towards the patient, who is treated mainly on an outpatient basis with the permission of the patient or his family. Neurologists deal with depressive cases that lead to neurological diseases - Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and others.

Correction methods for children and adolescents

Depressive symptoms in children are a constant apathetic state, rebellious behavior, a difficult character, insomnia, and a tired general condition. The most problematic disorders occur between the ages of 14 and 19 years. During this period, suicidal tendencies are observed; adolescents are often in a drug-induced state or after drinking alcohol. Depression does not go away on its own for everyone.

Parents have to turn to professionals for help. In medical practice, the correction of depressive disorder in adolescents is carried out through consultation or medication. As for medications, sedative tablets are prescribed (Novo-passit, Persen). If the condition worsens, the same therapy is carried out as for adults.

How to get out of depression on your own

In psychology, there are several tips for self-relieving stress. The first and main step is proper nutrition. It is necessary to introduce into the diet foods that improve mood: chocolate, fatty fish, vegetables and fruits of bright colors, seaweed, bananas, nuts, cheese. Second step independent exit from a depressive state - full sleep. Having 7-8 hours of sleep will strengthen the nervous system.

Physical activity helps overcome depression. Even if a woman is on maternity leave in the last weeks of pregnancy, she can still spend 15-20 minutes daily for stretching or yoga. People who do not know how to think positively are susceptible to stress. It is advisable to find literature that will help you understand how to learn not to react negatively to stimuli and pay attention only to the beauty of life, and look for interests in the world around you.

Prevention

Depression is not a human weakness, but a disease that requires specialist intervention. In order not to bring yourself to visit a psychiatrist, at the first symptoms of a depressive state you need to follow simple rules:

1. Light. Depression and apathy occur mainly in the off-season, when there is little light outside. For this reason, you need to have a lot of lighting fixtures in your home. During the day, try to walk in the fresh air more often, and trying to get a depressed family member out for a walk will add to his health.
2. Movement. Motor functions release endorphins into the blood. Spend a few minutes a day doing gymnastics, and symptoms of depression will not affect you.
3. Cheerfulness. No one will diagnose you if you are always in good shape. Stimulating the body will help with this natural means: rosehip decoction, herbal balms, teas, ginger.
4. Beauty. Pay attention to everything beautiful, buy only bright things, keep order in your home and workplace. Take care of your body. Try to fill every moment of your life with beautiful images.
5. Future plans. Try to plan your future correctly and set your priorities. Find a hobby, new friends with similar interests. May your wishes be fulfilled!

The initial symptoms of depression are not pronounced. At first they look like temporary increased irritability, but gradually such conditions arise more and more often. And now problems with sleep begin, and the depressed state practically does not go away. In modern society, depression is far from uncommon. This type of disorder affects every tenth person over 40 years of age, and this percentage is constantly growing.

At the same time, the disease becomes “younger” from year to year. Often, even children with serious depressive disorders are scheduled to see a psychologist. The disease brings suffering not only to the sick person, but also to everyone around him. During an exacerbation, the patient’s character often becomes unbearable. Some try to alleviate their condition with alcohol or drugs and this only makes the situation worse. At the same time, the people around him, and the person himself, often simply have no idea that he is sick and needs help.

Depressed state syndrome

Symptoms of depression vary from person to person. It depends individual characteristics psyche. However, the first signs of depression can be identified:

• decreased mood;
• feeling depressed and depressed;
• severe irritability, anger;
• feeling of abandonment and uselessness;
• apathy, loss of interest in life;
• fatigue.

If at least three of the listed symptoms are observed, then we can talk about the presence of depression. Before determining depression, observations are carried out for two weeks. Only then can a diagnosis be made. Over time, the disease progresses, and subsequent stages of depression are characterized by new manifestations: communication decreases, the desire to communicate disappears. A change in appetite appears, both in one direction and in the other. There may be complete indifference to food and, conversely, sudden attacks hunger. This leads to weight changes.

With severe depression, obsessive thoughts about suicide, one’s own uselessness and uselessness arise. Objective self-esteem and self-confidence decline. There is constant self-torture, reliving the past, while the future is seen only in a gloomy light. Against the background of a constant loss of strength and fatigue, psychomotor retardation appears, which can be replaced by sudden short-term excitement. All this negatively affects performance, which only makes the situation worse. In addition, persistent depression most often leads to sexual dysfunction in a person.

In medicine it is customary to distinguish the following types depression:

• dysthymia;
• dysphoria;
• hypothymia;
• hypokinesia.

Dysthymia is characterized by an unreasonable depressed state and decreased interest in what is happening. The general tone decreases and desires become dulled. With dysphoria, attacks of unreasonable aggression, irritation and anger often occur. Increases sensitivity to external stimuli.

A person suffering from hypothymia seems to withdraw into himself, becoming withdrawn and uncommunicative. There is a feeling of deep sadness and melancholy, a premonition of impending misfortune. There may be a feeling of heaviness or tightness in some organs. With hypokinesia, the syndrome of slow movements is pronounced, the general tone drops significantly and the physical condition. There may be weakness and a complete lack of desire to do anything.

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Where does sadness come from?

The causes of depression can be objective, for example, some kind of personal tragedy (loss of a loved one, divorce, financial collapse, etc.). But sometimes it seems that illness comes without apparent reason. However, nothing happens for nothing, and the disease can be a consequence of certain factors.

The causes of depression are divided into several main types:

1. Biological.
2. Genetic.
3. Psychogenic.
4. Social.

Biological (organic) depression occurs in half of the cases. Most often they are caused by insufficient blood circulation in the vessels of the brain. As a rule, in this case the patient is constantly in a depressed-anxious state and constantly complains about his illness. Such depressions even received a separate name - “complaining” or “whining” depression.

The cause of poor blood supply can be a chronic disease or stroke. After a stroke, during the recovery period, a depressed state in the patient is far from uncommon. Traumatic brain injuries can manifest themselves even a year after the event and cause the development of long-term depression.

The depressed state can be inherited. If at least one of the parents suffers from such a disorder, then with age there is a high probability of the child developing this disease. The disease can also occur in adolescence, and the reason for this is often increased vulnerability of the psyche. In addition, there are frequent cases of depression in women in postpartum period and during menopause.

Among the causes of depression, alcohol and drug addiction can be particularly highlighted. Systematic poisoning of brain cells toxic substances leads to malfunction of the entire organ and the occurrence of depression. Sometimes a person tries to “treat” already frayed nerves with alcohol or drugs. In this case, a vicious circle is created, because the use of “amusing assistants” only aggravates the course of the disease.

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Psychogenic conditions

Most often found, which is divided into two types:

• reactive;
• neurasthenic.

happens due to objective facts that actually happened to a person and resulted in serious psychological trauma. Events can be different - from really serious losses to trifles, which a person, however, may be too sensitive to. Moreover, illness can be a consequence of even a joyful event. This is the so-called achieved goal syndrome, when a person strives for something for a long time, and now - it has come true! But then comes spiritual emptiness, which needs to be filled with something. If this does not happen, there is a feeling of loss of meaning in life and signs of mild depression appear, which quickly grow into a serious problem.

The neurasthenic manifestation of depression occurs due to chronic stress. Most often, people who suffer from this form of disorder are very active people who overload themselves with their activities. In this case, there is no tragic event in the patient's life. The disease originates in psychological fatigue, which is sometimes accompanied by a chain of minor failures and disappointments.

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How to get rid of the disease

Treatment for depression is successful in most cases, provided that adequate treatment is used. How to cure depression? Like most others, this disease is much more amenable to comprehensive treatment. Moreover, the disease not only affects the internal state, but also leads to difficulties in social adaptation. Therefore, getting out of depression should be under the supervision of a psychologist. What is necessary for quality treatment?

1. Psychotherapy.
2. Medicines.
3. Physiotherapy.

A psychotherapist has a wide range of techniques and knowledge on how to get rid of depression. Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy has an excellent effect in combating depression, which helps the patient tune in to a more optimistic vision of the world and cope with internal problems. Used in combination with psychodynamic and existential psychotherapy. They are complemented by various trance techniques and hypnosis.

Medication treatments for depression:

• antidepressants;
• neuroleptics;
• mood stabilizers;
• neurometabolic drugs;
• vitamins;
• amino acids.

Medications must be selected by the attending physician on a strictly individual basis.

You cannot treat yourself, since effective treatment is only possible if it is prescribed in accordance with the diagnosis. Without being a specialist, it is almost impossible to diagnose yourself and choose treatment methods for depression. Moreover, many such drugs are sold only by prescription. It is advisable to use even medicinal herbs only after consultation with a doctor, who will give recommendations on how to get out of depression.

Physiotherapy includes procedures such as light therapy and color therapy. You can do light therapy on your own. To do this, you need to purchase a special device, often called a “light box”. The essence of the treatment is that you need to look at the light emitted by the device. How to deal with depression, the duration of sessions and their frequency, are detailed in the instructions for use of the device. This type of treatment can be prescribed by a doctor and carried out on an outpatient basis.

Treatment for depression may include music therapy, mesodiencephalic modulation (exposure to a weak electrical current on the brain), healing sleep etc. Physiotherapy by itself cannot give strong therapeutic effect, but can be an excellent addition to the main treatment, leading to speedy relief from depression and full recovery.