The term "depression" is familiar to almost everyone today. People easily label themselves and others, putting on the same scale an ordinary moping or depressed mood and a very serious neuropsychiatric illness.
Depression - an emotional disorder that causes suffering, prevents the fullness of life and work, has devastating consequences for interpersonal relationships. In the worst case scenario, this illness can lead to suicide.
Important! At the first signs of depressive disorder, it is necessary to seek help from specialists. Any disease is easier to treat at the initial stage than in the neglected form.
Unfortunately, depressive disorder is often treated lightly, not considering it a disease, much less a reason to see a doctor. And not only those around them, but also the patients themselves. A depressed person can hear from others a lot of unpleasant things: accusations of laziness and indulging their whims, in unwillingness to look at life positively. These reproaches fall into fertile ground, since depression, figuratively speaking, "feeds" on guilt, false shame and depression. The patient usually cannot get out of this state on his own, and his condition steadily worsens.
Causes and types of depression
Depending on the manifestations of the disorder and the factors that provoke the disease, there are several types of depression.
According to the origin of depressive disorders are divided into two main types:
Exogenous (provoked by external factors);
Endogenous (caused by internal human problems).
According to the degree of severity, a distinction is made between mild, moderate and severe forms of the disease.
According to the nature of the symptoms and peculiarities of the course there are such types of depression as:
Depressive episode. The primary case, which was not preceded by any episodes of malaise. It is manifested by insomnia, depressed mood, withdrawal, decreased activity.
Recurrent (recurrent) depression. Signs of the disorder occur approximately once a month and last for several days. It can also show other symptoms, besides emotional: depression of memory and attention, impaired concentration.
Postpartum depression. This is a condition that women may develop in the first days and weeks after childbirth because of changes in hormones. It is manifested by nervousness, mood swings, insomnia, increased fatigue, and - quite often - indifference to the newborn.
Depression in bipolar disorder. This disorder is characterized by alternating episodes of high and low moods. At the same time, the rest of the time a person lives a perfectly normal life.
Chronic depressive disorder. It is characterized by a constant lasting (more than two weeks) physical and emotional emptiness, a decrease in appetite, and sleep disorders.
Causes of depression
Causes of depressive disorders in modern medicine are commonly divided into three groups:
psychological;
socio-cultural;
biological.
Psychological factors. The overwhelming number of patients note that "before" depression, they had a great number of stresses in their life (conflicts in the family and at work, the passage of infections, overfatigue, etc.).
An obvious trigger for depression can be psychological trauma caused by the death of a loved one, loss of work, divorce, violence.
Social and cultural factors. Various labels that society hangs on them make many people emotionally vulnerable. Low/high self-esteem, objective or seeming deprivation of recognition, failure to meet someone's expectations, unreached goals by the due date are common reasons for depression in modern people.
Biological factors. Sometimes depression is a consequence of internal pathological reasons - a genetic predisposition, neurochemical processes, endocrine disorders, hormonal rearrangement (more common such depression in women), etc. And cardiovascular diseases can be both a consequence and a cause of depressive disorder.
Whatever the causes of psycho-emotional disorders may be, it is almost impossible to get out of depression on your own, and taking medications recommended by "experts" from the Internet is extremely dangerous! Only a specialist can diagnose the causes of the disorder and develop a treatment tactic.
Signs of depression
The manifestations of depression are numerous, diverse and can affect not only the emotional sphere, but also the body.
The symptoms of depression include:
sadness, depressed mood for 2 weeks or more;
general fatigue;
pessimism;
apathy, lethargy;
irritability;
tearfulness;
feelings of guilt;
unstable appetite, weight changes (loss, gain);
sleep disturbances;
decreased libido;
attacks of anxiety, fear;
decreased ability to work;
inability to concentrate; impaired memory;
loss of interest in things previously loved;
somatic illness (complaints of physical ailments, often not previously worrying).
In neglected cases, retarded speech, delusions, marked decrease in intellect, obsessive thoughts about death, alcohol and drug abuse are not uncommon.
Diagnosis and treatment of depression
Parents of children and adolescents should be alert to the appearance of such signs of depression as:
sleep disturbances;
decreased appetite, weight loss, stunted growth;
frequent headaches;
Gastrointestinal symptoms (frequent vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, etc.);
rapid heartbeat;
Inadequate reaction to common things;
irritability, aggression;
stubbornness, withdrawal;
defiant behavior;
anxiety, fears;
lowered academic performance.
Treatment of depression
Without qualified help get rid of depression is impossible! A neurologist (psychotherapist, psychiatrist) is the specialist you need to see if you suspect depression in yourself or someone close to you.
Only a doctor can understand the causes of the illness, make an accurate diagnosis and offer an effective treatment regimen for depression.
As numerous clinical studies conducted around the world show, the most effective for depression is a combination of methods such as:
Drug therapy (prescription of antidepressant drugs);
Psychotherapy (cognitive-behavioral therapy);
hardware methods (biofeedback therapy, magnet therapy, light therapy, reflexotherapy, therapeutic sleep, ozone therapy, massage, etc.)
phytotherapy (decoctions, infusions, inhalations based on medicinal plants).
For the prevention of depressive disorders, simple yet important things such as a peaceful environment in the family, communication with loved ones, a healthy environment, an active lifestyle, and positive experiences are extremely important.
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