The occurrence of depression is difficult to predict. Its appearance may be associated not only with tragic events in life (as is commonly believed), but also with mental problems or chemical imbalances in the body.
Let's look at the types of depression, its causes, accompanying symptoms and possible treatments for the disease.
What is depression
Depression is considered to be a mental disorder that can occur as a result of unpleasant events in life or without any obvious reason.
There are several types of depression, which differ depending on the factors contributing to the onset of the disease.
Classification of depression and its types
So what are the types of depression? Psychiatry offers the following options:
- Endogenous (deep) depression. Its appearance is due to the presence of organic factors. For example, it can be various disorders in the functioning of the nervous system. A person suffering from this type of depressionapathetic, does not make contact with others and does not see the point in later life.
- Masked depression. This type of disease is not accompanied by typical symptoms such as depression, sadness, and so on. Its main feature is the presence of somatic diseases in the form of chronic pain, sexual dysfunction, menstrual disorders in women, sleep problems, and so on. It is also possible the appearance of attacks of causeless anxiety, panic, irritable bowel syndrome. After taking antidepressants, all the above symptoms disappear very quickly.
- Anxious mental depression. Its main symptom is the appearance of fear, panic and anxiety. People suffering from this type of disease are very aggressive, as they need to relieve internal tension. Statistics show that people with anxiety depression are more likely to commit suicide than others.
- Postpartum depression. The main cause of the disease is hormonal changes in the body of a woman. Accompanied by weakness, apathy, sadness, frequent mood swings. In addition, there may be deterioration in sleep, loss of interest in the child or excessive care for him, headaches, decrease or loss of appetite.
- Reactive depression. This type of disease occurs as a result of strong psychological shocks. For example, it can be the death of a loved one, rape, breakup, and so on. Reactive depression is very easy to diagnose, especially if the therapist knows the cause.
- Seasonaldepression. Most often, the disorder occurs in autumn or winter. The main symptoms are decreased mood, drowsiness, irritability.
- Depressive stupor. This is one of the most severe forms of the disease. During it, the patient remains all the time in one position, does not eat anything, does not contact with others at all. Depressive stupor appears as a reaction after an episode of schizophrenia.
Besides this, there is also a bipolar disorder. Its peculiarity is that periods of depression alternate with episodes of high spirits. The main problem is that it may take a long period of time (sometimes up to 2 years) to diagnose the disease.
Causes of depression
Having considered the types of depression, let's move on to establishing the causes of its occurrence. The most common are:
- genetic predisposition;
- hormonal disruptions (in adolescents, in the postpartum period, during menopause, etc.);
- presence of congenital or acquired defects of the central nervous system;
- somatic diseases.
Another important reason is severe mental trauma, the appearance of which could be triggered by many factors:
- problems in personal life;
- presence of serious he alth problems;
- migration;
- changes or problems at work;
- deteriorating financial situation.
Depression symptoms
Toin time to detect the disease in yourself or others, you need to familiarize yourself with the question of its main symptoms.
As mentioned above, there are different types of depression, each of which has its own characteristics of manifestation. However, there are some common symptoms that can help you recognize the onset of depression.
Firstly, this is the appearance of a depressed state that does not disappear even after a few weeks. It is usually accompanied by feelings of causeless anxiety and despondency.
Secondly, a person suffering from depression tries to constantly "withdraw into himself", even if he previously preferred to relax in noisy companies. The range of his interests is becoming narrower, and those things that previously cheered up (music, cinema, nature, etc.) completely cease to please. Problems in his working social connections and family life become noticeable. A person may begin to talk about what he sees no meaning in life and think about suicide.
Depressed person may also differ:
- reaction inhibition;
- deterioration of physical well-being (the appearance of pain, malfunctions of the digestive and other systems of the body, etc.);
- loss of natural drives (sexual needs, maternal instinct, appetite);
- frequent and sudden mood swings;
- lack of activity;
- appearance of indifference to others and loved ones.
Depression in teenagers
Teen depression is very difficultdisease. Recognizing it is sometimes difficult. In some cases, teenage depression can be perceived by parents and others simply as a bad upbringing, attributed to character traits, and so on. This happens due to the fact that the symptoms of the disease are quite specific.
Signs of depression in a teenager:
- attacks of aggression and outbursts of anger that are directed at loved ones;
- sullenness;
- impaired attention, increased fatigue, loss of interest in learning, absenteeism, poor academic performance;
- conflicts with parents and others, because of which there is a frequent change of friends and buddies;
- regular complaints that no one loves or understands him;
- rejection of any criticism in his address;
- careless attitude to one's duties;
- the appearance of pain (headaches, in the heart, in the abdomen);
- unreasonable fear of death.
Features of depression in the elderly
Depression in the elderly can occur quite often, as there are many factors that contribute to this: retirement, feeling of uselessness and hopelessness, irretrievable loss of time. It's hard to deal with this on your own.
The main feature of depression in older people is its protracted nature. The disease can last for several years, especially if a person does not seek help from specialists and blames apathy, fatigue, decreasedactivity and other factors your middle age, and not psychological problems.
It is almost impossible to solve the problem on your own, but with the help of proper treatment, this can be done at absolutely any age. That is why, if any suspicions arise, you need to contact a psychiatrist who will determine the further course of action.
Stages of depression
There are three main stages in the course of the disease:
- Rejection. A person denies the existence of difficulties and blames ordinary fatigue for his condition. He is torn between the desire to get away from others and the fear of being left all alone. Already at this stage, you need the help of a specialist who will help you quickly cope with the situation.
- Acceptance. At this stage, a person realizes that he has depression, this condition is often frightening. In the same period, problems with appetite and the functioning of the immune system begin to be observed. More and more negative thoughts appear.
- Destruction. In the absence of qualified assistance, the third stage begins. During it, there is a loss of control over oneself, aggression appears. A person begins to collapse as a person.
Depending on the stage of depression at which the disease was detected, the effectiveness of treatment and the time to get rid of the problem directly depend.
Diagnosis
It is important to remember that others will not be able to help get rid of the disorder, so it is imperative to seek help from a psychotherapist.
Determining the presence of a disease is carried out usingspecial scales and questionnaires, thanks to which it is possible not only to establish the final diagnosis (depression), but also to assess the severity of the situation.
In some cases, it may be necessary to study the bioelectrical activity of the brain (electroencephalogram) and hormonal studies.
Depression test
When considering methods for diagnosing a disease, the use of special questionnaires was mentioned. Let's look at one of them to get an idea of what the depression test is.
The patient needs to answer a few simple questions:
- Do you have trouble falling asleep at night?
- Do you often have nightmares?
- Do you often feel emotionally exhausted and tired?
- Has your weight changed over the past six months (strong changes up or down are taken into account), given that you were not on special diets?
- Have you noticed a decrease in sex drive?
- Have any of your close relatives been diagnosed with a "depressive disorder"?
- Do you rate your daily stress level as medium or high?
- Do you suffer from auditory or visual hallucinations?
- Do you experience a deterioration in mood with the onset of autumn or winter?
- Do you hide your feelings from loved ones?
- Do you often think that life has no meaning?
This is the simplest of all possible tests. The more "yes" answers to his questions, the more likely he is to havedepression.
Medication for depression
Treatment of depression with pharmacological drugs involves taking antidepressants, tranquilizers, narmothymics and antipsychotics.
Only a doctor can prescribe the use of this or that drug on an individual basis. The wrong choice of drugs or their dosage can not only be of no benefit, but also cause irreparable harm, as they act on the central nervous system and brain.
In most cases, antidepressants alone may be enough to improve he alth. The effect of their use is not immediately noticeable, it is necessary that at least one to two weeks pass. Despite the strength of the impact, antidepressants are not addictive and addictive. At the same time, it is necessary to stop drinking drugs gradually in order to avoid the so-called "withdrawal syndrome".
Treating depression with psychotherapy and physiotherapy
Treatment of depression with the help of consultations of a psychotherapist can last several months. There are many methods, and depending on the situation, the specialist selects the right one.
Physiotherapy can only be used as an aid. It includes procedures such as aromatherapy, massage, therapeutic sleep, light therapy, music therapy and others.
Prevention of depression
As you can see, the disease is very serious. The consequences of depression can be very diverse, from the collapse of personal life and ending with suicide. So it's worth doingeverything possible to reduce the likelihood of its occurrence.
What do psychologists advise about this?
- Observe a daily routine that provides for a good night's sleep and proper nutrition.
- Do sports and other physical activities.
- Communicate more with your loved ones.
- Avoid stressful situations whenever possible.
- Make time for yourself and your favorite activities.
So, we looked at the types of depression and the features of this disease. Finally, I would like to say that mental he alth is no less important than physical he alth. Therefore, if a problem arises, you should immediately entrust its solution to an experienced specialist.
