Depression is a mental disorder that manifests itself as a persistent decrease in mood, impaired thinking and motor retardation. Such a state is considered one of the most severe, as it can cause a serious distortion of consciousness, which in the future will prevent a person from adequately perceiving reality. This cannot be allowed. At the first sign of this disorder, you should seek help from a psychologist. What is depression and how does it manifest itself? What are the main methods of its treatment?
Disease prevalence
Depression in the modern world overtakes a person quite often. According to statistics, this state of the entire list of mental disorders is the most common. Research scientists have shown that the likelihood of developing depression in any person ranges from 22% to 33%. Moreover, based on the practice of psychiatrists, it can be argued that these figures reflect only official statistics. The fact is that some people suffering from this disorder do not even try to seek medical help. Some patients come to a specialist only after the development of comorbid and secondary disorders.
There are periods in which the incidence peaks. This is adolescence, as well as the second half of life. Between the ages of 15 and 25, depression is common in 15-40% of young people. For people over 40, this figure is 10%, and for those who have crossed the 65-year mark, it is 30%. Moreover, women fall into a state of depression 1.5 times more often than men.
Causes of pathology
In almost 90% of visits to a doctor, a specialist reveals that chronic stress or psychological trauma contributed to the development of an affective mental disorder. In the second case, the resulting pathology is called reactive. It is provoked, as a rule, by a divorce, a serious illness of a loved one or his death, as well as a chronic pathology that has arisen in the patient himself, or disability. It is not uncommon for reactive disorder to occur during retirement, bankruptcy, relocation, or a sudden decline in we alth.
Sometimes the development of depression is facilitated by the achievement of an important goal when a person is on the wave of success. Specialists explain such reactive effects by the fact that the patient suddenlyloses meaning in life.
Neurotic depression arises in the wake of chronic stress. In such situations, it is almost impossible to establish a specific cause of the pathology. The patient is either incapable of pointing out the traumatic event or describes to the doctor his entire life of disappointment and failure.
Women and the elderly are at risk for psychogenic depression. They have this condition quite often.
Another cause of depression is being at the extreme poles of the social scale, that is, when a person is poor or rich. The following influences the occurrence of a mental disorder:
- low resistance to stress;
- tendency to self-flagellation;
- pessimistic view of the world;
- low self-esteem;
- unfavorable situation in the parental family;
- emotional, psychological or physical abuse suffered at an early age;
- hereditary predisposition;
- early loss of parents;
- lack of social and family support.
Endogenous depression is quite rare. They occur in only 1% of patients with documented affective disorders. Periodic depressions are considered endogenous, accompanied by a unipolar form of manic-depressive psychosis, as well as senile disorders and involutional melancholia. Similar groups of ailments develop, as a rule, in connection with metabolic disorders caused by aging, andalso due to some neurochemical factors.
The likelihood of psychogenic and endogenous depression increases during the period when physiological changes in the hormonal background occur in the body. This is adolescence, as well as postpartum conditions. Changes in the hormonal background are also observed during menopause. All of these stages are very difficult to tolerate by the body, since at this time the activity of all systems and organs is restructured, and this is reflected both in physiological and emotional and psychological terms. Such a state is certainly accompanied by a decrease in working capacity, increased fatigue, deterioration of attention and memory, as well as irritability. Such features, along with a person's attempts to accept their own growing up, aging, or a new maternal function, are the impetus that sets the stage for the development of depression.
Another risk factor that contributes to the occurrence of pathology is somatic diseases and brain damage. Based on the statistics, quite clinically significant affective disorders appear in almost half of those patients who have had a stroke. Depression occurs in 60% of people suffering from cerebrovascular insufficiency, as well as in 15-25% of those who have received a traumatic brain injury. In the latter case, the symptoms of nervous disorders do not appear until several months or years after the TBI.
Among somatic diseases that provoke affective disorders are:
- diseasesthyroid;
- diabetes mellitus;
- duodenal and stomach ulcer;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- respiratory and cardiovascular insufficiency of chronic type;
- oncology;
- HIV, AIDS and some other pathologies.
Depression often occurs in drug addicts and alcoholics. The reason for this is chronic intoxication of the body, as well as numerous problems provoked by the use of psychoactive substances.
Pathology can also arise from watching films, the plot of which includes a story about people who have lost their loved ones and are convinced that a bright future will never come to them. This can be seen in Asian television series - dramas. This allows you to answer the question of why depression appears from Korean films. Yes, because their plot has unexpected outcomes, is distinguished by a sensual game of characters, and does not always have a happy ending.
Classification of pathology
Depressive disorders are:
- Clinical. This is a deep depression. Sometimes it is also called big. How does major depression manifest itself? It is accompanied by a persistent decrease in mood, fatigue, loss of interest, a significant decrease in the level of energy, the patient's inability to enjoy, loss of appetite and sleep. A person begins to perceive his present with pessimism and look into the future in the same way. He has ideas of guilt, suicidal thoughts, intentions or actions. Similar symptoms last 1-2 weeks.
- Small. How does it manifestthis type of depression? The clinical picture for minor disorders somewhat does not correspond to those described in the previous paragraph. The patient has only one or two symptoms that persist for 1-2 weeks.
- Atypical. How does depression manifest itself in this form of the disorder? Symptoms of this condition are expressed by drowsiness, emotional reactivity and increased appetite.
- Postpartum. This type of affective disorder occurs in women after the birth of a baby.
- Recurrent. Symptoms of this type of depression occur approximately once a month and continue to persist for several days.
Depression is also understood as dysthymia, which is a moderately pronounced, but persistent decrease in mood. Such a state never develops to the intensity that is characteristic of the clinical type of depression. Signs of dysthymia may occur for a long period of time (up to several years). Against the background of this condition, some patients periodically begin major depression.
Let's consider the manifestation of pathology in various categories of patients.
Depression in teenagers
Every child will certainly enter the period when his adult life begins. This is adolescence, which is characterized by the occurrence of increased emotionality and inconsistency. The psyche of a teenager becomes unstable and vulnerable.
At this moment, the body is undergoing restructuring. Puberty occurs, which is characterized by increased activityendocrine and nervous systems. Often, adolescents have an inadequate reaction to surrounding events, as well as to ridicule and remarks from peers or to the teachings of adults. This can be explained by the predominance of the processes of excitation of the nervous system over the processes of inhibition. During this period, the first symptoms of a mental disorder become noticeable.
What is depression and how does it manifest itself in adolescence? This pathology is a severe mental disorder that requires immediate medical attention to prevent serious consequences such as disability or suicide.
How does depression manifest in teenagers? Its signs are:
- decrease in academic performance, emptiness, lack of energy, apathy and fatigue;
- increased daily activity, anxiety, loss of appetite, worries, longing, insomnia or restless sleep;
- loss of communication with relatives and friends, the appearance of guilt, the desire for loneliness and closeness;
- lack of concentration, low self-esteem, forgetfulness, irresponsibility;
- gluttony or complete refusal of food;
- heart or headache pains or stomach discomfort;
- drug addiction, alcohol use, smoking, promiscuity;
- suicidal thoughts that appear in pictures, poems and sayings, as well as self-mutilation or committing various reckless acts that can end life.
The signs of a depressive state in a teenager should be paid attention primarily to his parents, as well as people close to the young man. The teacher must also observe the change in the student's behavior, informing the relatives of his pupil about this in a timely manner.
Depression in women
Representatives of the weaker half of humanity have a habit of being quite critical of themselves, constantly supporting the pursuit of the ideal. This is what causes female depression.
This type of psychological disorder is inherited, and the first signs of this pathology can most often be observed between the ages of 15 and 30.
How does depression manifest itself in a girl and a woman? Symptoms of this condition can be different and depend on the form of the disease. How does depression manifest itself in women, and what are its forms?
- PMS. This is one of the most common types of mild depression in women. The main signs of this condition are increased fatigue, irritability, anxiety and mood swings. A girl or woman's sleep worsens, sometimes an inexplicable panic occurs, and appetite increases. How to get out of depression with symptoms in women? As a rule, these symptoms of the disorder go away on their own. However, if they cause a woman severe discomfort, then doctors recommend taking herbal sedatives.
- Dysthymia, or neurotic depression. With this disorder, a woman'slevel of self-esteem, chronic fatigue appears and appetite disappears. In addition, insomnia appears, memory worsens, and it becomes difficult for her to concentrate. A woman diagnosed with dysthymia perceives any life changes very pessimistically.
- Pseudo dementia. This is one of the varieties of depression, which most often occurs in women who have reached old age. The main symptoms of this condition are impaired concentration and memory, as well as difficulty in orienting in space.
- An atypical form of depression. The main symptom of this type of pathology is obesity. After all, a woman "seizes" stress, while starting to mindlessly eat. In addition, there is increased emotional excitability, which is replaced by drowsiness and apathy.
- Circular depression. A similar type of disease occurs in the autumn-winter period. How does circular depression manifest itself? A woman constantly feels bored. She tries to do nothing and lie down as much as possible.
- Spring depression. This form of the disease is the body's response to various stress factors. How does spring depression manifest itself in women? A constant feeling of fatigue, slowing down of thought and speech, drowsiness or insomnia, nervousness, sudden weight gains, aggressiveness and rudeness, the emergence of self-doubt.
- Summer mental disorder. How does depression manifest itself in women during the warm period? The presence of a mental disorder can suggest symptoms such asreluctance to work and withdrawal, restlessness and fatigue, difficulty concentrating and irritability, decreased appetite and anxiety, weight loss and appetite, sleep disturbances and irritability.
Postpartum depression
After the birth of a child, this type of mental disorder occurs in every fourth young mother. What is birth depression and how does it manifest itself? The main causes of psychological distress are:
- lack of free time;
- financial difficulties;
- hormonal changes.
How does postpartum depression manifest in women? This condition is characterized by increased sensitivity of a woman, which leads to the development of various accompanying symptoms. It should be borne in mind that postpartum depression does not necessarily appear immediately after the birth of the baby. Symptoms of the disease may occur within a year. How to get out of depression with symptoms in women? The disease sometimes goes away on its own. However, in 20-25% of cases, it becomes chronic and requires specialist advice.
How does depression manifest itself in new mothers? This is a bad mood in the morning due to chronic lack of sleep, tearfulness and despondency, irritability and panic attacks, a complete lack or increase in appetite, headache attacks in the morning, aching joints, as well as a decrease, and sometimes a complete lack of sexual desire.
If postpartum appearsdepression, what to do, and how to get out of this state? Sometimes postpartum psychosis occurs with cyclothymic, bipolar disorder, or blood poisoning. In this regard, in the presence of the described symptoms in the postpartum period, a woman should consult a specialist and undergo the examination prescribed by him.
Depression after 40
At this age, a woman's life is undergoing major changes. Already matured children begin to live independently, signs of withering of the body are clearly manifested, and family life becomes monotonous and boring.
To combat age-related depression, a woman will need to get rid of unnecessary relationships and things, as well as carefully monitor changes in her psychological state.
How does depression manifest itself with age in women? Reviews of experts suggest that the presence of the disease will be prompted by negative emotions, the manifestation of which cannot be controlled by the representative of the weaker sex. This is anxiety and worry about the future, a constant desire to complain, suspicion of a spouse and obsession, grumbling and irritability at the slightest provocation. A similar depressive state in a woman is exacerbated by he alth problems and hormonal changes.
Male depression
Representatives of the strong half of humanity are not used to talking about their condition. This often leads to the fact that the problem becomes larger.
How does depression manifest itself in men? Many of the symptoms of this mentaldisorders are similar to those seen in women. So, the signs of male depression are:
- feeling constantly tired;
- lack of sleep or constant drowsiness;
- significant weight loss or gain;
- back and stomach pains;
- increased irritability;
- difficulty concentrating;
- aggressiveness and anger;
- stress;
- increased anxiety;
- abuse of alcohol or drugs;
- loss of sex drive;
- self-doubt and indecision;
- suicidal thoughts.
Medicated treatment
Elimination of dysthymia, postpartum, recurrent and atypical depression, as a rule, is carried out on an outpatient basis. Deep breakdown will require hospitalization. Depending on the severity and type of the patient's condition, the method of psychotherapy may be applied to him in combination with the prescription of drugs.
Medications are mostly antidepressants. In the presence of inhibition, these drugs should be with a stimulating effect. Anxiety depression is treated with sedative medications.
Decrease in the severity of signs of mental disorder begins to be observed only 2-3 weeks after the start of therapy. In this regard, at the initial stage of treatment, the patient is often prescribed tranquilizers. They are taken for 2-4 weeks.
Psychotherapeutic treatment
At the first sign of depressionit is recommended to seek the advice of a psychotherapist or psychologist who will prescribe group, individual or family therapy.
In the treatment of this condition, there are usually three approaches that are most effective. This psychotherapy is cognitive, psychodynamic and behavioral. The main goal of such treatment is that the doctor helps his patient to realize the existing conflict, and then resolve it in the most constructive way.
