Depression is one of the most common diseases in the modern world. It has become so widespread that it no longer surprises anyone. In response to the question: "How are you?" you can often hear: “Like everyone else, depression again.”
Relevance of the problem
How to deal with depression if a person does not have the mental strength to overcome this disorder? Scientists from different countries are struggling with this issue. This disorder is the number one cause of absenteeism from work worldwide. According to rough estimates, at present, about 150 million people become disabled every year because of it. Today, depression is the most common "female" disorder.
The currently accepted definition of depression is as follows: it is a mental disorder accompanied by a "triad" - impaired thinking, loss of the ability to enjoy, motor retardation.
Signs
Almost everyonea person at least once in his life experienced at least a state of mild blues. If this type of disorder can be de alt with by improvised means - for example, with the help of "little pleasures" like watching a favorite movie or buying a new thing, then dealing with more severe conditions is not so easy. What are the main symptoms of depression?
- Lack of strength, complete apathy. For people who haven't been through it, it's hard to understand why it's hard for a depressed person to get out of bed and brush their teeth. Depression always brings with it a serious decrease in the level of psychic energy, great fatigue.
- Negative thoughts. Studies conducted by cognitive psychologists show that in a state of depression, a person's mind is filled with negative thoughts about himself, about relationships with others. Often these are negative ideas about oneself, a feeling of one's own worthlessness. The person may be overly anxious, feel guilty, and dwell endlessly on past mistakes.
- Irritability, aggression. Everything that happens around seems completely ridiculous. Anger and irritation are caused by people around, asking their questions or distracting from the case inappropriately.
- Reducing the need for intimacy. Sometimes libido may be absent altogether.
- Alcoholization. It is not uncommon for depressed people to try to drown their grief in alcohol, but the difficulty is that this does not solve the problem. Alcohol affects the human brain as a depressant and only makes the condition worse.
- Sleep disturbances, loss of appetite (or vice versa,binge eating). Depression can penetrate almost every area of a person's life. Getting up early or, conversely, insomnia throughout the night are not in themselves signs of severe depression, but these symptoms are worth paying attention to. When a person refuses to eat, this is a symbolic rejection of life, and drowsiness is a means of escaping from reality.
- Difficulty concentrating. For some people suffering from depression, even just reading a book is an overwhelming task. They can lose the thread of events, constantly being distracted by disturbing thoughts. Sometimes attention becomes so distracted that it is difficult for a person to make the simplest everyday decisions.
- Thoughts of suicide. Every person faces difficulties in life from time to time. Scientists believe that every person has thoughts of suicide at one time or another in life. However, if they are accompanied by a reluctance to get out of bed and go about daily activities, this is a serious reason to seek help from a psychotherapist.
Reasons
What can cause this disorder? Scientists identify several root causes of depression:
- Genetics. Tendency to depression can be inherited.
- Side effects of drugs (e.g. neuroleptics).
- Parkinson's disease.
- Impaired cerebral circulation.
- The use of hormonal drugs.
- Financial problems.
- Difficulties in personal life.
- Old age.
- Postpartum.
- Prolonged stress.
Main steps
There are three stages of depression in psychology:
- The first stage, otherwise called rejection. A person does not realize what state he is in. At this stage, irritability and insomnia appear.
- The second stage, in which the symptoms of depression become even more pronounced. Immunity falls, existing diseases worsen, new ones arise.
- The third stage, or "corrosive", when the body performs only basic functions. Only a psychiatrist can help at this stage.
Possible consequences
If depression is left untreated, the consequences can be dire. Not only the depressed state itself is terrible, but also its effect on the body. Reduced immunity and exacerbation of diseases during depression is not uncommon. One of the main dangers of such a violation is a tendency to suicide. However, in addition to these consequences, depression can significantly impair the quality of life. Observed:
- deterioration of appearance, physical condition;
- difficulties in relationships, problems in the family (for example, in a state of depression, a woman cannot support her household, charge them with positive emotions);
- significant decrease in performance;
- sleep disorders;
- reproductive he alth problems;
- weakness, fatigue;
- allergic reactions.
Features of depression in adolescents
Recently depressed and trying tosuicide among young people is becoming epidemic. Parents should know that the problem should not be left to chance. In adolescence, all the problems that an adult faces (loss of a loved one, difficulties in adapting, problems with learning) seem insurmountable. Adequate treatment is prescribed only when contacting a doctor. Signs of depression in teenagers are:
- lack of hope for a better future;
- disregard for oneself;
- suicide threats;
- avoiding friends;
- irresponsibility;
- loss of appetite;
- sleep disorders;
- alcohol, drugs, promiscuity.
Overcome depression on your own
For many people, the question of how to deal with depression is almost always relevant, because this condition can be caused by external (and not always pleasant) events, change of season, stress at work. Therefore, it is always useful to know a few practical ways in which you can quickly cheer yourself up. Psychologists give the following recommendations on how to get out of depression on your own:
- Be in crowded places. It can be a library, a shopping center, a street concert. You don't even have to interact with people. It is enough that a person is no longer alone.
- Think about alternative outcomes. Since it is not always appropriate or safe to treat depression with medication, changing your mindset canbe the best way. In particular, this method is suitable for those who suffer from anxious thoughts, painful expectations of the future. Thinking like this helps activate the mid-prefrontal cortex. And this, in turn, helps to control and improve the emotional state.
- Sleep. During the work of the brain, it produces a large amount of "waste" - a variety of bio-garbage. First of all, it is represented by all kinds of decomposed chemicals. This bio-debris must be removed from the brain, otherwise it can damage neurons. In a dream, such cleaning takes place. That is why for those who are wondering how to get out of depression on their own, often the best solution is to just sleep.
- Have fun. Recently, you can find a lot of recommendations regarding the fact that in a state of depression it is useful to cry and express the accumulated feelings in every possible way. It is difficult to argue with this - unexpressed emotions often lead to psychosomatic disorders. However, prolonged suffering will not help get rid of depression. Sometimes this requires a shift in attention - and here light entertainment in the form of books, video games, puzzles or movies can be very useful.
- Physical exercise. This is the most universal prescription for depression, appropriate at any stage. Light exercise can help get rid of the blues. The effective effect of sport on mood, according to scientists, is associated with the ability of physical activity to change the neurophysiology of the brain. Depressionis a state in which all processes proceed at a slow pace. Sport helps to "push" the whole body into a state of activity.
- You can improve your mood by giving yourself an easy victory. Organizing success for yourself is quite simple: for example, it can be cleaning the kitchen or doing work that has been put off indefinitely. Thus, self-esteem is increased, which helps to overcome the feeling of being unwanted that is characteristic of depression.
Methods of pharmacology
It is not uncommon for a doctor to prescribe pills for depression. Medicines are prescribed depending on the characteristics of the disorder that are detected at the reception. The following groups of drugs are distinguished:
- Sedatives - stop the state of anxiety and fear. These are drugs such as Phenibut, Phenazepam, Afobazol and others like it.
- Tranquilizers "Grandaxin", "Medazepam", "Oxazepam") - weaken internal tension, aggression.
- Antidepressants ("Amitriptyline", "Fluoxetine", "Paxil") - strengthen the emotional state.
Pills for depression help cope with a painful condition and are often a good addition to working with a psychologist.
What to do with feelings?
It is important not only to know how to treat depression with medication, but also to work through those psychological problems thatcaused this condition. Often the most optimal scheme is the simultaneous administration of drugs and work with a psychologist, during which the expression of repressed emotions occurs. After all, depression is often triggered after experiencing external traumatic events. Unspoken feelings fuel depression.
There is a big difference between experiencing emotions and expressing them. If little children could not let adults know what they are going through, they would die, because then no one would know how to take care of them. When a person yawns, the people around them also yawn. It's easy to catch a laugh when someone else laughs nearby.
Negative emotional habits
In a state of depression, all the feelings of a person seem to be "hidden" inside - they are, although in fact he does not notice them. That is why a person experiences spiritual emptiness. During times of depression, many develop the following habits:
- Denial - a person is not aware of his feelings, does not notice the anger that actually overwhelms him.
- Isolation of emotions - experiences are "turned off". Not only are they hidden, but they are not experienced as such.
- Somatization - experiences are expressed through bodily symptoms: headaches, nausea.
- Repression. A person experiences bouts of unmotivated melancholy, sadness.
- Anger addiction - temper tantrums seem to be taken for granted, the depressed sufferer expects quick forgiveness from others.
- Inability to rejoice(anhedonia).
- Apathy - indifference to ongoing events.
Restore the ability to experience
Since it is impossible to fight depression without working through feelings, the first thing to do is to “unfreeze” hidden emotions. How?
The first thing to do is to stop repressing the experience. The constant suppression of emotions that occurs with apathy, repression and their isolation can lead to a complete loss of feelings, mood swings. Quite suddenly, attacks of longing, anger can cover. Since it is possible to overcome depression and return to life only by working through hidden feelings, special attention must be paid to this issue. To work through feelings, it is useful to keep a diary in which they will record:
- date and time;
- change of mood;
- events that caused it (where, who, what);
- experiences.
Keeping a diary will allow you to track your mood, understand which events please and which depress.
Is it easy to deal with the "lady in black"?
Many would like to know the answer to the question of how to deal with depression. It should be noted that overcoming this state is always associated with the application of certain efforts. The next step is to learn how to specifically cultivate positive emotions, and this is not always easy. In depression, a person believes that joy can be dangerous, because later something good is always followed by something bad. However, in order to get rid of a depressed state, it is necessary to learn to rejoice,deliberately being in a good mood.
Cognitive psychology therapy for depression
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the best ways to deal with long-term depression today.
It is based on a change in outlook on things and events that happen to a person. Since it is extremely difficult to deal with depression using this method alone, this technique is used in the vast majority of cases in the process of psychotherapy. A person in a difficult life situation most often goes on a knurled track. And it is quite natural to indulge in sad thoughts if a separation occurs (or, even worse, the death of someone close to you). The problem is, it only makes the suffering worse.
However, if you manage to step back from the current situation and reassess it, look at things in a more positive light, this can be a cure for depression. For example, cancer patients, regardless of the severity of their condition, were in a better mood if they saw pluses even in their condition (“it’s good that I can still walk, but sick N. can no longer even move independently”).
Can depression be prevented?
There are several preventive measures you can take:
- if possible, do not make too high demands on yourself;
- do not blame yourself for all mortal sins;
- make a daily routine and followhim;
- reward yourself for accomplishments;
- exercise every day;
- communicate more often with loved ones;
- take occasional rest - both on your own and with your family.
Conclusion
Even in the worst depression, there is hope. Recent studies in the field of neurophysiology show that even minor changes in a person's lifestyle help to correct the neurophysiology of the brain. And as the mode of its work changes, changes occur in the dynamics of the depressive state. We do not always have the opportunity to change our location - but there is always a chance to change the direction of movement.
