Diagnosis, symptoms and treatment of prolonged depression

Each of us has ever experienced depression, a state in which mood deteriorates significantly, interest in our favorite activities disappears.

To the development of such an emotional decline lead various stresses and experiences, but, normally, with the passage of time, the depression recedes, and the person returns to his usual way of life.

But, if this does not happen after a long period of time, there is such a thing as prolonged depression. Symptoms and treatment of this pathology should be determined by specialists, since independent therapy can only worsen the patient's condition.

What does prolonged depression mean?

Prolonged depression is a condition in which a person feels weakness, depression, loss of interest to his usual affairs, and to life in general.

To fall into a deep depression is to lose the joy to life, unlearn how to see positive moments in it.

A person feels indifference to everything that happens around him, as well as to his appearance. And this state persists for a long period of time.

Often, patients suffering from protracted depression require the help of a specialist, since not everyone is able to normalize their emotional state on their own.

Reasons for the development of a long-term disorder

Stress, dramatic negative changes in life and other adverse factors, such as:

Characteristic features (impressionable and emotional people who take everything very closely to the heart are more prone to the onset of prolonged depressive states).
Mental disorders and deviations.
The loss of a close relative.
The news of the development of a serious illness (for example, cancer).
Financial problems (for example, the loss of a large sum of money or a permanent financial deficiency, when a person has to refuse himself for a long time).
Problems in the professional field (for example, unloved work, lack of understanding in the team, loss of work).
Retirement.
Chronic fatigue.
Troubles in the family (conflicts, quarrels, divorce).
Long-term use of alcohol, taking drugs (in this case, temporary euphoria caused by taking drugs or alcohol, is replaced by a long state of apathy).

Thus, the risk group includes not only overly impressionable people but also representatives of certain professions associated with intense mental or physical labor, as well as housewives (or unemployed), single and divorced people.

Stages of the formation and course of the disease

Prolonged depression is considered quite a severe psychological malady, which significantly affects the patient’s quality of life. Pathology does not occur suddenly and arbitrarily, is characterized by the phased development of its course:

the occurrence of a provoking factor, as a result of which a prolonged depressive state develops;
over the next few days, the person feels emptiness, apathy, loss of interest in life. In severe cases, there is a complete lack of performance, refusal to eat, any activity;
after a few days the emotional state improves a little, working capacity returns partially. However, in the absence of competent treatment, the person still does not feel comfortable.

Symptoms and signs

The manifestations of deep depression in each person are individual, however, There are several of the most characteristic and most common symptoms, such as:

Sadness, constant desire to cry.
Outbreaks of aggression, irritability.
Apathy to everything, even to those activities and hobbies that previously brought joy.
Lack of interest in life, the desire to achieve success.
Sleep disturbance (a person falls asleep worse, often wakes up at night, and in the morning rises much earlier than the scheduled time).
Breakdown (occurs in the morning, and, although the person is no longer asleep, all actions and decisions are given to him with great difficulty).
Deterioration of intellectual and physical activity (the thinking process is disturbed, movements and speech become slower, as if inhibited).
Feeling guilty, a person feels worthless, a loser.
Frequently repeated thoughts about death (in a serious case, attempts at suicide).
Pain in various parts of the body (pain occurs even when no physical disease is detected).

Diagnostics

Only a doctor can diagnose correctly. Diagnosis is carried out in several stages. The first is patient survey.

During the conversation, the specialist identifies a possible cause of the development of a long-term depression, and also determines its characteristic signs.

To receive more detailed picture the doctor must:

collect a family history (identify cases of depressive disorder in close relatives of the patient);
determine the type of patient's personality;
establish the presence of diseases and disorders (pathologies of a somatic and psychological nature) that can provoke prolonged depression;
identify the presence of alcoholism or addiction to drugs.

It is important not only to establish the presence of pathology, but also to determine its degree. For this purpose, special psychometric scales are used.

Each such scale is a set of multiple-choice questions. For each answer, the patient receives a certain number of points, and depending on their amount, put final diagnosis.

What is dangerous pathology?

Prolonged depression is a dangerous emotional state, which can lead to many disastrous consequences. The most difficult among them are obsessive thoughts about death and suicide attempts, however, they are found in the most severe cases.

Other dangerous consequences of the disease are:

Health problems. A person in a state of depression leads a sedentary lifestyle, ceases to follow his diet, play sports, and in general, just go out into the fresh air. Men often develop a predilection for alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. All this has a negative impact on the general condition of the body, provokes the development of serious diseases.
Nervous breakdowns. A person in a state of depression experiences only negative emotions, sadness, he is pursued by gloomy thoughts, which, accumulating, can provoke an outbreak of aggression and anger.
This, in turn, leads to problems in communicating with relatives and friends, which only aggravates the patient's condition.
Loss of meaning of life. A person seeks to communicate with other people less and less, gradually losing social connections. As a result, he has a feeling of his own uselessness and the desire to live a full life disappears.
Deterioration of appearance. In a state of depression, a person ceases to look after himself. As a result of this, excess weight appears, the condition of hair, skin, and nails deteriorates, and sloppiness arises in makeup (or its complete absence), clothes.

Treatment methods

What to do: how to treat the disease? The choice of a particular method of treatment depends on What is the intensity of the patient’s depression?as it affects its quality of life.

In severe cases, the person requires prolonged hospitalization, for example, when the patient shows aggression or suicidal tendencies.

With less pronounced manifestations of pathology treatment consists of taking special medication, as well as using psychotherapy.

Medicamentous

To eliminate the manifestations of the disease using 2 main groups of drugs. These are anti-depressants with a stimulating or sedative effect.

The first group (Clomipramine, Imipramine, Desipramine) prescribed for the treatment of depression, the main manifestations of which are apathy, sadness, lack of interest in life.

If the main signs of a depressive state are aggression, the desire for suicide, the patient is prescribed sedative (sedative) antidepressants (Azafen, Coxil).

The dosage and duration of treatment is determined by the doctor individually for each patient, and depends on his initial condition and the severity of the disease. Violation of the dosage can only worsen the course of the disease, lead to more serious complications.

Psychologist tips

Important points in the treatment of protracted depression are psychological training and conversations with a psychologist.

In the course of such conversations, the specialist gives the patient certain recommendations that must be strictly followed.

So, a specialist advises:

Stop feeling sorry for yourself. If a person over a long period of time will inspire himself that he is poor and unhappy, he will become so. Depression in this case will only intensify.
Do not dramatize. It is necessary to learn to persevere with all life troubles, to treat them only as a temporary phenomenon.
If a certain problem has arisen, one should try to solve it, and if this is impossible, come to terms with this situation, try to see some positive aspects in it.
To live an active lifestyle. If, at the onset of an unfavorable cause, a person locks himself in his house, stops going out and communicates with people, this will not bring him relief, on the contrary, only aggravate the situation.

Practical recommendations

How to deal with prolonged depression? No doctors and pills can help the patient escape from the state of depression, if he does not want this himself. The following simple recommendations will help you to cope with apathy and fatigue:

Healthy sleep. In order not to feel fatigue and bad mood, you need to sleep well. It is important to establish sleep and wakefulness and stick to it. So, it is necessary to fall asleep every day and wake up at the same time (in order to fall asleep better, you can create daily evening rituals for yourself, setting you up in a relaxed mood). It is important to take care of the quality of the bed so that it is comfortable and comfortable to sleep on it.
Proper nutrition. The use of useful products has a positive effect not only on the physical, but also on the emotional state. At the same time, there is no need to strictly limit oneself in food; it is important to pay attention not to the quantity, but to the quality of the food taken. There are many useful and tasty recipes that allow you to adhere to the principles of healthy eating without feeling exhausting hunger.
Phytotherapy. Various herbal teas, infusions, baths with the addition of fragrant herbal teas have a soothing, or vice versa, tonic effect, strengthen health, improve mood.
Sports activities. Physical activity is necessary for health. It is necessary to choose the direction of employment, which will take the greatest pleasure. It can be swimming, fitness, dancing. In addition, visiting sports clubs, a person makes new acquaintances, which is also necessary for the treatment of depression.
If you can not attend the club, you need to do daily at home, choosing a suitable set of exercises for yourself.
Personal care. Attractive appearance uplifting, promotes self-esteem.

Prevention

Strengthen your emotional state and reduce the risk of depression quite simple.

To do this, it is necessary to normalize your lifestyle so that work and physical activity necessarily alternate with periods of rest.

Wherein rest must be healthy. So, walks before bedtime, listening to pleasant music, engaging in interesting hobbies and hobbies are useful.

Prolonged depression is a serious illness in which apathy and indifference can alternate with bouts of anger and irritability.

Pathology significantly affects the patient's quality of life, and therefore, needs professional treatment.

Disease therapy includes taking medication, classes with a psychologist. Important also adjust your lifestyle. It is important to remember that only a few people can independently cope with manifestations of prolonged depression; in most cases, they need to see a doctor.

After all, only a specialist can determine the method of treatment, prescribe the dosage and duration of medication.

How to get rid of prolonged depression without medication? Find out from the video: