Ilya Repin "Surgeon E.V. Pavlov in the operating room"How to overcome depression? Today, every person who is faced with a psychological problem can find many articles on the Internet on how to cope with such a problem. But this is a rather risky way.
The editors in such cases have always recommended and will recommend contacting a psychologist.
Depression, for a minute - this is one of the most common diseases of the 21st century! According to statistics, it suffers 10% population of the whole world. And these are just official numbers. Most people who are confronted with depression do not seek medical help, as they fear unpleasant consequences for life (registration with a psychiatrist, taking psychotropic drugs, dismissal from work).
But clinical studies have been carried out and it has been established that deep depression is a disease that cannot be resolved on its own. Sometimes the symptoms miraculously disappear themselves. But this does not mean that they will not be repeated again with even greater force.
The danger of deep depression is that it can make a person completely unworkable, divorced from social life and even lead to suicide.
We strongly recommend that you read our article on the symptoms and treatment of deep depression.
Women are depressed 2 times more than men, which is associated with constant fluctuations in hormonal levels. In this case, women cope with depression somewhat faster for many reasons. For example, it is easier for women to dare to visit a psychotherapist. Men from childhood are accustomed to endure and hide. Hello, strained aggression! Symptoms of the disease can occur at any time of the year, but most often they make themselves felt in the fall and winter.
Symptoms of the disease
Depression is not just a bad mood. Difficulties and experiences are an indispensable part of every person’s life. Depression is accompanied by numerous disorders in the emotional, volitional, behavioral, and even in the physical areas of health. Typically, the specialist diagnoses "depression" if the characteristic symptoms listed below are observed for at least 2 weeks:
- melancholy and depressed mood
- anxiety and irritability
- constant feeling of meaninglessness of life and its uselessness
- loss of previous interests
- concentration disorder
- reduced performance
- decrease in sexual activity
- social isolation, unwillingness to communicate even with the closest people
- neglect of daily duties (for example, house cleaning)
- sleep disorders (insomnia, prolonged sleep, drowsiness throughout the day)
- constant feeling of fatigue, which occurs even in the absence of high physical or mental stress
- loss of appetite or overeating
- severe weight loss or weight gain
- unwillingness to look after yourself, to dress beautifully and neatly, to follow the rules of personal hygiene
- decrease in motor activity
- low self-esteem, guilt
- the inability to enjoy the usual things, including delicious food, music, entertainment
- obsessive thoughts of suicide
- painful or unpleasant sensations in the body (muscle cramps, tingling in the abdomen, frequent headaches)
- slow thinking, difficulty in making decisions
Depression can have a profound form, with the following symptoms: prolonged sleep, persistent suicidal thoughts, hallucinations and delusions, inadequate reactions to external stimuli (for example, causeless aggression).
Overcome depression with medication.
There is no single effective remedy for depression. In order to alleviate the patient's condition and prevent recurrence, medications and psychotherapeutic methods are used in aggregate.
Treatment of depression is most effective in the complex: drugs and psychotherapy.
Many modern antidepressants are fairly safe and not addictive. However, the effect of their use is not immediately observed. Sometimes the patient should be patient and wait a few weeks or even months until his condition improves. Irregular use of medication or a sharp rejection of it greatly complicates the treatment of depression.
The drugs of the benzodiazepine tranquilizers class are less safe because, if they are stopped, they can cause withdrawal syndrome. For more information on the topic of medical treatment of depression, we recommend reading the article on drugs for depression.
Overcome depression with psychotherapeutic methods
It is possible to overcome depression with psychotherapeutic methods if the goals of such psychotherapy are correctly defined: to help the patient understand the cause of the internal conflict, restore social activity, return interest to life, change the way of thinking from negative to positive. Sometimes group psychotherapy becomes a lifeline for a person. All means are good, the main criterion in this case is the objectively improving condition of the patient.
Often, even the closest people do not understand that their friend or relative has experienced depression. They perceive changes in behavior and mood as manifestations of selfishness, laziness, and pessimism. At this time, a person needs emotional support and expert help. Be attentive to yourself and your loved ones, so you do not regret the sad consequences of depression. For a more complete acquaintance with the topic of behavior in case a loved one has become depressed, we recommend that you read the relevant article.
Always remember that if you suspect the presence of depression should consult a specialist. Only a doctor is able to make a diagnosis and determine the treatment vector. Self-medication can be extremely dangerous. Remember this and take care of yourself!
