All people are subject to some anxiety, especially if the work is associated with constant stressful situations. However, depression is a much more complex condition that requires qualified treatment. What is it and who has atypical depression?
What it is?
There are such varieties of depression: typical and atypical. The first variety has classic symptoms:
- depressed state;
- sense of hopelessness;
- lack of positive emotions from your favorite activities;
- irritability;
- difficulty in making decisions;
- tearfulness;
- sleep disturbances;
- decreased sex drive;
- mood swings;
- decreased appetite;
- thoughts of suicide.
Typical depression is easy to recognize, as changes in human behavior are most noticeable. Atypical depression is a more insidious disease, as its symptoms are not specific. This condition is more prone to individuals who in the past have already transferred the classic form of the disease. Doctors also consider the likelihood that this type of depression may be a subspecies of bipolar personality disorder or manic-depressive psychosis. Typical and atypical depression is a direct reason to seek qualified medical help.
Symptoms
How to recognize atypical depression? This condition can be distinguished by such a main feature as an improvement in mood after any positive event in life. Emotional reactivity in atypical depression is also accompanied by the following symptoms:
- increased drowsiness and an increase in the average duration of sleep;
- lack of saturation measures, which provokes overeating and weight gain;
- hypersensitivity to any failure, which greatly complicates finding a person in society;
- feeling of burden in the limbs.
Manifestations of the disease can be both multiple and single. What is atypical depression? This is a combination of the above symptoms, if the latter have no other medical explanation. Since with impaired thyroid function and hormonal failure, similar manifestations can also be observed. In order to find out the true cause of this condition, the doctor will definitely prescribe a blood test for hormone levels.
Causes of occurrence
It is believed that the development of a pathological condition begins as a result of a violation of chemical equilibrium in the cerebral cortex. This means that the balance of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine changes. The following factors may be prerequisites for such violations:
- loss of a loved one (death, divorce);
- genetic predisposition;
- frequent occurrence of guilt as a result of interpersonal conflicts in the family or society;
- violence - sexual, physical and moral;
- excessive excitement before important events in life - entering a university, moving to a new place of residence, replacing or losing a job, retirement;
- serious illnesses, such as cancer, HIV or stroke, that affect the way you perceive the world;
- alcohol or drug addiction.
Who else has atypical depression? The disease also occurs in people who are isolated from the outside world - both of their own free will and under the influence of external factors. Atypical depression occurs in individuals who need a constant presence within society, but for some reason this is not possible.
Types of disease
To date, there is no consensus on what is atypical depression. This term is applicable to any depressive disorders that have symptoms other than the classic manifestations of a pathological condition. It is customary to distinguish the following types of disease:
- Depression, which is formed by the atypical manifestation of psychopathic affective disorders.
- Apathetic depression, which is characterized by a decrease in somatosensitive drives (sleep, sexual desire, appetite).
- Anxious, hypochondriacal depression.
- Hysterical, delusional depression, to which the syndrome of obsessive movements can also connect.
With the atypical development of the disease, classical anxiety can be replaced by fears, fears, somatic complaints (headache, heaviness, discomfort in any part of the body, most often in the area of the heart).
Diagnosis of the disease
A psychiatrist is involved in the treatment of mental disorders. The diagnosis is based on the identified symptoms of atypical depression. Most of them may coincide with the classic mental disorder, however, there are also specific manifestations. According to the International Classification of Diseases, a diagnosis is established if 2 or more typical manifestations of the disease are observed, as well as emotional reactivity. This means that the person's sensitivity to minor negative situations that can occur daily increases.
Drug treatment
What to do with atypical depression? Doctors carefully study each case of the disease before prescribing therapy. The emphasis is on treatment with antidepressants IMOA (monoamine oxidase inhibitors). These drugs have several types:
- Non-selective irreversible - to improve the general condition of a person. These include drugs such as Fenelzin, Iproniazide, Isocarboxazide, Nialamide, Tranylcypromine.
- Selective reversible drugs. They have an antidepressant effect, help stabilize the balance of hormones in the cerebral cortex. These are Metralindol, Pirlindol, Behol, Moclobemide.
- Selective irreversible. Beneficial effect on the production of dopamine - a hormone that is responsible for the psycho-emotional state of a person. Most often, the drug "Selegin" is prescribed.
Antidepressants are sold exclusively by prescription. The standard course of treatment with one drug is 2 weeks, after which the drug changes as necessary.
Unauthorized administration and administration of antidepressants is prohibited, as they have a large number of contraindications and are toxic.
Psychological help
Treatment of atypical depression is impossible without providing a sick person with moral support. People in a depressed state react painfully to any external stimuli. The main goal of providing psychological assistance is to defeat the negative perception of everything around.
For this, there are basic recommendations for providing such assistance:
- Understanding. A depressed person should not feel guilty for a bad mood. In addition, it is important to refrain from condemning the patient and not trying to "dig" in his condition.
- Optimism. Such people are prone to negative perceptions of everything around them. It is important to unobtrusively show a person the positive aspects of life.
- Suggestion of self-confidence. One of the symptoms of atypical depression is pathological self-doubt. It is necessary to show such a person that there are things that he does best.
- Everyday help possible. It can be difficult for a sick person to tune in to perform routine tasks, such as cooking or cleaning, and this depresses him. It is necessary to provide all possible assistance and encouragement. In this case, a person can feel his need for other people.
- Do not respond to aggressive behavior. The patient is not able to control their own emotions, so they can often be frustrated by others. It is important not to react to such manifestations, but to transfer unpleasant conversations in a different direction.
To help in the recovery should not only close people, but also professional psychologists, psychiatrists.
Alternative treatment
Means of natural origin can have a positive effect on the general condition of a person in depression. They can be divided into 2 groups:
- Soothing. They help get rid of sleep problems, excessive anxiety and irritability. These include tinctures of Valerian officinalis, hawthorn, motherwort, oregano, heather.
- Stimulating. They are used to increase activity, with a breakdown, drowsiness, and a lowered concentration of attention. These are tinctures of herbs such as eleutherococcus, chamomile, Rhodiola rosea, ginseng, lemongrass.
Alcohol tinctures can be found in free sale at any pharmacy. However, before use, it is necessary to consult with your doctor about their compatibility with the main drugs.
Useful Tips
For a person who takes antidepressants, it’s important to follow a diet that minimizes the intake of fats and carbohydrates. It is also recommended to eat foods rich in tyramines (amino acids that have a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland):
- Cheeses
- smoked meat;
- legumes;
- coffee;
- chocolate;
- yeast products;
- red wine (however, its use is allowed only in minimal quantities and is prohibited if depression has developed amid alcohol or drug addiction).
The diet is selected by the attending physician based on what drugs the patient takes, and the characteristics of his body.
Forecast
Subject to all medical recommendations and taking the necessary medications, the chances of recovery are very high. After recovery, it is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle, abandon bad habits, minimize the occurrence of stressful situations so that the disease does not recur.
Preventative measures
In order to protect yourself from depressive manifestations, you must constantly monitor your mental state. For example, to learn to enjoy everyday activities, even from routine cleaning.
It has been proven that depressions are more susceptible to those people whose night's sleep is no more than 5 hours a day. Therefore, it is necessary to normalize your daily routine, devoting a large amount of time to sleep (at least 8 hours a day).
It is important to eat right, as it is with food that a large amount of vitamins and minerals enter the body, which affect the hormonal background. It is necessary to give up smoking and alcohol abuse.
You need to try to avoid conflict situations or learn how to solve them. A large number of mental disorders appear precisely against the background of guilt, which arises from unresolved conflicts.
A person needs to have goals in life in order for it to be rich and interesting. In addition, the goals set must be achieved for complete satisfaction. For starters, they can be insignificant - to buy new shoes, go to the theater. Gradually should get complicated. Thus, you can get rid of oppressive work and find a new one instead, establish communication with the opposite sex and make new acquaintances.