How to deal with depression? Causes and treatments for depression

Depression is one of the most common illnesses in the modern world. It has become so widespread that it does not surprise anyone. In response to the question: "How are you?" you can often hear: "Like everyone, again depression."

Relevance of the problem

How to deal with depression if a person has no mental strength to overcome this disorder? Scientists from different countries are struggling with this issue. This disorder takes first place among the causes of absenteeism at work around the world. According to rough estimates, currently about 150 million people become disabled every year because of him. To date, depressive conditions are the most common “female” disorder.

The generally accepted definition of depression is this: it is a mental disorder, accompanied by a "triad" - impaired thinking, loss of ability to rejoice, motor inhibition.

Signs

Almost every person at least once in his life experienced at least a state of mild spleen. If you can cope with this type of disorder by improvised means - for example, by means of "little joys" like watching your favorite movie or buying a new thing, then it is not so easy to deal with more serious conditions. What are the main symptoms of depression?

• Lack of strength, complete apathy. It is difficult for those people who did not go through this to understand why it is difficult 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 mental energy, enormous fatigue.
• Negative thoughts. Studies conducted by cognitive psychologists show: in a state of depression, the human mind is filled with negative thoughts about himself, about relationships with others. Often these are negative self-image, a sense of personal worthlessness. A person may be too anxious, feel guilty, think endlessly about past mistakes made.
• Irritability, aggression. Everything that happens around seems completely ridiculous. The surrounding people cause anger and irritation, asking their questions or distracting themselves out of place.
• Decreased need for intimate life. Sometimes libido may be absent altogether.
• Alcoholization Often people in depression try to fill their grief with 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, conversely, overeating). Depression can penetrate almost all spheres of human life. An early rise or, on the contrary, insomnia during the night away by themselves are not yet signs of severe depression, but these symptoms are worth paying attention to. When a person refuses food, this is a symbolic renunciation of life, and drowsiness is a means to escape from reality.
• Difficulty concentrating. For some people suffering from depression, even just reading books is an overwhelming task. They can lose the thread of events, constantly distracted by disturbing thoughts. Sometimes attention becomes so distracted that it is difficult for a person to make simple everyday decisions.
• Thoughts of suicide. Every person from time to time faces life difficulties. Scientists believe that thoughts of suicide on a particular segment of life visit every person. However, if they are accompanied by a reluctance to get out of bed and do everyday activities - this is a serious reason to seek help from a psychotherapist.

Causes

What can cause this disorder? Scientists identify several root causes of depression:

1. Genetics. A tendency to depression can be inherited.
2. Side effects of drugs (e.g. antipsychotics).
3. Parkinson's disease.
4. Cerebrovascular accident.
5. The use of hormonal drugs.
6. Financial difficulties.
7. Difficulties in personal life.
8. Elderly age.
9. The postpartum period.
10. Prolonged stress.

Main stages

There are three stages of depression in psychology:

• The first stage, otherwise called rejecting. A person does not realize what state he is in. At this stage, irritability appears, insomnia.
• 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 "corroding", when the body performs only the basic functions. At this stage, only a psychiatrist can help.

Possible consequences

If untreated, depression can be the most detrimental. It is terrible not only the suppressed state itself, but also its effect on the body. Decreased immunity and exacerbation of disease during depression is a common case. One of the main dangers of such a violation is suicidal tendency. However, in addition to these effects, depression can significantly affect 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 households, charge them with positive emotions);
• significant decrease in performance;
• sleep disturbances;
• reproductive health problems;
• weakness, fatigue;
• allergic reactions.

Features of depression in adolescents

Recently, the depressed state and suicide attempts among young people have become epidemic. Parents should be aware 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 adaptation, problems with study) seem insurmountable. Adequate treatment is prescribed only when contacting a doctor. Signs of depression in adolescents are as follows:

• lack of hope for a better future;
• disregard for oneself;
• suicide threats;
• avoidance of friends;
• irresponsibility;
• loss of appetite;
• sleep disturbances;
• alcohol, drug use, promiscuous sexual intercourse.

Overcome Depression On Your Own

For many people, the question of how to deal with depression is almost always relevant, because such a condition can be caused by external (and not always pleasant) events, season changes, stress at work. Therefore, it is always useful to know several practical ways by which you can quickly cheer yourself up. Psychologists give the following recommendations on how to get out of depression yourself:

• To be in crowded places. It can be a library, a shopping center, a street concert. It’s not even necessary to make contact with people. It is enough that a person is no longer alone.
• Reflect on alternative outcomes. Since treating depression with drugs is not always appropriate and safe, changing your mindset may be the most optimal way. In particular, this method is suitable for those who suffer from anxious thoughts, painful expectations of the future. Such reflections help activate the midline of the prefrontal cortex. And this, in turn, helps to control and improve the emotional state.
• To sleep. During the work of the brain, it produces a large amount of "waste" - a variety of biomass. First of all, it is represented by all kinds of decomposed chemicals. This biomass must be removed from the brain, because otherwise it can damage neurons. In a dream, a similar cleaning takes place. That is why for those who are interested in how to get out of depression on their own, often the best solution is just to sleep.
• Have fun. Recently, you can find many recommendations regarding the fact that in a state of depression it is useful to cry and in every possible way to express the accumulated experiences. 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 of 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 recipe for depression, appropriate at any stage. Light exercise can help get rid of the blues. The effective influence of sports on mood, according to scientists, is associated with the ability of physical activity to change brain neurophysiology. Depression is a condition in which all processes occur in slow motion. Sport helps to “push” the entire body into a state of activity.
• You can improve your mood and arrange yourself an easy victory. Organizing your success is quite simple: for example, it can be cleaning in the kitchen or doing work that was put off in a long drawer. Thus, self-esteem increases, which helps to overcome the feeling of uselessness inherent in depression .

Pharmacology Methods

Often, when you go to the doctor, depression pills are prescribed. Medications 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, Afobazole, and others like that.
• Tranquilizers "Grandaxin", "Medazepam", "Oxazepam") - weaken the internal tension, aggression.
• Antidepressants ("Amitriptyline", "Fluoxetine", "Paxil") - strengthen the emotional state.

Pills for depression can 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 drugs, but also to work out the psychological problems that caused this condition. Often the most optimal scheme is the simultaneous administration of drugs and work with a psychologist, during which the expression of suppressed emotions occurs. Indeed, depression often starts after experiencing external traumatic events. Unspoken feelings become fuel for depression.

There is a big difference between experiencing emotions and expressing them. If young children could not let adults know what they are experiencing, they would die - because then no one would know how to take care of them. When a person yawns, others also begin to yawn. It is easy to catch a laugh when someone laughs nearby.

Negative emotional habits

In a state of depression, all the feelings of a person are “hidden” inside - they are, although in fact he does not notice them. That is why a person experiences spiritual emptiness. During a depressed state , many develop the following habits:

• Denial - a person does not realize his feelings, does not notice the anger that actually overwhelms him.
• Isolation of emotions - experiences are “disconnected”. They are not just hidden, but not tested as such.
• Somatization - experiences are expressed through bodily symptoms: headaches, nausea.
• Repression. A person is experiencing bouts of unmotivated longing, sadness.
• Dependence on anger - outbursts of irritation seem to be taken for granted, a person suffering from depression expects quick forgiveness from others.
• Inability to rejoice (anhedonia).
• Apathy - indifference to current events.

To restore the ability to experience

Since it is impossible to fight depression without working through the senses, the first thing to do is “unfreeze” the hidden emotions. How?

The first thing to do is stop suppressing 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, they can cover bouts of anguish, anger. Since you can defeat depression and return to life only after working out hidden feelings, you need to pay special attention to this issue. To study the feelings, it is useful to keep a diary in which they will be recorded:

• date and time;
• mood swings;
• events that caused it (where, who, what);
• experiences.

Keeping a diary will allow you to track your mood, understand which events are pleasing and which ones are depressing.

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 condition 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, since subsequently something good is always followed by bad. However, to get rid of a depressed state, you need to learn to rejoice, intentionally stay in a good mood.

Therapy of depression in line with cognitive psychology

To date, one of the best ways to deal with prolonged depression is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

It is based on a change in outlook on things and events that happen to a person. Since it is extremely difficult to fight depression with this method alone, this technique is in most cases used in the process of psychotherapy. A person in a difficult life situation most often goes along a rut. And it is quite natural to indulge in sad thoughts if a breakup occurs (or, even worse, the death of one of those close to you). The problem is that this only exacerbates the suffering.

However, if you manage to step back from the current situation and overestimate it, look at things in a more positive light, this can become a cure for depression. For example, patients with cancer, regardless of the severity of their condition, were in a better mood if they saw the pluses even in their condition (“it’s good that I still walk, but patient N. can’t even move on his own”).

Can depression be prevented?

There are several preventative measures you can take:

• if possible, do not make yourself too high demands;
• Do not blame yourself for all mortal sins;
• make a daily routine and follow it;
• reward yourself for achievements;
• do sports every day;
• communicate more often with loved ones;
• periodically rest - both independently and in the family circle.

Conclusion

There is hope even in the most severe depression. Recent studies in the field of neurophysiology show that even minor changes in a person’s lifestyle help to correct brain neurophysiology. 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 - however, there is always a chance to change the direction of movement.