As a rule, he does not realize that a person suffers from mild depression or subdepression. For several years, he suffers from a bad mood, perceives everything in a dark light, he is not pleased with things that pleased him before. This is subdepression, which is also called psychasthenia, dysthymia.
Differences
This ailment manifests itself in a special condition, which by its signs does not reach the ICD-10 criteria for the diagnosis of "major depression". As a rule, signs are insufficiently expressed, or social functioning is not disturbed.
Depending on the symptoms, subdepression is reactive and neurotic. However, there are not so many distinguishing features. The diagnosis takes into account lowered mood for at least 14 days, as well as any 2 of 9 criteria for depression. In the diagnosis of ailment, the scale of reduced mood of V. Zung subdepression is actively used. It allows you to identify a mild, moderate or severe degree of ailment.
How to identify?
Diagnosis of such a disease, as a rule, is difficult. Changes in appetite, sleep, energy level are sometimes observed in any person. In different life circumstances, everyone is anxious, hesitant, suffering from self-doubt and guilt.
But if all this accompanies a person for at least two years, this is an occasion for the diagnosis of depression, subdepression. The main manifestation of the disease is its chronic form, when during all this time a person does not see at least one reason to experience joy in life.
Causes
Given what it is - subdepression, treatment is carried out, first identifying the causes of the appearance of such a condition. As a rule, the basis is a traumatic situation. We are talking about mental trauma received at a young age and not treated. Those with a tendency to seasonal sadness are more likely to suffer from the disease. The thing is the lack of serotonin. When it is not enough, stress management is difficult.
The second reason for subdepression is a hereditary factor. In cases where ancestors suffered from it, a person is prone to depressive states. Under the influence of stress, symptoms begin to appear.
Another cause of subdepression is poor parenting. If in the early years of his life the patient suffered greatly from uncomfortable sensations, it will not be surprising that he will develop mental illnesses. When a child is not given enough love, they are brought up excessively strictly, they are not encouraged to have a good mood, considering it frivolous, he will most likely encounter a similar diagnosis.
Hazard rating
The disease becomes more dangerous due to the fact that people tend to underestimate both insignificant and significant degrees of severity of reduced mood during subdepression. Someone, on the contrary, extols such manifestations, seeing this as evidence of their own chosenness. People sometimes try on the image of tragic heroes.
According to psychiatric practice, underestimating such conditions is dangerous. In cases where the patient does not take special measures to get rid of subdepression, this leads to the development of depression.
Ways to deal with subdepression
First of all, it is worth remembering that people who are nearby make you think about yourself, even if they are not interesting to a person. Dystatic disorder often develops among those surrounded by pessimists. In such an environment, unspoken rules are established - not to stand out, live like everyone else, complain. For this reason, it is worth conducting an audit in your social circle. It is worth getting rid of nerds and losers, from aggressive personalities. In cases where those are close people, it is necessary to develop resistance to their words.
It is necessary to abandon hopeless and painful relationships.
The second way to deal with subdepression is to eliminate the desire to do everything perfectly. When a person becomes a workaholic, engaged in a business that is not too interesting for him, not noticing anything around, he once gets tired. If he refuses positive emotions and pleasure for a long time, chaos begins in his soul. It is best to view your hobbies, lifestyle. Probably, with depression, the body rebels against misplaced priorities, the wrong path.
It is also worth creating a list of priorities, asking yourself what you want more. It is recommended to set goals for the year, and it would be better if they are not associated with material values. The acquisition of machinery, furniture, as well as an increase in earnings are important in order to assert oneself, but not for happiness and health. Better identify more important goals. For example, physical or spiritual self-improvement, improving personal life.
In addition, with reactive subdepression, full communication helps. It is better to look at your current relationships with others and what prevails in them (nagging, asking for help or mutual understanding, altruism). If there is bias, it is best to achieve harmony in this area. Individuals should not be a source or receiver of negative information. A competent selection of interlocutors is required.
Often a feeling of inner emptiness fills a person when he has solved a difficult task in life. At first there is joy in the results, and then he begins to rest on his laurels. And then bright emotions are often replaced by negative ones. For this reason, it is necessary to periodically light the soul with fire. For example, to be inspired by new goals, meet old friends, get out into the countryside.
Doctors advice
As a rule, mild depression is treated during psychotherapeutic sessions. The doctor explains how to learn to control your emotions. Understanding whether antidepressants are needed in this case, experts do not agree on a definite answer. Many are cautious due to the fact that there is always a risk of developing addiction to such drugs. And this is a competent position: it is best to solve the problem, and not try to drown it out with medication if there is subdepression.
If you are going to use medicines, you should definitely contact a professional. It is important to see a doctor on an ongoing basis. Alternative techniques - electroshock, procaine therapy. It is necessary to ensure that the diet is balanced, and there are enough positive emotions in the lifestyle.
Signs
Often, subdepression is associated with the fact that a person loses his own guiding lines. His main goals in life may disappear, and new ones have not yet been identified. Then pessimism manifests itself in a person, the vitality decreases. He himself realizes that something is wrong with him. He was not tired of life, but he clearly lacked positive emotions.
Subdepression differs from its full analogue in that a person continues his activity. He works, does everything as before, but without enthusiasm, a taste for life.
At risk are healthy, intellectually developed people who have achievements in life, but who have encountered an obstacle. They can’t overcome it, bypass it.
In such cases, not a single list of pleasant things works that previously caused positive emotions. So, a person can have a prestigious job, family, material wealth. In theory, he should be happy. But it is precisely such people at the peak of development that have the problem, which is that nothing pleases them anymore. Someone gets used to this condition, because the human psyche adapts to everything. He begins to believe that this is an adult life, and only children are happy.
Patient behavior
As a rule, with subdepression, suicidal thoughts do not arise. A person is adequate, but rather indifferent to life. He can chase strong emotions in extreme sports. He delves a lot in the past, justifying his own mistakes. He may have a strong desire to complain. Moreover, complaints will be simple excuses; he will not want to discuss a way out of the situation. As a result, a person falls into a vicious circle, and everything repeats again and again. He doesn’t get any better.
False Friends
Some things with subdepression will actually be "false friends." They include medications. Although they temporarily alleviate the condition, the problem does not go away. And a specialist should pick them up.
Alcohol can aggravate a person’s situation. He runs the risk of falling into a binge, losing his job and family.
It is more useful to have sex. But in cases where subdepression was provoked by sexual problems, the effect will be the opposite. Often, trying to cure his soul, a person begins to be struck in the carnal joys, subsequently encountering conflicts and the destruction of the family.
Despite the fact that a person is in a special condition, suffering from a low mood, he does not completely withdraw from life during subdepression. He is able to understand what is happening to him, and, therefore, to find a way out of the situation. Subdepression per se is not a mental illness. But if you ignore the symptoms for a long time, a complication may well develop.