Depression: know it and face it

Depression: know it and face it

Quite often, we use the expressions "I am depressed" or "I have a depression", usually incorrectly, to mean that our mood at that time is not the best. But what exactly is depression? Above all: it is not just a state of mind but a disease with its causes, its symptoms, and its diagnosis and, of course, its treatment. It is important to highlight this because, on many occasions, the lack of perception in the patient's environment that it is a disease, and not a weakness or passing situation, can aggravate Depression.

As per the World Health Organization, depression affects more than 300 million people in the world, and one in five will develop a depressive condition throughout their lives. In Spain in 2015, 5% of the population suffered from this disease, that is, about two and a half million people.

WHAT ARE YOUR CAUSES? More than causes, we usually talk about risk factors, that is, indicators that increase the probability of suffering from depression. It is common not to find a specific cause or, conversely, that the disease is the result of several factors at once. The most common are: Personal situations: unemployment, death of a loved one, continuous stress, consumption of drugs or alcohol, change of residence (especially when it involves a difference in daylight hours), or any variation that destabilizes the personal psychological balance. It should be noted that women have a greater tendency to depression than men.

Previous diseases: cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's, migraine, heart conditions, and other diseases can favor depression.

Genetics and family factors: both the existence of close relatives with depression and the presence of health problems derived from the synthesis of serotonin (the neurotransmitter responsible for our mood).

HOW TO DETECT DEPRESSION? The most visible sign of depression is sadness, which occurs in an abnormally deep and permanent way, but there are also other symptoms:

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Disgust, inability to feel pleasure for what was previously interesting.

Feeling of having no strength at all.

Lack of attention and inability to concentrate on a task.

Insomnia.

Changes in appetite.

Digestive problems and appearance of pain without apparent cause.

Sexual dysfunction Weight loss of at least five percent for a month.

Anxiety.

Loss of confidence and self-esteem.

Suicidal ideation.

Depression can be mild, moderate, or severe, relying on the symptoms, intensity, and duration.

WHICH IS THE TREATMENT? Treatment will depend on the origin and severity of the depression. Therefore it is important to determine the cause and act directly on it. The treatments, which must be prescribed by a doctor, are usually comprehensive and combine all the actions that can improve the patient: Psychological treatment- The most used therapies are the following:   

Psychotherapy to try to change attitudes and abnormal behaviours.

Cognitive therapy to help correct negative behaviours and thoughts.

Behavioural activation based on techniques so that the patient himself learns to dominate his life and his environment.

Pharmacological treatment in order to improve the symptoms of depression and allow the patient to lead a normal life. There are different medications, and the doctor must assess which one is the most appropriate.

The positive effects of many of these drugs usually appear after two weeks of starting to take them, so it is important that the patient and his environment know it and follow the doctor's instructions.

The exercise has a therapeutic effect as it produces signals that affect all organs, including the brain.

For this reason, sport improves the mood and symptoms of depression. In addition, if the activity is done in a group, it is even more beneficial.

Up to 90% of patients who have experienced an episode of major depression will suffer another at some time in their life, especially if all the symptoms associated with the first one never disappeared.

To prevent this, the patient should continue with psychological therapies, and close people be very attentive to any sign that suggests a new depression.

SOMEONE IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT SUFFERS FROM DEPRESSION, HOW CAN YOU HELP HIM? The importance of close people is essential for the improvement of the patient, but it must be borne in mind that it can be very hard to try to help someone with depression. If you are in this situation, we give you some tips:     

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Learn about depression, its treatment, and what you can do. If in doubt, consult your doctor to guide you.

Help him keep his commitments made to improve: it is essential that he follows the treatment agreed with the doctor or psychologist.

Be an example of a healthy life, physical exercise, and fun: sharing good spirits with a depressed person can help you change your perspective and have more predisposition.

Praise each of his advances. Praises raise self-esteem and improve moods.

Take his thoughts seriously and be willing to talk: keep a conversation with him and tell him how valuable it is for you. Never make him feel belittled or guilty for suffering depression, and show yourself as a confidant and support.

If you are caring for someone with depression, it is essential that you find time for yourself: your rest and your mood are also very important.

Anxiety, partner of Depression Unfortunately, the anxiety may be an etiological factor of depression. That is, a depressive state may be preceded by periods of persistent anxiety.

Sadness is part of life. It is a natural response to a feeling of loss, defeat, disappointment, trauma, or catastrophe. Many times we say that we are depressed, but in reality, we are saddened. Normally the feelings of sadness begin to disappear, and although our days have ups and downs, the trend is more towards the ups. If this does not happen relatively quickly, the help of a professional may be necessary to learn how to adjust to the new stressful situation, for example, the death of a loved one or the breakup of a couple.

Depression can be caused by a serious illness, the effects of certain medicines, genetic inheritance, personality, or life problems. Or it can simply appear for no apparent reason.

Depression Treatment Reactive depressions are the most common. They do not have regular time cycles; usually, they do not respond quite well to psychotropic drugs, they are not genetically predisposed, and they do respond positively to different psychological therapies. It is a more benign state, and recovery is influenced by personality factors.

For more help, you can consult the documentaries and series produced by Jonathan Otto and read his reviews to know more.