Depression is a serious illness that makes a huge number of people disabled — among its main symptoms- suffocating apathy. Unfortunately, many people think that incredible grief and suffering should be written on a depressed person’s face. Without noticing them, the patient begins to say something like “Get it together, a rag!”, “You really are fine- you look like a disabled and starving child!”, “Remember that life is beautiful!” And similar phrases, in this case completely useless. Everything else, the word "Depression" is used to the left and right as a designation of the usual blues and bad mood (for example, after parting with a girl or young man, and not because the weather is bad) - and many do not belong to the disease seriously, not realizing how painful it is.
Distinguishing depression from sadness is not so difficult. In depression, apathy and bad mood usually last more than two weeks and (this is very important) do not directly depend on external circumstances. That is, the mood drops without noticeable reasons. Someone sharply decreases self-esteem, someone sees the future in a gloomy light, and someone starts to gnaw himself for past mistakes without end.
Depression does not apply to any one sphere of life, but to everything at once (for example, if a person is bad at work, and in the evenings he dances at parties and turns his novels, he does not have depression- most likely, just need to change jobs). Finally, depression is usually associated with psychosomatic disorders, and they can be very different. Often there are unexplained headaches, shortness of breath, a feeling of heaviness in the whole body or a person has an increased appetite, he “seizes” his discomfort, and sometimes, on the contrary, he does not eat anything at all. He may have chronic insomnia, or, on the contrary, he can sleep all day, trying to get away from the world with his problems.
The sufferings of a person whose life has removed all the joy, are unbearable and can cause suicide. Although at the peak of depression, the patient, as a rule, has no will: he simply has no strength for anything, including suicide. Paradoxically, suicidal tendencies can manifest themselves during treatment, at its very beginning. Sometimes, when taking modern drugs, the will with energy returns to the patient earlier than a good mood. And this period is considered the most dangerous: the person is still very bad, and he can already commit suicide.
Antidepressants don't help anything- sometimes they help
Falling mood, loss of appetite, apathy is all neurophysical processes, specific malfunctions in the brain, in nerve cells. Yes, we do not fully know what exactly causes these or other malfunctions, and we cannot X-ray as in the case of a broken arm. But we understand that there is a failure. On the one hand, a person’s neural connections become less branched, on the other hand, a specific neurotransmitter, presumably serotonin, is missing in the brain. And all this can be repaired with the help of tablets.
If depression is the result of biochemical processes in the brain, then why does a person fall into it after the tragic events and cannot get out for months?
EVERYTHING IS INTERCONNECTED. Depression is conditionally divided into endogenous (due to internal causes) and exogenous (caused by external - permanent failures at work, death of a spouse, etc.). But one can flow smoothly into another. On the one hand, the lack of magnesium can cause a very real existential crisis in a person. On the other hand, obsessive unpleasant thoughts can change biochemistry in the head. Suppose a person has died someone close to: first, depression began due to psychological stress, then he constantly thinks about it, “winds up” himself - and changes the brain's neurochemistry.
But let it not disappoint you: according to the US Department of Health and Human Services, six out of ten feel better with their first antidepressant, but before the patient feels the benefits of the drug fully, at least six weeks pass.
Self-medication of depression
Some people try to reduce the manifestations of depression through self-treatment — alcohol, drugs and other habits (gambling, extreme sports, Internet addiction, etc.).
Many people believe that depression can be dealt with only with the help of sedative herbs (valerian, motherwort). As one of my mentors told that “to treat clinical depression with herbs — to smear depression.”
You can end individual manifestations, slightly reduce anxiety that often accompanies depression, but it is impossible to cure real depression.
Do antidepressants work at all?
Yes, but there are some nuances. Key questions usually arise regarding depression. Studies show that with depression, antidepressants do not help everyone, not always and to varying degrees. In the most qualitative and complete systematic review, it was established that antidepressants are more effective than placebo, but not by much. They are still often recommended for depression: we have no better drugs. These drugs can be combined with psychotherapy; in some cases, the normal option is to limit it to only.
Researchers have yet to figure out to whom and with what diseases antidepressants help best.
Is it true that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide?
Yes, such data exist. Studies are showing that people 18–24 years old who have not taken AntiDepressants before have a higher risk of suicidal behavior and thoughts during the first weeks of therapy than their peers with depression who do not take drugs or take a placebo. This risk increases about 1.5-2 times. But such results cannot be called reliable - in particular, because not so much research is of sufficiently good quality. In older people, the risk of suicide does not increase or even decreases.
In any case, it is evident that, without treatment, depression can also lead to suicidal thoughts and actions. In addition, the possible increase in risk found in studies does not mean that a person taking antidepressants will certainly decide to commit suicide.
However, if you seek true help to beat your depression and anxiety then documentary series by Jonathan Otto will greatly help you. He has devoted years of his life researching and investing diseases like depression, anxiety, auto-immune diseases and others and how these problems can be dealt with positive attitude, communication, confidence and a good diet.
Check all reviews of Mr. Jonathan Otto Works at: http://www.jonathanotto.tv/
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