Psychologist Marianna Dubrovskaya how to get rid of depression. How to get rid of depression

Before I begin, I will say that I am suspicious of diagnoses. I remember the words of one doctor I know: “schizophrenia is the name given to all deviations that are not understood.” When it all started, I was less interested in psychiatric labels and more interested in the question: “What to do now?” Hospitals know exactly which drugs will work for certain manifestations of the disease, and structuring and creating names for them is the job of psychiatrists. Adopting names for different conditions seems to give them confidence. But I won’t downplay the merits of real professionals with whom I had the opportunity to cross paths; I just feel a slight irony now that the hardest part is behind us.

I am one of those who experienced what is called “post-psychotic depression”, and I was unable to get out of this condition as an outpatient. The connection with the doctor had not yet been established (we were almost strangers), and I was again advised to be hospitalized. If it were not for the difficult situation of psychiatric clinics, then I would consider the experience gained to be largely positive. The result of the month spent in the hospital was the cessation of delusional and hallucinogenic states, which allowed me to gradually return to the real world. In the clinic, as well as in any society, there are relationships between people, and it happens that communication continues “in the wild.”

This communication between people in the clinic is important, since this is the first community that a person enters after “traveling to another world.” It is also important that the patient’s relatives remind him in time to be careful when communicating, because some people may pose a threat. A person who has recently gone through acute psychosis is poorly protected from others and can easily become a victim of evil people.

Thus, after two hospitalizations, which lasted a total of six months, I went home under the care of a loving, but very strict mother. She made me go through a lot - quit smoking, do gymnastics, go to church. I want to convey to people that immediately after being discharged from the clinic, there is only part of a person in front of them, another part of him is still under the impression of another world, which is more real for him than the brush with which you brush your teeth.

It should be noted that before I got sick, I had successfully moved up the career ladder in different industries more than once, and being forced to work as a cleaner is unacceptable for my self-esteem. But there was no way out - after all, now in my past there is a violent department of a psychiatric clinic. My loving but strict mother made a common mistake, I would call it “premature forced socialization.” On the other hand, there is excessive, ubiquitous concern for one’s loved one who has become mentally ill. Even if he is still partially in his virtual world, let him warm up the food himself, so he can establish his still weak connection with reality. And when, having gotten out of bed in the morning, he was able to put the kettle on to boil, praise him, this is important.

I appeal to you, relatives of the patient, make every effort to maintain a golden mean in communication with him, which will not allow the person close to you to turn into a disabled person, will encourage him to become independent, albeit at first in ordinary everyday affairs, but, on the other hand, will protect him from unhealthy manifestations of his personality.

During these two years, I constantly communicated with my doctor, over time we established contact, and a suitable course of treatment was found. The therapy ended with our group of patients visiting a Swedish rehabilitation clinic.

After visiting Sweden, it was especially difficult to return to everyday life, which was so different from what I had seen. Despite external prosperity (I had a job that brought me enough income for a modest life), most internal problems remained unresolved. Who am I, where am I going and what is my place in this world? Going to church didn't help me along the way. On the contrary, I saw the unsightly underside of church reality, which plunged me into despair.

One day I realized that my life experience allows me to help other people. For example, the experience of getting rid of alcohol addiction is an excellent tool for helping those suffering who want to return to normal life. In search of a similar job, I ended up at the city employment center, where I was offered a position as a social worker.

The start of work marked the third period of my rehabilitation. It was not at all lighter than the previous ones, no, it was just different. The accumulated experience of illness and exacerbations helped to sense dangerous moments that could provoke a worsening of the condition and avoid them. My relationship with my parents also improved, and they gave me complete freedom. I feel great gratitude to my attending physicians, who helped me overcome a serious crisis and did not allow it to develop into a full-fledged exacerbation.

Over time, at work they came to terms with my not entirely formal performance of duties and became convinced of my competence. I was offered to receive a specialized higher education, to which I gladly agreed.

To date, seven years have passed since hospitalization. My life has become more measured, without bright ups and downs. I bring real benefit to people, which makes me endlessly happy. There is only a year left until I graduate from university, and I am already thinking about postgraduate education. And this is already the fourth period of rehabilitation.

Last update: 02/11/2020

Reading time: 14 min. | Views: 35295

Depression is translated from Latin as depressed human condition. This is a special mental disorder and therefore it is very important to know how to get out of depression on your own or with the help of specialists. After all, it is characterized by a decline in vitality and mood, pessimistic assessment of the surrounding world and oneself, including inhibited state of motor and intellectual development, somatoneurological disorders of the nervous system.

Symptoms of depression include: as low self-esteem of one's personality, various cognitive properties, associated with one’s own destruction and detachment from the external environment.

A person in depressed state differs from other people in the prevalence and diversity of underestimations of their personality.

So, from this article you will learn:

• What is depression, melancholy;
• Types and signs of depression (postpartum depression, etc.);
• Symptoms of depression in women and men;
• How to get out of depression - 10 tips on what to do and how to get rid of it yourself;
• etc.

What depression is, how to get rid of it and how to get out of this state, read further in the article. Types, symptoms and signs

Depression- This quite common mental illness to date. Doctors often equate it to a cold, since according to statistics, in percentage terms, these diseases are much more common than others.

You can often hear the phrase “ I am depressed"from a completely healthy person. Basically, this is how people who feel failed in any life endeavors.

But, despite their failures, a person continues to live in his usual environment, without making any changes to his life.

From another point of view, the person who is actually suffering depressive disorders, constantly experiences depressed state And feeling of helplessness And alienation who do not leave him even for a second, does not notice his painful state, or rather, simply does not want admit oneself to be sick .

This fact significantly disrupts people’s ability to adequately relate to the world around them and prevents them from communicating with work colleagues and with your family, since the ability to logically and adequately evaluate this or that vital important situation.

Today, depression is one of the main problems of the public. This is primarily due to the increase in this disease among people.

The relevance of this problem in Russia, according to psychologists, is associated with the economic crisis in the country. People have no confidence in the future, do not understand current conditions, are worried about their future and the future of their children, and in this regard The amount of stress among the population increases.

Depression is quite difficult to detect, which influences a more in-depth study of this disease and the causes of its occurrence.

Results only Scientific research will help create the most relevant approach to diagnosing depression and providing related assistance for people who are worried about stressful situations and other psychological disorders.

2. What is melancholy 😟?

Melancholy is a human mental disorder that is accompanied by a number of characteristic symptoms.

These include: inability to experience joyful events, a certain degree of reduced thinking, lack of good mood, decrease in active life position.

People in state of melancholy prone to negative reasoning about life and others, they have a pronounced pessimistic mood in relation to real events.

People with this disease lose any interest in your job, they have no appetite, own self-esteem is low. (We already wrote about how to raise your self-esteem in the article - ?)

Today, melancholy occurs in almost half of the population. According to statistics, after the age of thirty, approximately 70% women suffer from this disease.

The likelihood of mental disorders and teenage children, also quite high.

Today, medicine is very helpful in treating this condition. How exactly to recover from it is described in detail below.

Important point!

Before starting treatment, it is important to correctly clarify the diagnosis. That the disease is precisely depression, and not the usual blues, which happens in the spring or a typical mood swing and temporary life difficulties.

They require serious intervention from specialists and properly selected medications. biochemical, and psychosomatic consequences of the disease.

The opinion that depression is 21st century disease, is erroneous from the point of view of experienced doctors. Since this disease was known and quite common in the distant past. Medieval healers defined depression as the last and worst stage of melancholy.

In ancient times, this disease was treated with opium tinctures, mineral healing waters, cleansing enemas, and full-fledged And long sleep.

The causes of depression are usually complex disorders of the nervous system, the factors of which are internal or external influences on the human psyche.

3. Main causes of depression 📝

• Alzheimer's diseases.
• Increased load on the brain due to prolonged stress.
• Drug use.
• Psychological trauma, for example, death of a relative, loss of a job.
• Climatic or seasonal factors, for example, in spring or winter.
• Excessive physical or mental stress.
• Iatrogenic type of depression. Excessive use of medications.
• Various head injuries.
• Separation from a loved one.
• Changing of the living place.
• (the habit of postponing important things until later).

It is not uncommon for a person to develop a state of depression for no reason. According to experts, in such situations, an important factor is disruption of normal neurochemical functions in the human brain.

4. Signs of depression in women and men 📚 - symptoms of “disease”

The states of human depression manifest themselves in quite a variety of ways, and, in most cases, they affect the body as a whole. It helps specialists to accurately diagnose the disease. complex symptoms, and this in turn contributes to the appointment correct And effective treatment.

A doctor can prescribe certain medications, as well as concomitant therapy, only by conducting a general diagnosis of the patient's mental disorder.

As a rule, the physiological signs of depression differ from person to person.

For example, most people loss of appetite, and for some it is on the contrary significantly intensifies during the period of illness. The same feature applies to problems with full-fledged sleep person. One patient may suffer from insomnia, and the other– constantly wants to sleep and suffers from a feeling of fatigue around the clock.

Symptoms of depression are divided into several groups based on associated symptoms.

Symptom No. 1. Emotional manifestations of depression in humans

• Interest in life and the world around us decreases or disappears.
• Increased irritability, even for no particular reason.
• Depressed mood, feeling of melancholy and despair.
• Feelings of helplessness and guilt in any situation.
• Low self-esteem.
• State of anxiety and panic.
• Anxiety, for example, about your loved ones.
• Inability to be content with previously favorite hobbies.
• Expectation of a catastrophe and other unforeseen events.
• Loss of emotional sensitivity.

Symptom No. 2. Physiological manifestations of depression in humans

• Painful sensations of a psychosomatic nature. For example, arms, legs, stomach, heart, head, etc. hurt.
• Disturbance or lack of sleep.
• Low performance.
• Disorders of the human digestive system.
• Increased fatigue, even with minor physical exertion.
• Increased appetite, or its complete absence.
• Decreased sexual desire, up to the occurrence of impotence (in men).
• Weakness during any physical activity.

Symptom No. 3. Significant changes in people's behavior

• Alcohol abuse.
• Tendency to loneliness and unwillingness to communicate with other people.
• Lack of desire for entertainment and hobbies.
• Use of psychotropic and narcotic substances to improve mood.
• Passive life position.
• Replacing important, necessary and urgent tasks is a waste of time.
• Preference for a sedentary or lying lifestyle.

Symptom No. 4. Cognitive disorders of the human nervous system.

• Difficulty in making any independent decisions.

• Loss of clarity of thinking and inability to concentrate on anything specific.
• Loss of ability to concentrate your thoughts.
• Lack of attention.
• Periodic thoughts about committing suicide.

As with any disease, whether it is a cold or a cough, if you do not start timely treatment of depression with properly selected drugs, the patient’s condition will worsen every day.

At the same time, the number of symptoms of the disease and their severity increases, which can even lead to suicide properties patients, especially, if we consider teenage depression.

It is not uncommon for a sick person’s thinking to be so critical that they can easily be mistaken for a person’s dementia, instead of a serious mental disorder associated with an advanced state of depression.

Often the disease is accompanied by increased attraction of one’s own attention to life’s problems. Patient, usually, I'm completely sure that he has mental, or somatic disease.

In order for a doctor to make a correct diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment, stable ( at least 14 days) the presence of any of the above signs of depression in a person.

5. Main types of depression 📑

1. Endogenous depression

Endogenous depression is a severe type of disease. She brings a huge amount of suffering, like the sickest person, as well as his family and all the people around him.

To detect an endogenous type of depression in a person, there are certain symptoms.

These primarily include: inability to fall asleep in the evening, and early awakenings at dawn, lack of interest in the environment and society.

There are also external signs of this type of disease. These include: increased state of anxiety, systematic presence of causeless sadness and melancholy, depressed state of a person.

Secondary signs that a patient has endogenous depression are: slow motion, constant stoop, quiet and hesitant speech.

The external features of such people are lifeless, dull hair, as well as an sallow and gloomy complexion.

Characteristic signs the presence of an endogenous type of depression in a person is slow thinking And reasoning, absence concentration And attention, memory problems, absolutely not no desires or interests.

Advanced forms of this serious mental illness lead to a deterioration in the general condition of the patient, apathy towards the surrounding world and society as a whole occurs. Patients characterize their well-being as a heaviness in the soul, a depressed state similar to the duration of a serious illness and other similar symptoms.

People with this disease usually , with indifference relate to all surrounding citizens, including closest relatives. They withdraw into their inner world and think only about their difficult fate in life.

Such patients try in every possible way to distance themselves from their social position in society.

2. Manic depression

There is a group of people who, during the course of the disease, develop megalomania, inappropriate behavior in one situation or another, causeless change of mood, For example, sudden onset of joyful emotions, or, conversely, sadness. This type of mental disorder in a person is called manic depression, in other words, bipolar mental disorder .

This disease makes people irritable, overly active and quite self-confident.

Manic depression can be expressed in various forms.

The initial stage of this human mental disorder is a mild form of the disease called - cyclothymia . Citizens suffering from this type of depression experience constant mood swings. They may cry or laugh for no reason. The initial stage of mania (mild form) appears.

The most dangerous is bipolar , in other words, major depression. During the stages of exacerbation of this serious mental illness, a person develops obsessive thoughts about committing suicide, and during the manic phase of depression, all bad thoughts instantly disappear, clarity of mind and sobriety of mind appear. In addition, these patients are not able to foresee in advance the dangerous consequences of their own actions.

Not rare dysthymia diseases . This is depressive nervousness, the mildest stage of a person’s depressive disorder. Otherwise it is called minor depression or minor depressive disorder of the human nervous system. This includes postpartum depression , which is described in detail below.

In its various manifestations, depression is a condition of a person in which he disfigures the manner in which he behaves in society as himself. No person is immune from diseases of the depressive disorder of the nervous system.

A state of depression can hit absolutely anyone century a, old And young, single people and divorced or have never had a family, poor And millionaires. By the way, we also wrote in the previous article.

In the life of every citizen, events may arise that will certainly lead him to overexertion and stressful situations, which are the initial stage of a depressive disorder of the human nervous system, especially if unpleasant events simultaneously overtake the psyche or if they follow a systematic sequence.

When women seek psychological help, in most cases it is discovered and diagnosed major depressive disorder nervous system, compared with cases of male patients seeking help.

Experts on this matter have the opinion that women more often recognize their condition as a serious illness and rush to visit a doctor, and men They try to treat themselves, so they rarely go to the hospital.

But, as a rule, depressive experiences such as loneliness, helplessness, sadness and other mental disorders more common in female patients . In such states of depression in men, instead of qualified help from a specialist, they prefer to drown out their sorrows and adversity with the help of alcoholic beverages or other substances that can temporarily improve their mood and give imaginary self-confidence.

3. Masked depression

The stage of such depression, which occurs unnoticed by other people, is called camouflaged, or hidden depression. Experts consider it not as an independent disorder of the human nervous system, but as a result alcoholism or acceptance of other psychotropic substances, uplifting. In such a situation, men are practically don't ask for help .

A person's depressive disorder can manifest itself in a wide variety of forms. In certain situations, people's states of depression differ in their severity. For some, this state is clearly visible to others, while another category of people hides their psychological state from outsiders.

Easy, depression occurs in a situation where, against the background of certain symptoms, a person has a loss of strength and mood, he finds the strength to do his daily work and his usual activities.

Moderate, depression is when a combination of symptoms of a mental disorder prevents you from properly performing daily work.

Severe depression, this is when a person has all the signs of a nervous system disorder and they are noticeable to others, and also all these symptoms completely prevent the person from doing everyday activities and work.

4. Clinical depression

Clinical depression is otherwise called big, or monopolar depression. This form of disorder of the human nervous system is most common today.

Entitled " Clinical”, implies the presence of a single extreme position in the range of emotions. It is characterized by only one type of patient's mood, for example, sad or depressed.

In most cases, this mood does not go away during the day, and also causes insomnia, decreased appetite, mental anguish and pain, lack of joyful emotions, inability to concentrate on anything.

In such a condition, patients usually, consider themselves useless to anyone, and view their position in society or at work as absolutely meaningless and useless. Such people have very low self-esteem.

The points of view of experts regarding the occurrence of depression in people are divided.

Some doctors think that the disease is directly related to abnormal processes in the human brain. In most patients, the tendency to this disease is hereditary.

Other reasons include the following factors: stressful situations, postpartum period in women, death of relatives, feelings of guilt and helplessness, various stressful situations.

Doctors distinguish 4 main groups of symptoms of depression:

• Mood disorders. People have causeless, obsessive thoughts about their guilt in something, a feeling of loneliness and despair arises, they are constantly in a state of melancholy.
• Variable behavior. The person is completely withdrawn from communication with others, it is difficult for him to concentrate his thoughts, his thoughts are vague.
• Physical manifestations. Changes in body weight, disturbance or complete lack of sleep, systematic pain in the head.
• Complex mental disorders. The simultaneous presence of several of the above symptoms of depression.

The patient himself is not able to adequately assess his own well-being, since the symptoms of a person’s mental disorder can manifest themselves in different ways, and can be expressed to a greater or lesser extent.

The depressive state completely affects the mental state of citizens, clear thinking deteriorates to a large extent.

6. Main signs of depression 📋

Experts identify two main signs of depression.

These include: lack of interest in the joyful events of the surrounding world, a persistent feeling of melancholy and depression and extreme stage of the disease, this is complete indifference to all the people around and everything that happens in the world and the public. Constant feeling of sadness and depression, feeling of hopelessness And misunderstanding the meaning of one's life lead not just to sadness and tears, but to acute mental pain diseases.

When depressed, most people withdraw into themselves And do not want to communicate with others. In the process of such a psychological illness, a person’s attraction to the opposite sex disappears, and difficulties appear in achieving orgasm and erection.

During depression, a person's physical condition changes. He differs from those around him by his slow gait, quiet speech, stoop; in medicine this condition is called psychomotor retardation patient.

But there are also situations when people have an absolutely similar physical condition. They are distinguished by accelerated and restless movements, speech is loud and fast. This condition is called - psychomotor agitation .

State of depression much affects people's feelings and thinking. Usually, all patients' thoughts are directed towards negative moments of life. Pronounced, difficulty concentrating on a specific issue, difficult thinking, a person has memory problems, absent-mindedness, confusion of thoughts.

In such a state, a person’s feelings and thoughts do not reflect reality. The patient experiences anxiety, has low self-esteem, is surrounded by his own fear, guilt and feels useless to anyone.

Psychological feeling dissatisfaction with oneself And own life often intensified by all sorts of manifestations: the patient periodically has not only thoughts about suicide , but also his attempts, or developed plans to commit suicide.

Major depression is divided into several forms.

Psychopathic depression, during which hallucinations and delusions appear in the patient, the number of suicides increases significantly and treatment under the supervision of specialists is required.

Atypical depression when a mixed picture of the above symptoms is expressed.

Postpartum depression, observed in women after childbirth.

Dysthymia

Minor depression is called dysthymia. This is a protracted mental disorder of a person, which is accompanied by a lack of joyful events in life and emotions.

Dysthymia may last for several years. The accompanying gloomy mood of people during such a disease often leads to loss of work and family.

Previously, treatment of dysthymia was carried out using psychotherapy, and mainly psychoanalysis. There are other ways to get rid of this disease. These include: interpersonal, cognitive, behavioral therapy. Most experts say that mixed treatment with the simultaneous use of medications and psychotherapy is the best.

Spring depression - seasonal affective disorder

A special form of depression that occurs only at certain times of the year, e.g. in autumn or in the spring.

Many citizens who suffer from such a mental disorder may feel great throughout the year, but at one time or another they experience lethargy and a depressed mood.

According to statistics, this disorder most often occurs in the fall and ends by the beginning of spring. But there are other categories of citizens who suffer from depression at other times of the year. As a rule, spring depression occurs in women, but is less common in men.

Symptoms of this disease are: fatigue, drowsiness, loss of appetite, decreased performance, inability to focus one's thoughts on a specific issue, increased irritability, sense of anxiety, reluctance to communicate with other people.

Seasonal mental disorder goes away, without any special therapy, with the onset of another season. People feel a surge of strength and vitality.

Today's specialists can't answer definitively, what exactly is the cause of such depression. Basically, they indicate a decrease in the level of the joy hormone in people during a certain period of the year. Typically, this mental disorder is hereditary.

Bipolar depression (mania)

During bipolar depression, people experience changeable mood . It can suddenly go from joyful emotions to sad well-being, or vice versa. On average, this category of patients has an absolutely normal mood, despite systematic changes in it during the depression phase.

During exacerbations, a person exhibits symptoms similar to those of major depression: excessive activity, emotional arousal, and increased self-confidence. Usually, such changes in people’s moods are absolutely unrelated to current life problems.

The course of this disease disrupts a person’s usual activities and causes difficulties in performing daily work.

Develop and experience attacks of bipolar depression may happen in a completely unexpected way. People can experience all kinds of anxiety during the attack phase of a mental disorder. It is difficult for them to concentrate on anything, there is a feeling of guilt and alienation from the world around them.

There is also an opposite phase of mental disorder, as a result of which a person is different excellent well-being, elevated thinking abilities, feels a surge of energy and is in an inexplicably high spirits.

As mania increases, the patient's agitation increases, and his actions may become completely unexpected. Feelings of immense joy can change in an instant to indignation and anxiety.

For people with such depression, various failures and downfalls in life are unacceptable. They experience excessive attacks of anger and inflated demands on the people around them.

The lack of a critical attitude towards one's own condition is a distinctive feature of mania.

In what situations is an overly joyful mood regarded as a sign of mania?

• The need for rest and sleep disappears.
• Instant change of thoughts.
• Feeling of greatness and high self-esteem.
• Obsessiveness in communicating with others and increased talkativeness in general.
• The tendency to be distracted by extraneous elements that are not relevant to the task.
• Hobbies for something that will lead to complications in the future.
• Increased activity and acceleration of movements in all areas of life.

Only in a situation where the above symptoms are expressed quite clearly and also interfere with the normal existence of a person and his presence in public places, experts confidently put diagnosis of mania and prescribe appropriate treatment.

In severe cases, the inexplicable self-confidence of a patient diagnosed with mania may gradually turn into delusions of grandeur. With such a psychological disorder, a person decides for himself that he has the ability to communicate with supernatural invisible objects and recognize their voices. This behavior of patients is very dangerous for the people around them.

With mania, the speed of thinking in the brain increases significantly, the patient’s motor activity increases, and sexual desire increases.

Other forms of bipolar disorder are rare. These include: accelerated circular disorder And gloomy mania.

The symptoms of such diseases are similar to the above-mentioned causes of psychological disorder in people.

7. What causes depression in women 🙍‍♀️?

There are several types of depression that can develop in women.

These include:

1. Agitated depression. The disease is associated with self-preoccupation, loss of social status and self-criticism.
2. Pathological form of depression. Usually causes the death of relatives and close friends.
3. Alcohol or drug use. Occurs with excessive consumption of alcohol or psychotropic substances.
4. Iatrogenic depression. It develops from the uncontrolled use of medications, usually with a sedative or hypnotic effect, without a doctor’s prescription.
5. Somatic. Caused by diseases such as brain tumors, hydrocephalus, sclerosis, epilepsy, thyroid diseases and others.
6. Postpartum depression and depression in pregnant women.

All types of these mental disorders are accompanied by hormonal changes and other physiological processes in the body of women.

Postpartum depression

Mental disorders in women are significantly affected by excess active substances in the body that are responsible for the normal production of beneficial hormones that help maintain normal human mood.

Usually, depression in pregnant women or those who have given birth to a baby in the last six months arises and ends on their own, without any reason or medication.

But if the signs of a mental disorder are sufficiently pronounced, immediate medical intervention and concomitant treatment are required. According to statistics, depression after childbirth Approximately 40% of women are affected different age categories.

Postpartum depression is a disorder of the nervous system that develops in women from 0 before 6 months after the birth of the child.

A recurrent disorder of the nervous system that occurs around 15% women of childbearing age is called premenstrual syndrome.

During the course of this disease, women experience nervousness, sleep and appetite disturbances, and a broken and depressed mood. This period lasts no more than two weeks and ends with the onset of menstruation.

Depression. Symptoms in women. How to get out - advice from doctors and psychologists

8. Signs of depression in women 🙅‍♀️

Very often, the onset of depression directly associated with hormonal imbalances in the body . They affect the fertility of women of the appropriate age. In a woman’s body, this period is divided into several stages.

These include: menstrual cycle , pregnancy and childbirth , menopause. Peculiar changes in hormonal levels in the body occur in each of the listed periods. These features of the female body disrupt certain functions of the nervous system and, therefore, affect mental state generally.

Patients with such nervous system disorders experience mood swings depending on one or another phase of the menstrual cycle within 1-2 weeks.

Often leads to depression pregnancy, regardless of whether it is long-awaited or not.

But, oddly enough, abortions can only in exceptional cases cause depression. The greatest likelihood of depressive disorders in women is the time of birth of the baby, this is not affected by what kind of child was born.

Postpartum depression can be a mild form of nervous disorder, or a severe form of depression, which can occur several weeks or months before giving birth.

Experts say that such depression cannot come suddenly, and this is due to the fact that woman and previously had mental problems, but did not turn to doctors for help.

The psyche of women in labor is also affected by a sharp decrease in hormone levels. This condition is explained by the stressful situation associated with childbirth, as well as the occurrence new difficulties And responsibilities in your life, which are added with the birth of the baby.

In particular, postpartum depression is directly related to unsuccessful childbirth, problems in the family, financial troubles and other factors.

Not so dangerous for depression is menopause in a woman. Experts say that mental disorders during menopause are no different from depression, which can occur in any other period of life.

The most susceptible to mental disorders are those categories of women who have previously experienced nervous system disorders.

Today, depression in young girls is quite common. (ages 14 to 29). The risk of all kinds of mental illnesses in the younger generation prone to depression 4 times higher.

In girls at a young age, during periods of nervous overstrain, digestive disorders, they are prone to overeating, or, conversely, completely refuse to eat food. Such mental disorders often lead to other various diseases, and also significantly affect the physical development and health of the body.

If you refuse food, you may develop a serious disease called anorexia, which leads to a decrease in the resistance of the young body and contributes to the emergence of no less dangerous diseases, such as tuberculosis or pneumonia, as well as others infectious diseases.

How to help a girl cope with depression?

The general condition of the patient requires sufficient attention. Since problems associated with the digestive system require long-term treatment by a psychiatrist.

First of all, symptomatic therapy is carried out to promote the overall strengthening of the body. Nutritionists select special nutrition for the patient, and doctors monitor her general well-being.

Treatment will be most successful if started in a timely manner.

Stressful situations in women

The influence of various stressful situations on a woman’s body causes a high percentage of depression.

Stressful situations include:

• caring for a small child,
• troubles And disappointments in personal life,
• lack of a life partner,
• loneliness.

Great amount divorced women suffer from depression.

Many women break up with their loved ones, which can lead to reactive depression, which is severe and requires long-term treatment.

Women with a distinctive character are most often subject to mental disorders due to their imbalance or excessive self-confidence.

Symptoms of reactive depression

• Self-criticism is increased without any reason.
• There is no interest in everyday life and the surrounding society.
• Poor memory and difficulty making independent decisions.
• Sleep disturbance and increased causeless irritability.
• Having periodic obsessive thoughts about suicide.
• Constant feeling of fatigue.
• Headaches and general physical exhaustion.
• Increased heart rate, pain in the heart area and blood pressure problems.

Depression among citizens male occurs less frequently than in women. As is commonly believed " men do not cry”, and it is this expression that they try to live up to in everyday life.

But such a statement does not save men from the occurrence of various mental illnesses, including all kinds of depression.

The main symptoms of depression in men are: inability to control your emotions, weakness, inability to independently overcome all kinds of life obstacles, problems in your personal life.

According to experts, it is quite difficult for men to express their own emotions and feelings due to ordinary shyness.

Usually, men do not discuss personal problems or difficulties in the workplace. They believe that they can independently overcome possible obstacles that, one way or another, are present in their daily life.

Among men, few would consider visiting a psychiatrist for drug treatment of mental health problems. Men also practically do not turn to psychologists for the required consultation.

Male depression - signs and symptoms

9. Signs of depression in men 🤦‍♂️

Among the main signs of detecting depression in men are the following:

• Systematic use of alcoholic beverages or various drugs.
• Gambling addiction.
• Aggressive and unstable behavior.

The listed signs are only capable of suppressing a serious disease for some time, which requires immediate treatment.

Get out of depression with alcohol For example, no man can. In addition, the above signs of depression contribute to a deterioration in psychological condition and a difficult situation in society and family. There is no need to worry about depression and related symptoms.

The best way for a man would be to contact a specialist for help in a timely manner. Only a psychotherapist will help improve your quality of life and get on the path to recovery.

The same stressful situation in different men can cause the development of a complex form of depression, or get by with a minor mental disorder.

The following life troubles can be causes of stress:

• Dismissal from permanent job.
• Unsuccessful relationships with women.
• Difficulties in personal life and family.
• All kinds of psychological tragedies.
• Assignment to perform a responsible and complex task.
• Financial difficulties.
• Lack of purpose in life.
• Changing of the living place.
• Retirement age.

In addition, one can cite many cases of psychological disorder in men without any significant problems of apparent causes of depression.

It is important to note that in a situation where a person has previously had difficulties with emotional and mental state , then subsequently a minor stressful situation will be enough to cause a serious mental disorder and prolonged depression.

The factor of heredity is also important in the possibility of depression occurring with minor stress.

Experts say that the tendency to such a state is passed on from generation to generation, and in such a family it is very difficult and almost impossible to avoid problems with mental disorders.

Children from such families require a special individual approach. Recommended limit them in possible ways from stressful situations, and if the slightest suspicion arises of possible deviations in mental development, you must immediately seek psychological and medicinal help from specialists in order to avoid serious complications and disastrous consequences.

10. Depression in men and women: what are the differences 📖?

From the above it follows that men suffer from depression almost 2 times less often, compared to women. This feature is primarily explained by the high dependence of the women’s body on hormonal levels.

Lability of the nervous system of women is another reason for such statistics. Like the fair sex, emotional reactions are more pronounced. Often, it is enough for a woman to say a thoughtless word for her to develop a severe form of depression.

The duration of depression in men is significantly shorter., compared with the course of female psychological disorder. Depression in women usually lasts for several months and can last for years. Only with the right treatment can you get rid of this serious disease.

Despite the fact that depression in men is not as long-lasting, the disease can develop intensively And be more severe.

According to statistics, suicide attempts men commit more often than women. Since the weak half of the population needs quite serious reasons for attempting suicide, rather than the loss of one or another interest in life.

Women, even during depression, can go to work and do everyday household chores, but men are practically unable to do this during periods of mental illness.

How to get rid of depression on your own - advice from psychologists. Treatment of depression

11. How to get out of depression on your own - 10 tips from a psychologist to get rid of depression 💊

Proven advice from psychologists will help and advise how to get out of depression on your own when you have no strength to do anything.

Tip #1. Take responsibility.

Tip #2. Watch interesting and inspiring TV shows and movies.

Tip #3. Avoid solitude and loneliness. Communicate with people around you more often. Attend interesting events. Find yourself an exciting activity or hobby.

Tip #4. Allow yourself to accept help from other people.

Tip #5. Turn to the spiritual world.

Tip #6. Avoid alcohol and other drugs completely. They negatively affect the state of people’s psyche and worsen it with each use.

Tip #7. Regulate your sleep. Only long and healthy rest can restore the human nervous system.

Tip #8. Get some exercise.

Tip #9. Do something useful for the people around you unselfishly - show love to them, and they will reciprocate.

Tip #10. Use affirmations.

12. How to deal with depression 💉?

In modern medicine, any, even the most complex forms of human mental disorders can be cured. It should be noted that treatment will be most effective if it is started at the first signs of the disease.

Today it is difficult to avoid constant stress at work or in personal life, but properly selected drug treatment will help cope with life’s difficulties.

Only highly qualified specialists can help avoid depression, this psychologists And psychiatrists.

One of the most common treatments for depression is psychotherapy. The doctor will help you learn how to communicate correctly with people around you, change your negative style of thinking and behavior to a positive attitude towards life.

A specialist will help normalize a person’s emotional comfort and advise how to avoid the recurrence of a mental disorder. In cases of severe disease, it is used electroshock therapy for patients. It is prescribed in situations where the patient for some reason does not take or cannot take the necessary medications, or in cases where the patient’s condition poses a threat to his life or the life and health of the people around him.

The main drug treatment is application antidepressants . Select, advise and prescribe who can only professional doctor.

Self-medicate Not recommended, and even, it is strictly prohibited. Only a specialist can correctly select drug therapy that is safe for the patient’s health and most effective in a particular case of a person’s mental disorder.

During postpartum depression, as a rule, a woman breastfeeds her baby. In this situation the selection of medications must be particularly careful so that during the treatment of the mother it does not harm her little child.

Improvement in the patient's condition is evident in the first weeks of taking medications prescribed by the doctor.

But, it is necessary to take into account that in order to achieve a good treatment result and its stability, as well as to avoid repeated mental disorders, use medications it takes at least six months, and in some cases even several years.

13. How to get rid of depression on your own 📌?

In addition to drug treatment of depression, it is widely used today and is quite effective. aromatherapy. This is a great way to get rid of some types of mental disorders without using medications.

This type of treatment for the disease will be an ideal option for women, suffering postpartum depression, since not all medications can be used by them.

Aroma oils penetrate the human body through the pores and contribute to general improvement in well-being. With the help of such products you can lift your mood, since the aroma of oils has a positive effect on the human brain.

There are several ways to use aromatic oil. You can simply breathe them indoors, add a few drops while taking a bath, or use essential oils during a massage.

There is a huge variety of aromatic oils to get rid of mental disorders. The most effective are: lemon balm oil, rosemary, lavender, orange and many others.

14. Treatment of depression: 2 main ways 💡

Depression is a serious medical condition and patients require comprehensive treatment.

If stressful situations gradually go away on their own, then the diseases they cause will never go away without a trace unless effective, properly selected comprehensive treatment is started in time.

Today there are two main types of treatment for depression, This self-treatment, or with the help of doctors.

You can cure yourself only the initial forms of the disease, which have minor symptoms and last a short period of time.

Treatment by specialists is the most preferable and effective option. Since it is almost impossible (or very difficult) to get out of depression on your own when you have no strength to do anything.

Doctors, usually, are not supporters of self-treatment of diseases, especially if it concerns complex mental disorders in humans.

Let's take a closer look at the most modern, safe And effective methods of treating all kinds of mental disorders.

It should be noted that, first of all, successful therapy depends on established emotional contact between the patient and the psychotherapist. Only with a trusting and friendly relationship, the result of the therapy used will not be long in coming, and it will also be stable and more pronounced.

Main areas of treatment:

• Hypnotherapy.
• Social therapy.
• Classical psychotherapy.
• Treatment with drugs.
• Electroconvulsive therapy.

Today experts are trying to use aggressive ways to treat depression, namely, electroconvulsive, or drug therapy, exclusively in serious health problems, when the mental disorder is complex and lasts long enough.

The main drugs for the treatment of psychological disorders are sedatives and various antidepressants. For each patient, doctors select drug treatment individually.

To achieve the best treatment result and its long-lasting effect, the desire of the patient himself to get rid of depression forever is of great importance.

During the rehabilitation process, patients are obliged to strictly follow all doctors’ recommendations, as well as monitor their own behavior and try to establish friendly and trusting relationships with people around them.

What to do to prevent depression?

In order to prevent all kinds of psychological disorders, it is recommended to monitor the occurrence of initial signs of depression, and also try to get rid of them in a timely and effective manner.

If you think that you have become irritable And hot-tempered If you notice mood changes, lose emotional attraction to everyday activities, have problems sleeping, then you urgently need to think about proper rest, or a change of job and other changes in your life.

Healthy and long sleep is one of the most significant conditions for getting rid of stress and improving your psychological and emotional well-being.

Proper daily routine, also plays an important role in getting rid of the initial signs of depression.

15. Conclusion

In conclusion, the following should be noted:

Depression is heavy human mental illness. Her treatment must be taken with great responsibility. You cannot suppress all kinds of symptoms of the disease with the help of alcoholic beverages and various drugs.

If you discover any signs of a psychological disorder, you need to take immediate action. The best solution in such a situation is seeking qualified help from specialists.

This serious illness should not be confused with ordinary mood swings or seasonal blues (for example, spring depression). Depression differs in physiological signs that occur in the human body. It never goes away without a trace, but only gets worse every day, and gradually moves from a mild form to a severe stage.

Now you know how to get out of depression, what it is, how best to get rid of it, what symptoms and signs occur when a person is depressed, etc.

Never Do not start the course of such a disease, and do not wait for it to go away on its own. Seek advice from a psychotherapist, and he will definitely help you!

This article is dedicated to how to get rid of depression on your own, without the help of pills or doctors. If you have already read my blog, then you know that all my articles are based on personal experience. I write about how I got rid of a lack of discipline, bad habits, learned to deal with stress and control emotions. I take all these tips from personal practice, and not from books and textbooks. And this article is no exception.

This article reflects only my personal experience, I do not claim that these truths can be applied to any experience without exception.

And the methods of this article in no way claim to replace qualified psychotherapy in combination with drug treatment methods. If you find yourself depressed, I highly recommend contacting a qualified, good specialist.

And the information in this article will help you get acquainted with the view of the problem, understand what methods you should resort to, and also in it you will find effective self-help techniques.

Let me tell you my story briefly.

The story of my illness

Several years ago I suffered from the so-called and even went to the doctor with this problem. Against the background of panic attacks, a kind of despondency, chronic pessimism, despair, dissatisfaction with life, high mental sensitivity and even tearfulness began to develop. Nobody gave me such a diagnosis as depression, probably because there was no one to diagnose it - I did not communicate with doctors on this issue (although I tried to “treat” them for panic attacks).

But I observed many of the symptoms of this disease in myself. I didn’t feel bad all the time: this state of psychological discomfort came in fits and starts. At the same time, there were problems with sleep: and it happened that I was tossed up in bed, as soon as I fell into sleep, it was as if a sudden discharge of current was passing through my body. To eliminate all these symptoms, I started drinking alcohol, which subsequently developed into a chronic habit.

Symptoms of depression caused difficulties at work and in life. Apathy and lack of purpose led to laziness, and sudden outbursts of irritation or despondency reflected poorly on those around me.

How does depression appear?

It happens that depression is caused by some unpleasant event, for example the death of a relative. And it happens that this illness manifests itself as if for no reason. In fact, there is always a reason, it’s just either hidden, or there are many reasons. For example, a person may experience depression due to constant stress, fatigue, alcohol consumption, family problems, lack of goals and aspirations, etc. All these things together can form a psychological background favorable for the development of depression.

Many may think that depression caused by some single, non-repeating event (the death of a loved one) is a less hopeless case than the same disease, but provoked by recurring circumstances (stress, constant nervous fatigue, personality traits, etc.) .

After all, sooner or later, the memory of misfortune will begin to fade, and life will begin to be filled with new meaning, new pleasures, and at the same time, grief and the depression associated with it should disappear. But it doesn't always happen like this. An unfortunate event can only become a “trigger” of depression for a person who, due to various factors, was predisposed to it.

This is similar to how a draft causes a cold in a person with a weak immune system. It cannot be said that the draft alone caused the cough and sore throat. Air from an open window only provoked the disease, and the prerequisites for its occurrence already existed due to weak immunity.

Even if the cold goes away after a week, then after that a person still runs the risk of getting sick if he gets caught in the rain or in a draft.

Such a “draft” for the appearance of depression can be some kind of misfortune in the life of a certain person. Like a long-term illness, depression can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of developing the disease in the future.

That's how it was for me. I used to be a very sensitive and stress-sensitive person. At one point, severe stress triggered panic attacks and associated depression. If my psyche had been more stable and stable, then I would have reacted to this situation more calmly and it would not have caused such dire consequences for me. But I was who I was...

After a few years, I already forgot about this stress, the memories of those events stopped causing pain, I began to relate to it more simply. But depression and panic attacks did not disappear. Because these illnesses further “shaken” the already painful psyche. When I forgot about that stressful situation, I still continued to suffer from sudden attacks of panic, bad mood and pessimism.

I gave this example to make a very important point about the nature of depression. I believe that most often, the causes of this disease are found in the person himself, and not in external circumstances. I don't take extremes. Naturally, there are things that can break and make even the strongest people suffer. But, in most situations, depression is a consequence of your mental state, physical health, nervous sensitivity and worldview.

And some situations in the outside world can only trigger something for which the prerequisites already existed.

My method is to strengthen the immune system

Despite the fact that antidepressants and tranquilizers can have a positive effect on the symptoms of depression, they cannot be used alone!

Even if your depression is caused by an imbalance in the chemical balance in the brain, there are other ways besides pills to restore this balance. It has been proven that even psychotherapy and various practices of working on oneself change the chemical balance in the head. That's it!

Moreover, although I cannot deny the need to use medications, it has been proven that psychotherapy and work on oneself have a much more lasting and lasting effect. That is, the pills will relieve the symptoms. But if you want to strengthen your “psychological immunity” and reduce the likelihood of recurrence of depressive episodes in the future, then you definitely need to exercise and work on yourself!

In order not to get a cold, you need to harden yourself, keep your body in good athletic shape, and not just drink all sorts of drugs. The same applies to depression. It is necessary to stabilize the emotional background, strengthen the nervous system and learn to look at things differently. This is my method.

This helped me not only get rid of depression and panic attacks, but to be sure that it would not happen again. And even if it happens again, I can handle it on my own. I will not depend on the arbitrariness of these attacks unknown to me and tremble at the mere thought that they will return, as they did before. Let them come back - I know what to do.

However, in some cases medications are necessary. They are needed simply to literally “put a person on his feet,” to help him start working on himself and undergo therapy. This is simply some kind of pharmacological support, but not the treatment itself. This needs to be understood. But if your case is severe, medication should not be neglected!

But you just don’t need to see this as a panacea and limit yourself only to drugs: pills are just your temporary assistant in the service of therapy. In addition to pills, it is imperative that you carry out activities to work with the psyche on your own or, better yet, under the supervision of a psychotherapist.

Getting rid of depression - starting to work on ourselves

I move on to the practical part of the article and a description of those tips that will help you get rid of depression and strengthen your mental immunity.

Eliminate negative ideas

There are some ideas that make it very difficult to cure attacks of mental blues. I’ll say right away that these ideas are false and need to be gotten rid of. Next I will dwell on each of these ideas.

Idea 1 - I feel depressed because I am such a person (nervous, sensitive, etc.), this is how I am built and I can’t do anything about it.

There is no more destructive misconception for personal development! You suffer from depression, not because you are who you are, but because you haven't done anything to change! Every person is capable, every personality has enormous potential for positive metamorphoses.

In order to stop experiencing depression, many people will have to work on themselves and even change their outlook on things. Be prepared for this. It's not that easy, but it's certainly possible. This is confirmed by my experience and the very fact of the existence of this site.

Idea 2 - I’m depressed because some circumstances of my life are to blame for this (I live in a bad country, I don’t have money to buy myself everything I want, I’m surrounded by idiots, I don’t have a girlfriend/boyfriend , my parents didn’t love me, etc.).

This is also a rather dangerous misconception. When you feel bad, you are overcome by despondency, your brain tries at all costs to find the reason for the current situation. The search for a reason precedes the determination of a way out of the current situation, so many people cling to these imaginary reasons as life preservers. This helps them realize that they know why they suffer and know how to stop this suffering.

This gives them a sense of control over the situation. They think: “If I change my job or place of residence, my depression will stop, I know what to do, now I’m suffering, but then, when I move to a new country, divorce my wife, buy myself a yacht, everything will be fine.” This is how hope appears. Therefore, depressed people are extremely reluctant to give up such ideas.

The brain begins to more diligently sort through those circumstances that cause discomfort and subsume them as causes of depression. It can be difficult for us to abstract from our perception and understand that it’s all about this perception itself.

A negative view of things, negative emotions, constant resentment and despondency introduce an extremely strong distortion in our view of things. You can look at the world through rose-colored glasses, or you can observe it, on the contrary, looking through glasses with cloudy, gray lenses.

Depression makes things look different from what they are to ordinary, pure perception. We begin to pay attention to the bad sides of life, our shortcomings seem huge to us, our problems seem insurmountable, and our whole life is a series of meaningless suffering.

If you suffer from depression, your perceptions are illusory, erroneous and do not reflect the actual state of affairs. It's like you're under the influence of a drug! Don't believe this perception! We need to change it!

If you cannot be happy with what you have, then you cannot be happy under any circumstances! No matter where you go, no matter what kind of woman you find, no matter how much wealth you have, your negative perception will remain with you.

And you can’t escape from it by simply moving to another place! But if you change your perception, you may realize that the conditions in which you live are not so bad, your friends are not so terrible, and there seems to be something in life worth living for! Nothing in the world will change around you, just your views will change!

For example, there are still things in my life that I am not happy with and that I want to change (for example, working conditions, lack of my own living space). But these things no longer make me unhappy, because I myself have become different, although before it seemed to me that it was precisely because of these things that I felt bad.

When I try to convince people that the whole problem is in themselves, in their perception of life, I run into an insurmountable barrier. They begin to demonstrate a fierce reluctance to give up the idea that the causes of their depression are rooted in some external circumstances. After all, their hope is based on this idea, a false, groundless, illusory hope!

Of course, it is necessary to change in life what is not satisfactory in it. But, first of all, you need to start with yourself!

Idea 3 - Depression is exclusively a psychological illness.

This is wrong. Depression is also related to the condition of your body. Bad habits, fatigue, stress can lead to the appearance of this disease. And exactly the opposite: playing sports, keeping your body in good shape, and regular rest can help prevent depression.

Stop looking for the reasons for your unhappiness only in some lofty matters: in a feeling of existential emptiness, loss of Faith, etc. Also pay attention to how your body feels, whether it is healthy enough and whether it is getting all the vitamins it needs to function.

Practice meditation to find inner balance

Meditation helped me get out of the pool of despondency and pessimism, find joy and faith in myself. I forgot about depression and panic attacks a long time ago. Meditation calms and stabilizes the psyche, gives a good mood and relieves stress. Laboratory studies of meditation have shown that the practice of meditation affects the brain by increasing the activity of electrical alpha waves, the frequency at which the brain begins to work. This activity promotes a calm, relaxed state.

Regular meditation practice can help with depression, although it cannot be said to help everyone. Even if with their help you cannot completely get rid of this illness, then practice will help you endure these attacks more easily and somehow control them.

In my opinion, meditation is one of the most effective and safe means for getting rid of the blues, nervousness, anger and anxiety. Many people greatly underestimate the effect of this practice and are sure that it will not help them.

When I advise people who suffer and cannot understand themselves to start meditating, they respond to this advice with slight bewilderment. They don’t say it outright, but most likely they think this: maybe meditation will help me feel calmer, better control my emotions, but will it get rid of the things that make me unhappy? Will practice be able to attract the money that I so lack for happiness? Is it possible that with her help I can find the woman of my dreams, without whom I feel bad?

Many people think this way and, as a result, remain confident that meditation is not for them and it will not solve their problems. Thinking like that is a mistake. For these people, it is more important to maintain faith in their own prejudices, which they are accustomed to believe, than to try something else and try to help themselves in a different way. This train of thought is a consequence of having false idea No. 2 in my head, which I wrote about above.

You are most likely not unhappy because you live in a bad country and you don’t have enough money for the expensive car that your neighbor has. Happiness and unhappiness depend more on your internal state than on external circumstances, I wrote about this in my article.

Meditation is a great way to put your psychological and emotional state in order, to look at the world with a sober and unclouded look, and not through gray lenses.

When you remove the illusion glasses, your values ​​may undergo a change. These will no longer be the ideals on which you base your belief in getting rid of suffering. Now you may believe that without a huge bank account you will not be happy, but if you understand your desires well, gain a sense of inner comfort and a sense of independence, you will understand that the value of life lies in something completely different!

Through practice and self-discovery, you can realize that the deepest treasure of life lies in itself, in the very fact that you live and breathe, and not in the possession of certain things.

A bank account is also good, but this is not the main thing. You will achieve it someday if you try, but first you need to find happiness within yourself.

Meditation can change your perspective on things, teach you to notice the good sides of this life, see joy in little things, and through introspection and reflection, come to the realization of your true goals.

Practice taught me all this, and I hope it will teach you too. A feeling of inner comfort, satisfaction, optimism, and peace of mind is what regular practice leads to.

I'm sure it would be very difficult for depression to manifest itself in such a state of mind and feeling.

I started meditating in the hope that the practice would help me eliminate depression and panic attacks. But she gave me immeasurably more than just relief from despondency and anxiety! I realized my weaknesses and shortcomings, began to work on myself, strengthened my willpower, became more sociable and cheerful, and gained control over my desires and emotions.

Attention! Meditation does not have an immediate effect! Depression will not go away immediately! Only regular, long-term practice (preferably under the supervision of a psychotherapist) can help you!

Depression may worsen in the first weeks of practice. This is fine. Some antidepressants have a similar effect when a person first starts taking them. If the unpleasant effect does not go away for a long time with continued practice, meditate less or stop meditating altogether.

In order to get rid of depression with the help of meditation, it is not enough to just sit, meditate and wait for the depression to go away on its own. Meditation is not an end in itself, it is just a tool. I describe in the article how to properly use this tool to cope with depression without harming yourself. If you want to start meditating, This article is a must read for you!

Strengthen your body

The cause of depression may not only lie in the psychological aspects of your personality. Your mental state is highly dependent on your physical health. You are unlikely to get rid of despondency if you frequently drink alcohol, smoke, chronically lack sleep and lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Alcohol and other drugs (including antidepressants) provide only temporary relief, but in the long term they only make the situation worse and increase the chance of further development of depression. And .

Physical activity and sports exercises not only strengthen your body and increase physical tone, but also improve your mood, relieve fatigue and stress. Sport is a natural antidepressant. Sport increases the level of endorphins (“happy hormones”) in your brain, causing joy and euphoria.

This way to improve your mood does not have side effects such as depression, insomnia and decreased sexual function, like many antidepressants. A side effect of sports as a means of lifting your mood is a healthy body.

If you are not yet involved in sports, then start doing at least morning exercises and light jogging. If running is still difficult for you, take long walks in the fresh air. Notice how short exercise and walks improve your mood and overall well-being. Track this effect, feel it and remember it so that your brain associates the feeling of pleasure with useful activities, like sports.

I am sure that yoga classes are great for coping with mental blues, and they are also very beneficial for your body. Try it!

Lack of vitamins and junk food can also greatly affect your psychological state, so try to eat right: visit fast food less often, eat less junk, like sausages or chips.

Develop willpower

The key to successfully overcoming depression is strong willpower. Without willpower you can't. Instead of going for a run, you will be left grieving at home. Instead of regularly practicing meditation, you will choose an easier way: go to the doctor and ask him to prescribe you another pill.

Without willpower, you will not be able to pull yourself together and say to yourself: “Even though I feel bad and don’t want to do anything, I will still get out of bed, wipe this pained expression off my face and do what will help me get rid of depression forever.” !

Depression is “fuelled” by your lack of will, weakness and laziness. Based on these qualities, she grows and strengthens by leaps and bounds! If you cannot say “no” to your weaknesses, if you cannot restrain yourself when you want to complain about life, if you cannot force yourself to forget about despondency when you need to work, then it will be difficult for you to eliminate depression.

When I began to actively fight depression (I did not make any active attempts to fight it for a long time), I discovered one remarkable property of willpower.

Sometimes I would lie and suffer from another attack of the blues: I didn’t want to do anything, I just wanted to whine and complain. At one point I realized what needed to be done. I realized that you can’t follow these desires, but you need to do the opposite! If you want to lie down and complain because of despondency, you need to get up and do something, for example, clean the house, do other things. If you want to complain about life to a friend or simply infect him with your despondency, then instead you need to stretch a smile on your face and say something good, pleasant!

It's not easy at first. A very strong resistance appears, as if you are walking against a wind of incredible strength, which blows your body in the direction opposite to the movement. But once this resistance is overcome, a wonderful relief appears, even some kind of triumph! A triumph of willpower! Fear and despondency are receding! You feel powerful and in control of the situation!

Willpower is one of the most effective tools that allows you to achieve great success in the fight against depression, panic attacks and other types of blues.

That is why the effect often goes away with the end of taking antidepressants - the disease returns again. Why shouldn’t it come back if you haven’t learned anything, if you haven’t increased your mental immunity, if you haven’t eliminated the very prerequisites for depression, but only fought the symptoms?

If you are weak, prone to anxiety and worry, and do not know how to control your feelings, then pills will not cure you! You will remain the same, and along with this there will be a risk of another blues.

Strengthen your nervous system, learn to relax

This can be attributed to physical health, but it’s better to write about it as a separate paragraph. Anxiety, nervousness, irritability - all these are prerequisites for depression. In addition to physical wellness procedures that strengthen the nervous system, learn to restrain and control nervousness.

Learn stress management and relaxation techniques.

Learn to control your emotions, take care of yourself

Negative emotions can also be a source of despondency. Anger, envy, irritation, hatred, pathological - all this poisons your personality, making it more susceptible to despondency. Learn to control yourself and free yourself from negative experiences.

Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself

Stop complaining about life! Stop telling your friends how unhappy you are - they have enough problems of their own. It only poisons your mood and sets you in a tone of self-pity. Try to focus on the positive aspects of life. There are people whose lives are much harder than yours. There are those who live in conditions of constant danger to life, deprivation and hunger.

I assure you that if you have enough food, water, you have housing and some kind of health, then this is practically all you need to be happy! Learn to be happy about what you have, and not be sad about what you don’t have!

Train to endure the blues and mental pain, do not identify yourself with this state. Act and behave as if he is not there, forget about him, do not pay attention to him, do not let him take over you. This state is simply a chain of chemical reactions that occur in your brain. And you have the power to control this condition.

If you cry and complain and constantly think about how unhappy you are because of depression, you will only make your illness worse. After all, depression is not only the state of your body, it is also all your experiences associated with it. The disease itself is not so scary when you begin to suffer because of it and pile your anxieties, unhappy thoughts and fears on top of it!

Even a common cold with fever goes away easier if you don’t get discouraged, don’t whine and wait for recovery. Think of depression as you would a cold. Be patient, this is just a temporary state of the brain. Things around are not so terrible, the situation is not so hopeless. Your illness makes you think that everything is bad - don’t give in to it!

Getting rid of depression - improving external living conditions

I have already written about how important it is to work on yourself and change your outlook on things in order to stop experiencing the blues. But our external conditions of existence can also affect your psychological state. True, these conditions are not as important as many of you are accustomed to think. It's what's inside that matters. And so that you don’t forget about this, I will remind you of this in each of the points that I will list below.

Create comfortable living conditions

If many people live in one small room, this can cause feelings of psychological discomfort. And it’s not even about the people themselves, but about their number. No matter how good the relationships in a team or family are, crowded conditions and lack of privacy can greatly spoil your mood and interfere with proper rest.

If you have the opportunity, move to a larger room, move from your parents to a separate apartment (or dacha). Even if this apartment is small and located far away, the housing will be more comfortable if you live, say, with one wife than with a wife and parents.

Probably, those of you who have problems with housing will now think to yourself: “Oh, that’s it! That's why I'm unhappy! No, that's not the only reason.

Even in the absence of comfortable housing, you can find your happiness! It's also about you. If you don’t yet have the opportunity to change your living circumstances, then work on yourself, develop your qualities, this will help you endure unfavorable life circumstances more steadfastly.

Even if you have your own living space, create coziness and comfortable conditions there. Clean up your house, get a pet if you don’t have one. Better a cat. Or better yet, two cats. Or a cat and a dog.

An animal won't make you happy right away, but a four-legged friend can help relieve stress, alleviate loneliness and improve your mood.

Find a suitable job

Don't like your job? Change it! Don't like working at all? Create your own business and organize it so that it doesn’t take up a lot of time and effort! Think about what you want from life. Maybe it's time to start moving towards something, and not sit and passively contemplate how year after year nothing changes, and all your dreams melt like ice in the sun?

If you find your life purpose and begin to move towards it, it will fill your life with meaning and give you the joy of existence. After all, some path will open for you, you will stop living without any goal! The lack of meaning in life and the collapse of hopes can provoke despondency.

What is stopping you from moving towards your dream? Most likely, only your internal limitations: laziness, fear and doubt. Start slowly realizing your wildest desires. Study, read, communicate with people, learn about all the opportunities that exist in this world.

Working 5/2 at a job you don’t like, as “everyone” supposedly does, is not the only life alternative. There are many other opportunities, you just need to learn about them and not sit back and wait for those opportunities to find you. Move and learn new things, explore different options, make plans.

But it's not just about work.

Even doing activities that do not bring you pleasure, you can find your happiness!

But still, you need to strive for the best! So start looking for new opportunities!

Update: Let me explain the above situation a little. Lack of purpose is not always one of the causes of depression. It's more of a consequence. Therefore, finding and finding purpose is not always a panacea against depression. It’s difficult when nothing makes you happy, nothing inspires you. A person subject to chronic despondency is not inspired by opportunities to somehow improve his life. Everything is equally bad for him.

To find your goal, you need to work on yourself, practice meditation, and achieve at least some kind of internal balance. There is no need to start by trying to find a stimulus when you feel bad and are not attracted to anything. Start with yourself. The goal and incentive are secondary.

Find the right life partner

Look for a way out of your loneliness. Find a suitable match for yourself. I cannot teach you how to look for a suitable partner, how to decide to meet someone - all this is the topic of separate articles. The only thing I can advise is to choose a person who will be strong, balanced, balanced and without unnecessary cockroaches in the head.

If you are a delicate, sensitive person, prone to emotions, then you should not date a person of the same character! Maybe he will be close to you in spirit, but you will not learn anything from him, just as he will not learn anything from you. His and your shortcomings will be developed within your union.

This is somewhat similar to incestuous marriages. When people who are related have offspring, they turn out weak and defective, since they inherit the weaknesses and defects of the father and mother. But people who are not relatives have a much higher chance of having healthy children.

Therefore, you do not need to choose a person with the same shortcomings as you as your partner. Your union will inherit your weaknesses and will be fragile and short-lived and will become a source of new suffering.

But don't forget that Even alone you can find your happiness!

Get out into nature more often

I recommend a calm, measured holiday for those who suffer from depression. It is better to relax in quiet places than to drown in the revelry of a noisy resort. If you simply try to distract yourself from depression through unbridled fun, parties and alcohol, it will not do any good, but only harm.

Learn to enjoy nature and peace, walk in parks and forests, go to the country. Stay alone with yourself more often, try to understand yourself, listen to yourself! Fresh air, peace and quiet work wonders!

But don’t forget that even in a noisy city you can be happy!

Concluding remarks

As you can see, a lot of work will have to be done. You won't get off with just pills. If you decide to take antidepressants, then combine them with other methods of therapy that I described above. Meditate every day, develop willpower, learn a positive outlook on things, play sports. I can’t imagine how you can get rid of depression without changing yourself!

Approximately 30% of the 70% of those who read this article to the end will listen to the advice and begin to implement my recommendations. The rest will become lazy, they will think that my advice is not suitable for them, because I do not know their grief, their deep existential troubles and, therefore, I cannot help them in any way, and meditation and yoga are generally some kind of shamanism.

Some of these people may even agree with me and think “yes, it’s all true what Nikolai writes.” But things will not go further than this tacit agreement, because what I advise requires patience and diligence. Agreeing with my provisions will not prevent someone from running to the doctor for pills, simply because it is easier than anything else and does not require effort.

5-10% of 30% will begin to methodically follow my advice, actively fight depression, play sports, yoga and meditation. The remaining 20% ​​go to a couple of workouts, try to meditate and immediately give it up, seeing that these remedies did not bring immediate relief and were difficult to achieve. Maybe they will turn to pills and alcohol or just continue to suffer.

These 5-10% of persistent and patient people will, after some time, feel that their condition has improved. Not only will their depression begin to go away, but they will see improvement in other areas of their lives. Volitional qualities will strengthen, communication with other people will become easier, the body will gain strength and health, and the mind will become calmer.

For some of these people, depression will go away forever, another part will learn to control and tolerate it, the symptoms will become less intense, the disorder will begin to appear less frequently, and the fear of new attacks will pass.

I gave this rough forecast not to rob you of hope. I did this to show that everything is in your hands, and not in the hands of the doctor who treats you, not in the hands of the person who writes encouraging articles, not in the hands of the pharmacists who develop your medications.

It depends on you whether you will suffer or defeat your sworn enemy - depression. Will you resist or just passively accept your fate? No one can help you until you want it yourself.

Neither I nor anyone else can force you to do anything, I can only guide and give advice, everything else is in your hands! Forward! Take action!

Attention! This article does not encourage you to refuse the help of a qualified specialist! Some people can get rid of it on their own, but not everyone. If you are experiencing strong symptoms of depression, I recommend that you do not delay and, as soon as possible, go to a good psychotherapist and a doctor who will not only prescribe medications (if necessary), but will also conduct therapy sessions with you!

Depression is accompanied by a number of characteristic symptoms - reluctance to live, loss of interest in the world around us, fatigue and many others. If you find yourself showing signs of a depressive mood, then you need to start fighting this problem as quickly as possible.

What is depression

Depression is a mental illness that is accompanied by a mood disorder.

Types of mental disorder

Mental disorders are very diverse and most often young and elderly people are exposed to completely different types. Let's list some of them.

In the elderly:

• Paranoia;
• Marasmus;
• Alzheimer's disease.

In young people:

• Anorexia;
• Deep depression;
• Drankorexia;
• Bulimia;
• Neurosis;
• Hysteria.

Symptoms and signs of depression

1. Depression. Most often you are in a very bad mood, and this has been going on for several weeks. However, there are often no special reasons for feeling this way.

2. Apathy. You have lost interest in activities that previously could have seriously captivated you. You do not strive for new knowledge and are indifferent to almost everything that happens around you.

3. Closedness. You prefer to communicate with other people as little as possible, and if possible, avoid their company altogether.

4. Anxiety. This feeling accompanies you quite often, and, as a rule, you are unable to determine its nature.

5. Thoughts about death. From time to time you think that nothing would change in the world if you passed away. And in general, even close people, in your opinion, would not be very worried about your death.

6. Changes in appetite. You've started eating differently than you did recently, and it's affecting your weight. Now you eat very little, or vice versa - “sweep away” everything you see in the refrigerator. Most often, you do not control this process - you simply forget about food or don’t even notice how regularly you chew something.

7. Sleep disturbance. Here, too, there can be two extremes - you either suffer from insomnia and cannot fall asleep for a long time, or you fall into deep sleep, which usually lasts the bulk of the day.

8. Lack of self-confidence. You think that you look bad, are uninteresting, not charming, or are simply stupid.

9. Tearfulness. An accidentally dropped careless word can bring you to tears. However, from time to time you cry even without anyone’s “intervention”, but from general powerlessness.

Causes of depression

1. Parting with a loved one. Perhaps some time ago you experienced significant stress after breaking up with a person with whom you were in a serious relationship or marriage. It is possible that immediately during the breakup you kept yourself under control, but suppressed emotions still make themselves felt.

2. Non-reciprocal love. For a long time you tried to achieve the affection and reciprocity of the person you were in love with, but in the end you realized that all your attempts did not lead to a positive result.

3. Death of a loved one. You have experienced a serious emotional shock after someone dear to you passed away.

4. Problems in learning. You are a student and you have problems with mastering the material, many absences, difficulties in communicating with other students or teachers. Studying gives you more negative emotions than positive ones.

5. Problems in the professional sphere. You feel that you are not being fully realized in your profession. Perhaps you doubt the correctness of the chosen path, or you don’t even know what type of activity is right for you.

6. Financial difficulties. You have debts, you just recently got out of them, or you simply barely have enough money, and most often you are constantly forced to limit yourself, denying what you want.

7. Health problems. Perhaps you have experienced the loss of a child or are facing some serious illness. We can also talk about illnesses that have appeared in a loved one.

Family troubles. It is difficult for you to find a common language with your other half, parents, children or other close relatives.

In mild form

Accompanied by mood changes. Nevertheless, you manage to pull yourself together when necessary - behave at ease in society, carry out your daily duties, and the like.

In neglected form

Accompanied by complete apathy to everything that is happening, nervous breakdowns. A person is physically unable to do his usual activities and will not be able to hide his condition. Suicidal thoughts may appear.

The relationship between depression and stress

Stress and depression are directly related to each other, and very often one does not exist without the other. As you know, a stressful state, which can be caused by many factors, is accompanied by nervous exhaustion. Negative emotions that have been experienced over a long period usually lead to depression. An exception may be very stress-resistant people who are able to ignore many negative factors.

To prevent stress from turning into depression

If you understand that you are faced with a stressful situation, but do not want it to lead to depression, follow some rules that will help you get out of this situation with the least emotional losses.

• Avoid communicating with people who evoke negative emotions in you or try to start topics of conversation that are unpleasant for you. When communicating with others, also avoid unnecessary complaints.
• Follow the correct daily routine. Try to fall asleep no later than ten or eleven o'clock in the evening, and wake up before eight in the morning. Don't skip meals.
• Don't forget about rest. It is important for you to receive positive emotions. Even if you are busy with work, make time for communication with loved ones and for entertainment that interests you. Find a way to avoid overwork. If you have too much work, then you need to find a way to get rid of some of the responsibilities or change the scope of your activity - overwork can seriously undermine your health.
• Take a walk in the fresh air. Even if you cannot find a lot of time to meet with friends, then you must find half an hour a day for a leisurely walk in the fresh air - alone, with a loved one or while walking the dog.

How to quickly cure depression

Serious depression cannot be overcome very quickly, but, in general, if you start fighting it now, you will begin to live a completely different life within a few weeks.

Treating depression yourself at home

• Switch to people close to you. Recently, you have been so immersed in thoughts about your own condition that you have begun to forget that there are people who need your support and attention and who want to see you in your previous state. Start spending time with your loved ones - go to interesting events together, spend evenings in a cozy circle drinking tea and homemade cakes, watch and discuss movies together, and the like.
• Make yourself happy with gifts. Surely, you often deny yourself any pleasant purchases, justifying it by the fact that you “don’t really need” the thing you like, or by the fact that you already “have somewhere to put the money.” You still need to periodically make exceptions, purchasing things that can sincerely please you.
• Get bright emotions. Depression often becomes a companion to a monotonous lifestyle. Perhaps this situation has been going on for a long time, and it was he who caused your condition, but it may be otherwise - monotony and reluctance to enrich life with new events appeared after some stress. Be that as it may, this needs to change. Every week the city hosts many exciting events - horse riding, film shows, exhibitions, master classes and much more. Allow yourself to be part of some exciting event
• Travel. Some people who suffered from depression admit that just one trip helped them get rid of this problem. Perhaps you once dreamed of visiting a certain city, but then discarded this thought. It is possible that traveling was not at all part of your interests before. Be that as it may, you can discover many wonderful places and experience amazing emotions by choosing a tour that suits your taste.

How to get rid of severe and prolonged depression

If depression has lasted for more than a year, and you cannot force yourself to follow any recommendations, then you need to make an appointment with a psychotherapist. Often people in this condition are physically unable to take advantage of this advice, because they need to look for a specialist, call the clinic, make an appointment, and the like. Share your problem with a loved one and ask for help - let him find you a psychotherapist, arrange a meeting and accompany you to him.

How to overcome the disease once and for all

By following the above tips, you can get rid of depression forever. However, since such a nuisance has already happened to you, then you need to realize that you are in a kind of “risk zone”, and another serious stress can again plunge you into a depressive state. To prevent this from happening, apply these recommendations not only when getting out of depression, but also subsequently in your everyday life.

Is it possible to die from depression?

Depression itself is not fatal. That is, apathy, decreased ability to work, tearfulness and other symptoms cannot lead to the death of a person, but there is another problem.

A depressed person thinks very pessimistically. He considers himself useless to anyone, superfluous and inappropriate everywhere. The longer and deeper the depression, the more often the patient may think that it would be good to end all suffering in one fell swoop and begins to see his salvation in suicide. This only happens with a very severe form of depression, and in order to get out of it, serious help from loved ones or specialists is needed.

What best helps with depression?

1. If you feel that your emotional state leaves much to be desired, then you need to switch yourself to other emotions. The fastest way to do this is by simply calling a person with whom you enjoy communicating. Even if you don’t feel like dialing someone’s number right now, do it!

2. If your depressed state does not have any particular basis, and does not last for several days, but arose only today, then a cup of delicious strong tea can help you! Choose chamomile and linden drinks. Don't drink it while running - find a calm and quiet place where you can slowly drink soothing tea and think about something good in solitude.

3. Physical labor or sports can greatly relieve you of depression, because your energy will be directed in a completely different direction. And in general, it has long been known that muscle activity provokes the release of endorphins into the human blood, which are also called “hormones of happiness.”

How to be treated with antidepressants

If you decide to improve your condition by using antidepressants, keep in mind that this will not completely cure your depression. You will be able to suppress the symptoms of the disease for a period of time, but not get rid of it. Only a specialist can determine the dosage of medications; under no circumstances do this yourself, otherwise this approach can only harm you.

If you want to get rid of depression, do not rely only on medicine, because you are overcome by “mental illness.” Communicate with loved ones more often, telling them confidentially about your problem.

Therapy and psychotherapy

Many people underestimate the help of psychotherapy, but this industry is actively developing. Specialists use the following types of psychotherapy: cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic and interpersonal. The first will help correct your thinking from negative to positive, the second will help resolve internal conflicts, and the last will make it clear what has become the main source of the problem for you.

As you can see, one visit to a psychotherapist can give you a complete understanding of your condition and identify guidelines along which you can get out of it.

Family or group therapy may help some people, and you may also find it easier to solve the problem based on positive examples from others or solving family problems from the inside.

Preventing future depression

To prevent depression from returning, try to limit yourself from the factors that cause it. Many people who are involved in charity work or just an interesting hobby are less susceptible to depression than others. Find something that you enjoy and truly enjoy, and in the end it will always be able to distract you from gloomy thoughts.