Depressed mood, spleen, depression. Psychologist's advice

Diseases have always existed beautiful names, with which it was not so prestigious to get sick - rather, it was fashionable to say that you have them, or to replace real ailments with them. It was worth saying “monstrous influenza” instead of “terrible snot” - and those around you immediately imbued with respect for you and your fine organization.

Today, it has become such a disease that everyone talks about, often not understanding the original meaning of the name. It is customary to write off everything on it: impotence, wrecked jobs and unwillingness to go to the evening of the reunion of graduates. At the same time, few people know that depression is a very specific ailment caused by such complex biochemical changes nervous system that a common person will not be able to call them even for money. It is actually quite difficult to catch depression, and what is considered to be it is, as a rule, a depressive personality accentuation, Bad mood or even a simple hatred of people.

Do you want to know the whole truth about whether you have depression? You have two scenarios to choose from: either you go to a psychoanalyst, and he gives you clinical test, with a 100% guarantee diagnosing depression; or you pass exactly the same clinical test that we took as a keepsake when we ourselves went to be tested.

Yes, and keep in mind: the causes of depression are usually very specific - prolonged mental stress, overwork, chronic brain injury, severe and long-term illnesses. internal organs, surgical operations, deficiency of blood supply to the brain and congenital neurochemical disorders. If you don’t have and never had any of the above, it means that you probably don’t need any tests here. Just stop feigning depression and it will pass!

According to the international classification of diseases "ICD-10", depression is not even one disease, but seven different ones. In the sense that it is divided into groups.

neurotic D. due to internal conflict.
Reactive D., which is a reaction to mental trauma.
Endogenous D., which is generally easy to treat, since it has neurochemical causes.

classic D.
hidden D.

Small D.
Big D.

Of course, these types can be combined. For example, major depression can be both classic and reactive. But that's not all. For MAXIM readers only! Having caught a hidden depression, you get two more varieties of the disease as a gift!

Jokes aside. Latent depression can be somatized (this is when, in addition to a bad mood, you are tormented by some kind of bodily ailment like stomach disease or dystonia) or masked. In this case, you will have all the symptoms of another disease, such as appendicitis. However, an autopsy will show you didn't have it.

Under what ailments does depression like to disguise itself?

Pain, heaviness, distension, cold or heat in the abdomen, nausea, loss of appetite. Of course, all the fault and the truth may be an expired mold on the cheese. However, depression often uses these symptoms to set doctors on the wrong track. The condition of the stomach worsens in the morning, and by the second half of the day you already start picking the contents of the plate with a sad look, feeling relieved. Patients are admitted to hospitals with suspected acute appendicitis and cholecystitis, but the intervention of surgeons does not bring relief.

To say where exactly it hurts, a person cannot. More often the pain appears to him in the form of iron hoops squeezing the skull, or something that crawls inside the head. The condition, as in the case of the abdomen, worsens in the morning, and by the evening passes. These patients are diagnosed with migraine or vegetovascular dystonia and then they drink useless painkillers for years.

Cunning depression mimics neuralgia trigeminal nerve(it goes from ear to eyebrow and mandible) and inflammation of the temporomandibular joint. Desperate patients ask dentists to remove them completely healthy teeth which sometimes, by the way, brings temporary relief. The mask of depression also causes a surprisingly vivid sensation of roughness and hairiness of the tongue.

Imitation of interruptions in the work of the heart, burning or cold behind the sternum. The results of the cardiogram do not correspond to the patient's complaints, but out of pity, the doctors prescribe heart medications for him. They reduce pain, but do not remove it completely.

You think that you have sciatica, joint diseases and neuralgia. But the doctors, looking at your X-ray, twist a finger at the temple. At the same time, your joints hurt not where they should, but a few centimeters higher.

Depression without sleep disorders is like Fedor Konyukhov without legs. Moreover, sometimes insomnia may be the only symptom of masked depression. In this case, you will wake up unrested, have breakfast with an aversion to food, and then come to work already tired and immediately fall for a cigarette or a cup of coffee. Peaks of activity are possible, but usually they occur at 10-12 in the morning, and you are still sleeping at that time, because in the evening, despite being tired, you could not fall asleep and tossed and turned all night. And so every day.

You understand that there are no sharks in the soup, and aliens, for the most part, do not want to kill you. But this does not help to overcome baseless fear. However, exotic phobias of depression are rare. More often it causes fear of death from the cessation of breathing, panic attacks. The phobia usually gets worse at night and in the morning.

Erectile dysfunction? Accelerated or, conversely, delayed ejaculation? Do not rush to bequeath your penis to science. Maybe it's the depression again. By the way, the famous "demon in the ribs" (and in scientific terms, the desire for ever stronger sexual stimuli) is also a sign of depression, and usually the earliest.

Indulgence in bad habits brings short-term relief. Hangovers or withdrawals are accompanied by terribly violent symptoms taken from the previous eight points.

Clinical Test for Depression

You have 44 groups of statements in front of you. In each of them, choose one answer that best describes how you feel. Remember, your task is not to win, but to find out the truth. Answer sincerely. To make it easier for you to do this, we didn’t even obsessively “make fun” of the answers, as we usually do.

How to deal with depression

This part will be of interest primarily to people who have scored serious amounts in the test. If you do not have depression, according to the results, you can read this block with detached gloating. So, independent exit out of a sad state can take months and even years, and even then, provided that you protect yourself from stress - preferably, a monastery wall or a grove of palm trees. It's easier to see a doctor, because depression is curable. In fact, it is a failure in metabolism. Doctors will treat you not only with pills, but also intimate conversations(the most annoying part). Without the simultaneous elimination of physiological and psychological factors, a person cannot be cured.

yours best friend for the next six months should become a psychotherapist. Experienced mental trauma, mental stress, quarrels with others and internal conflicts, difficult feelings about own health All of these can underlie depression. Treatment only powerful pills(without psychotherapy), of course, helps, but after the withdrawal of drugs, the disease may visit you again.

What will they give you

Sometimes especially skilled psychotherapists bring their unfortunate patients out of depression without medication at all. Alas, in some cases, drugs are indispensable: a neglected disease destroys the brain so much that the balance of neurotransmitters does not restore itself.

The basis of any course of treatment. Side effects and doses may vary, but the purpose of the drugs is the same - to eliminate the biochemical basis of depression.

And these useful pills will help you to establish the supply of brain cells with energy and other little things useful in your work. Actually, these are not some secret substances, but the same vitamins that healthy people drink to increase stress resistance and immunity.

By themselves, these strong drugs does not cure depression. But they struggle with its symptoms (and sometimes even succeed in this): longing, fear, bodily manifestations. Antidepressants do not give an immediate effect, therefore, to make it more fun for you to wait for it, the doctor will probably prescribe “trunks” for you.

In fact, these are ordinary sedatives, but they are so strong that they can drive you into calm state even an elephant that had just lost all its relatives, both tusks and a share in the business. Antipsychotics reduce arousal and eliminate fears, bring the patient out of a mental impasse and reduce the bodily manifestations of masked depression.

However, the matter may not reach neuroleptics. Doctors usually start a course of a cocktail of antidepressants and biostimulants. And only if it did not work, add two other components.

Why it might not help

Pills are almost useless unless the therapist has addressed the personal causes of depression—for example, forced you to quit.

You have untreated thyroid disease, diabetes, hypertension, and other conditions that cause depression.

You interrupted the course too soon, delighted with the improvement. If you stop taking antidepressants before a stable effect appears, depression will develop again.

Sometimes the disease returns a year or two after the completion of the course, because you stopped seeing a doctor and taking antidepressants in preventive purposes. And they give you another test...

Sheehan Anxiety Scale

If the first test gives negative result, go to the second. The Sheehan test will help you find out if you even have anxiety, a condition that precedes depression. If you don't get here enough points, then, alas, you are mentally healthy man, who now only needs to come up with new excuses for his impotence and innate laziness.

Have you been bothered during the last week by...

If one day you woke up and realized that life is a meaningless and stupid thing, if you feel that nothing can be fixed, because the future has no prospects, if you no longer have an interest in what just recently gave you pleasure, then … Maybe it will pass tomorrow, but maybe not. And if this state has been going on for some time, think: “what is happening to me?” We all know about such a phenomenon as depression, and letters often come to our editorial office with the question: “It seems to me that I have depression. What to do?" We turned to our wonderful professionals to explain what depression is and what to do if it suddenly happens to us. We publish the most interesting answers today on the pages of the Psychological Navigator.

Ovchinnikova Svetlana Viktorovna - Psychiatrist of the 1st category, psychotherapist), psychologist-psychoanalyst:

Depression - what is it?
When we're in a bad mood, we often say, "I'm depressed." But this is only the everyday meaning of the word.
Psychologists often talk about seasonal depression - a decrease in mood and performance in certain time of the year. Autumn, winter, spring depression are described. So the only time of the year without depression is summer?
In the medical concept, depression is not just a bad mood, as is commonly believed, but serious illness, which has certain clinical manifestations. It can occur at any time of the year, but it often begins with seasonal depression. Depression as a disease is included in a group of diseases called " affective disorders”, i.e. mood disorders.

Manifestations of depression.

Main symptoms:
1. Reduced (depressed, depressed, dreary) mood.
2. Loss of interest and pleasure in things and activities that used to be enjoyable.
3. Decreased energy, which leads to increased fatigue and decreased activity.
In addition, there are also additional symptoms, which often join the main symptoms of depression:
- Decreased ability to concentrate and concentrate.
- Low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence.
- Thoughts of guilt and self-accusation.
- A gloomy and pessimistic vision of the future.
- Thoughts or actions related to suicide or self-harm.
- Sleep disturbances - insomnia, difficulty falling asleep or early awakenings.
- Disorders of appetite - more often its absence and weight loss.
- Violation of sexual desire.
- Perceptible lethargy or excessive fussiness.
- Increased depression and depressive experiences in the morning and a slight improvement in the evening.
If these typical symptoms last at least two weeks, every day and take up most of the day, then depression can be said to be an illness that needs to be treated.

Marchevskaya Elena Borisovna - consultant psychologist, member of the Professional Psychotherapeutic League and the European Association Transactional Analysis(EATA), consultant of the portal Psychological Navigator:

Depression - very common mental illness and few who managed to avoid it. At mild form depression, we feel a lowered level of mood, we lose interest in what we used to have a passion for, we feel that we are tired of everything, we are tired. However, we are able to mobilize, to rally, and if we are stimulated and supported, and they show interest in us, we most often get out of depression.

With an average level of depression, it is experienced more vividly and affects 2 areas clinically - a change in the pattern of sleep and nutrition: longer or shorter hours of sleep, or an increase or decrease in appetite.
Many of us have experienced these symptoms. Such depression comes inevitably when we start something new. And then mild depression and even depression with clinical symptoms can visit us, as they say, in a planned manner. To some extent, it simply must be, because in this case it leaves us no doubt that we are starting to do something new, very important for ourselves. Therefore, this depression must be met and passed through, although it is tempting to get away from it, to be distracted in a variety of ways.

Major depressive disorder can lead a person to self-harm and control difficulties in such a way that in this case there is a real suicidal risk. They open their veins, fight in the streets, drink and eat huge sums of money, go to dark places. And they replace living relationships with contact with a substance (alcohol, drugs, etc.). In this case, long-term therapy is necessary, and sometimes in combination with drug treatment.
Do not neglect psychological and psychotherapeutic help: a competent specialist will help you understand the causes of your condition and effectively go through them. For example, with my depressed clients, we usually form a "support box". This includes: a note with the phone number of a loved one with whom you can talk about your condition; two bottles with aroma oils (one with a relaxing aroma, and the other with a tonic); two discs with music (one with relaxing, the other with energetic). It is important to understand that depression is treated only in contact. As depression is spoken and lived, its symptoms begin to subside. Isolation in depression does not help. As clients say: “If you let it hurt, let yourself feel this pain, you will live it (it's really sad, tearful, sleepless). I myself tell, show, write about it, I can talk about it with those close ones who can understand and, of course, I talk about it to the therapist in such a way that as I talk and live, these symptoms begin to weaken, go away.
Remember that our health is not in ignoring the disease, but in assessing our condition, knowing the causes of our difficulties and being able to get through them. Take care of yourself!

Erinova Elena Gennadievna - clinical psychologist; family and developmental psychologist), employee of the PsiGrad Psychological Consultation Center:

Depression - this is not a weakness or laziness of a person, but a disease that he strives to overcome. But in most cases, professional help is needed. Modern methods can effectively treat this condition with the help of psychotherapy, and in severe cases with drugs such as antidepressants. It is important to strive not only to get rid of symptoms, but also to find and eliminate true reason, which contributed to the emergence of such an unpleasant state.
At the beginning of the disease, a person may complain of individual symptoms, such as
fatigue, unexplained somatic pain, irritation. A more detailed survey reveals a reduced mood or loss of interest.
Certain groups of people are at increased risk of depression (for example, women in postpartum period patients with stroke, parkinsonism or multiple sclerosis).

Diagnostic signs of depression:
- Low or sad mood
- Loss of interest or sense of pleasure.
Often there are also the following additional symptoms:
- sleep disturbance;
- feelings of guilt or low self-esteem;
- fatigue or decreased activity;
- difficulty concentrating;
- excitation or inhibition of movements or speech;
- appetite disorder;
- suicidal thoughts or actions;
- Decreased sex drive.
There are also symptoms of anxiety or nervousness.

What to do?

· Plan activities that give you pleasure and inspire confidence.

· Try to resist pessimism and self-blame, do not focus on unpleasant thoughts and feelings of guilt.

Do not make important life decisions during this period under the influence of pessimistic ideas (for example, dissolve a marriage, leave a job)

· Try to analyze current life problems and stressors.

· Focus on small, concrete steps you can take to make yourself feel better.

· Participation in sports and activities that give pleasure, relaxation methods will help alleviate the condition and improve mood.

· Once you feel better, make a plan for what you should do if you experience signs of depression.

If you have found most of the above signs in yourself or your loved ones, you should seek help from qualified specialist(clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist), also a specialist consultation is recommended in the following cases:
- if severe depression persists despite the above measures;
- if the risk of suicide is significant;
- if there are psychotic disorders.

Volkova Ekaterina Valentinovna - psychotherapist, NLP - master, candidate of medical sciences, author of the psychological site:

To paraphrase a well-known saying - depression depression strife. And accordingly, on what kind of depression depends on the way out of it. There is a hereditary depression that occurs "from scratch" more often in adolescence, youth or old age, for its treatment it is required drug therapy and psychiatric supervision. And there are depressions that develop either as a reaction to psychotrauma (divorce, dismissal, etc.) or as a result of mental exhaustion. In these cases, a universal algorithm for getting out of depression helps, which, I note, is effective regardless of what kind of psychotrauma a person has experienced (with the exception of the death of a loved one, professional psychotherapeutic help is needed here) or how severe his mental exhaustion is.
The first and most important thing is the desire to get out of depression. Remember the cartoon about Munchausen, in which he pulled himself out by the pigtail? Depression is just the case when you need to drag yourself (at least to the psychologist's office). The second is that you need to get out of depression with your feet, and in the literal sense of the word. Walk, force yourself to get up from the couch, call your friends, leave the house. Start running, going to the pool or fitness. During physical exertion in the blood in large quantities act biologically active substances- endorphins that improve mood. The third is a productive analysis of what happened. Ask yourself the following questions: What happened? What has this situation taught me? What should be done next?

Vasilchenko Dina Evgenievna - psychologist, gestalt therapist, author of the psychological virtual office:

Padun Maria Anatolyevna-clinical psychologist, candidate psychological sciences), employee of the Laboratory of Psychology of Post-Traumatic Stress of the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences:

Depression is increasingly seen as an inevitable attribute modern society. For example, it is known that more than half of US residents take antidepressants and tranquilizers. According to WHO forecasts, in the near future, depression will take the second place in prevalence after cardiovascular disease. This dynamic, of course, is not encouraging. The depressed patient is familiar to every psychiatrist and psychotherapist: he suffers from a breakdown, loss of enjoyment of life, insomnia, unpleasant thoughts, inability to concentrate on current activities. There are more complex (masked) types of depression, when it is "hidden" under the guise of other diseases (head, gastrointestinal, heart pain, etc.).
If we talk about the causes of depression, then today the most recognized are biopsychosocial models that reflect the relationship of biological, psychological and environmental factors in the genesis depressive disorders. The biological causes are in violation biochemical processes in the body; psychological - in the distortion of the image of the "I" and ideas about the world around the depressive patient; environmental - in increased stress modern life, excessive demands on the individual by society, the imposition of a "cult of success" on him. Cross-cultural studies show that cultures based on the priority of success and high achievement have much higher levels of depression than societies where success is not a cult.
What to do if you find symptoms of depression in yourself? First of all - don't panic! It is important to understand that your case is not unique, that depression is treatable. The most effective is the combined (drug and psychotherapeutic) treatment of depression, i.e. you need to contact a psychiatrist to prescribe a treatment regimen and a psychologist or psychotherapist to eliminate psychological reasons depression. Psychotherapy for depression, depending on the individual case, may include work with experienced stress and mental trauma; correction of the image of "I", self-esteem; elaboration of difficulties in interpersonal relationships and other areas. Modern research show that the use of medical methods has a short-term effectiveness: the intensity of symptoms decreases, but the ways a person interacts with the outside world remain the same, which, in turn, leads to chronic depression.

Razheva Svetlana Yurievna - gestalt therapist, psychologist (psychology of personality, psychology of management), candidate of psychological sciences:

It is not at all difficult to believe in this, especially since it seems to be becoming fashionable to attribute one's failures to depression. Then the mysterious state, the way out of which all the pundits of the world are looking for, becomes my constituent part, I become involved in the great mystery of the world - isn't that fascinating?! On the one hand, my uniqueness is confirmed, on the other hand, my involvement in the society of intellectuals (they are the most likely to be depressed).
Why do I need this very depression now - the question is - WHY? And if I can be honest with myself at this moment (at the moment of searching for the answer to the question “WHY?”), then half, and even most of the work is done! There may be many answers, or there may be one - SCARY. It’s scary that my son has grown up, and I have become unnecessary, especially on weekends ... It’s scary to go for walks, suddenly they will get to know me, and I’m afraid that I will have to leave, or will my relatives start to be jealous of new acquaintances? It's scary to have sex, what if later I can't do without it? Is it scary to start a new job, because in the same place you gave a lot of effort without getting the expected return?.. It’s scary to know, it’s scary, because you already know everything a few moves ahead, and you’re afraid to just lose precious time ...
And you don’t notice at all that this is how it, time, is lost. You yourself cease to feel, grieve, rejoice ... live, breathe. Yes, just breathe.

The first thing that draws the attention of the client, after he admitted his depressive state and found the answer to the question "why does he need her?" is a process of CONSCIOUS BREATHING. Concentration on observing one's breathing (without changing anything in it yet) allows a person to begin to feel his body, remove clamps, blocks, realize his true needs, resolve them.
Second, start being HERE AND NOW. It is this state that helps to cope with depression after a vacation, a holiday romance. Start saying to yourself, “The past is already gone, it is gone. The future has not yet arrived, it does not exist. There is today. I live here and now. The best day is today." It is not at all necessary to believe in this, because it is a fact that is very easy to verify. From experience I know for sure that these phrases, these experiments with the time line (we admit that time can be imagined as a line) cause bewilderment, and even irritation among clients, but as a result, there is a joy of discovery: “Exactly!”.
Third - be honest with yourself - answer the question: "What is really important to you now - continue to be afraid to live, or give yourself life with all its facets?" and learn to be generous to yourself. Give yourself LOVE, ATTENTION AND CARE - you are the one who can really do it. Then you will be able to give all this to the people around you, and not worry that someday all this will dry up - after all, love, care, attention do not final product, but an infinite action. And thus you will learn to let go of people (events, things) with whom the relationship has ended. Learn to accept people (events, things) into your life, relationships with which can become a gift of fate for you ... Love, care and attention will simply become a reality of your life, your natural components that will dissolve any depression.
It can take a very long time to try to cope with your own depression, but it is much more effective to turn to a psychologist, a Gestalt therapist. With an experienced counselor, you will need to meet once, maximum five times, to feel free from depression, and up to ten times to build on success.
It's up to you to decide what is really important to you.

There is hardly anything worse than depression. Depressed mood, decline in vitality, hopeless pessimism, lack of desire to do anything and show at least some interest in existence ... This and much more accompanies this mental disorder. When a person is immersed in state of mind, he becomes helpless, indifferent and "empty". Some people manage to do it alone, while others don't. But in any case, you need to know how to overcome depression and depression.

First stage

When depression is just beginning, a person refuses to be aware of this fact. He believes that he simply does not have the mood, fatigue at work or study, weather changes affect. At the first stage initial symptoms accompanied by pronounced apathy, increased fatigue and lack of desire to do anything. Often there is a lack of appetite, problems with falling asleep, as well as irritability and nervousness. Despite being tired, a person cannot fall asleep even if he takes sleeping pills.

In addition, there is a deterioration in concentration, a decrease in efficiency, the disappearance of interest in former hobbies and hobbies. A mountain of cases begins to pile up that were previously managed to be solved long before the deadline. It's getting harder and harder to finish what you started. And this is not just a depressed mood and a lethargic state. This is how the initial stage of depression manifests itself, which subsequently develops more and more intensively.

Deterioration

If a person has ignored how the mood changes and, in general, his regimen, the restructuring of the body begins. the production of serotonin, which is commonly called the hormone of happiness, stops. He does not eat at all, or consumes some minimum to “fill up” his stomach. Immunity is reduced and chronic diseases escalate. The body fights "with itself", but it fails.

Prolonged insomnia sets in. A person ceases to think adequately and logically, he does not keep his behavior and emotions under control. It's like he's in another world where he doesn't care. For outsiders, it seems strange, and as if divorced from real world. In particular severe cases his condition is accompanied by auditory and visual hallucinations. It is at this stage, conditionally designated as the second, that more than 80% of attempts to commit suicide fall. In the best cases, such people simply "close" in themselves, locking themselves up where no one will touch them, and immersing themselves in philosophizing.

Loss of the meaning of life

it last stage depression. A person not only has no mood - he has no desire to live. His body is still alive important features but it works offline. But in mental sphere pathological processes begin to occur.

At best, a person will remain indifferent and detached from the world. And at worst, animal aggression will wake up in him. Such people are capable of harming themselves and others. Because they cease to perceive this world as something valuable, and cease to identify themselves with a Man, with a Personality. Of the consequences, memory loss, schizophrenia, depressive psychosis. This is what a long-term depressed mood is transformed into. That is why it is so important to catch on even at the first stage, and either ask for help or get on your feet on your own.

Why is the blues coming?

Depression, depression and despondency always have prerequisites. Sometimes they are even combined into a complex. The reason may be a lack of vitamin D and the sun.

Even according to statistics, depression develops most often in the fall, when daylight hours are reduced. The sun is getting smaller, and it is he who stimulates the production of vital vitamin D in the body.

Health problems also often affect the psychosomatic state of a person. There is a depressed mood during pregnancy, menopause, problems with thyroid gland etc.

Often the prerequisite is overwork or exhaustion of the body. Constant work, busy schedule, eternal employment with problems - it is logical that the body begins to mope. But such cases are treated very simply. You just need to take a vacation and let yourself relax.

And the last popular reason is the lack of physical activity. If it is not, then endorphin stops being produced. But it is he who is the hormone of joy. By adding a jog or a couple of hours in the gym for a week to your regimen, you can see how your condition improves. Both physical and psychosomatic.

What to do?

First, don't give up and don't give up. If this is the first stage, then everything can be fixed. The main thing is to act immediately.

If a person began to notice a bad mood in the morning, which only gets worse during the day, you need to bring more movement into your life. Physical work brings satisfaction. Even cleaning the house will help streamline your feelings and thoughts. But lying on the couch only worsens the condition.

You also need to start constantly pleasing yourself with your favorite things. It can be anything - shopping, gatherings with friends, ordering a whole mountain tasty food home, vacation trip, dancing, drawing, swinging. You just need to forget about all the worries, your age and responsibilities, and do what you want.

Relaxation is also important. Foamy hot bath, aromatherapy, music caressing the ear, and after delicious coffee, and reading an interesting book, sitting in an easy chair under a blanket - sounds like an introvert's paradise. If a person is overtaken by the blues, then silence and such a utopian comfort will help him relax and unwind a little.

Finding an exit

Of course, there are people who do not leave blues, depression and despondency only after signing up for the gym and a couple of days off. In more severe cases, you need to act more radically.

A change of scenery can help. When a person is depressed, the same ceiling with walls that appears in the morning before his eyes every day is incredibly depressing. You need to leave, and preferably closer to nature. She heals. The sounds of falling water, a babbling stream, the singing of birds, the rustling of leaves, the rustle of grass - this has a therapeutic effect and helps to reduce the level of stress hormones, as well as normalize blood pressure. This atmosphere is healing. For a person under arrest in a noisy stone jungle, it is simply necessary.

In addition, it is impossible not to mention the qualitative difference between fresh natural air, and stale, reigning in the premises. Like it or not, but in most cities it is spoiled by gases and harmful emissions. Even ventilation won't help. Whether it's forest or sea air.

And, of course, bioenergy. The city “presses” on all people and devastates them. What is it like to be in the center of the bustle of a depressed person who has been overcome by depression? You can feel pure bioenergy only by coming into contact with nature. Meet the sunset, lie down on the grass, walk barefoot on the sand, swim in a crystal clear reservoir ... they say, this way you can get rid of static electricity. Be that as it may, in the bosom of nature, a person rather quickly leaves the state of despondency, and begins to feel the taste of life again.

Help from a specialist

Sometimes, it is necessary. Constantly bad mood due to all of the above is one thing. But the reality is known even much more serious cases. Those in which it is really impossible to do without antidepressants, therapy and talking with a doctor.

This refers to a psychological disorder provoked by something that destroyed a person's life in an instant. It could be anything. Death of a loved one. Loss of all accumulated wealth. Betrayal or betrayal. The destruction of all plans, hopes and dreams without exception. Sudden changes. At such moments, one can really understand a person who loses the desire to exist in this world. Because her very purpose, the reason for which he woke up in the morning, is leaving his life. The person loses himself. And this is something that even the enemy does not want to wish.

Treatment

It starts with psychotherapy. To which a person suffering from depression and a chronically depressed state comes with difficulty. People resist for various reasons. Most often because they consider going to a psychotherapist to be a “edge”, or they don’t want to be considered crazy, or they “dig” in their head. In such cases, the support of loved ones and motivation on their part is very important. It is extremely rare for people to go to a psychotherapist on their own. Most often, they are convinced by relatives, and in especially difficult cases, they even organize sessions by force.

Psychotherapy is a therapeutic effect through the psyche on human body. The doctor helps the patient get rid of social, individual and emotional problems, first establishing a deep personal contact with him through conversation. Often accompanied by cognitive, behavioral and other techniques.

Medical assistance

Medicines are also prescribed. Depressed mood, the causes of which are also determined by the doctor, is treated with antidepressants.

These are psychotropic medicines, which normalize the level of neurotransmitters (such as dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin). After taking them, a person's mood and appetite improve, longing, anxiety, insomnia and apathy disappear, mental activity increases. And he's on the mend.

Release of emotions

A person who is constantly accompanied by a spoiled mood rarely wants to communicate with someone. More often he is overcome by a desire to close himself from the outside world and worry. The main thing is that no one climbed into the soul. A lot of people feel like they can't be understood. Someone is afraid of selfishness - to open the soul, and in response to get a spit.

Well, it often happens that way. But the release of emotions is necessary. The methods by which it can be carried out are extremely simple. Someone is trying to find sympathy on the Internet, under the guise of an anonymous person. Others take a notebook and begin to splash out their experiences on the sheets. And that makes it easier. It's better than texting someone. No need to formulate words - it is enough to state what reigns in the head and soul. Often, in the process of maintaining such a kind of diary, good, correct thoughts come. Sometimes it is possible to find out the exact cause of one's own, or an idea is born on its own regarding how to deal with it.

Set goals and go for them

Here's how you can "drive" a depressed mood. What should a person do if depression has completely swallowed him up? You need to push off the bottom. No matter how difficult it is. All psychologists advise this method. You need to set a goal for yourself. It may be insignificant. A person who has locked himself at home, for example, needs to force himself to go outside every day for at least 15 minutes. This is real. Choosing a goal, you need to focus on your own resources. After its implementation, you must definitely reward yourself, at least with praise for a new achievement.

It is also recommended to find comrades in misfortune - those who also suffer from depression. If relatives and friends do not understand a person, then such people will definitely be able to find support. Because they know what he's going through. The meeting of "soulmates" will help reduce the feeling of isolation, find understanding and even advice.

Finding Joy

Finally, I would like to note one more effective recommendation. Many experts advise depressed people to find new meaning life. Something that makes you want to wake up. The best option- get a pet.

Even medicine confirms the importance of animals in recovery wellness and emotional state of a person. There are official statistics confirming that people who have a pet are 30% less likely to apply for medical care. Animals are great companions bringing joy.

In addition, starting to take care of a pretty living being, a person will increase the energy of compassion, feel spiritual warmth. After all, there are so many animals unconditional love that she just can't resist.

The state of each person, mood and well-being are constantly changing. How to avoid depression or overcome it will help easy ways and helpful tips.

In the life of every person sometimes there are dramatic events or other situations that can be difficult to survive and easy to get depressed.

The sooner you feel and understand that you are falling ill with depression, being in a pre-depressive state, and accept urgent measures upon exiting it, less likely reach the critical point of depression.

Depression is a mental disorder that can be caused by illness, infection, malnutrition, lack of rest and sleep, trouble, stress or a protracted situation that traumatizes the psyche. How hard you experience it depends on how these events are perceived and passed through yourself.

Causes of depression

Depression can lead to:

• chronic fatigue;
• stress and dramatic situations;
• lack of sunlight (short days in winter);
• immobile lifestyle (physical inactivity);
• improper or poor nutrition;
• taking drugs without the supervision of a doctor, especially sedatives;
• headache;
• increased blood sugar levels;
• indigestion;
• serious physical defects;
• thyroid disease;
• allergy;
• some infectious diseases(for example, the flu);
• other diseases or non-standard situations.

Depression begins with a disorder in the part of the brain that controls mood.

Listen to your well-being and analyze your condition. If you are prone to tearfulness and pessimism or notice frequent mood swings, listen to yourself more often so as not to miss the line and not cross the line between a healthy state of mind and depression.

Symptoms of depression and pre-depression

Depression and predepressive state have the following main symptoms:

• loss of interest in the world around, which seems gloomy and faded;
• isolation, unwillingness to communicate with their surroundings;
• lack of desire to do things you love;
• lack of ability to feel joy and;
• anxiety, fear, sometimes irritability, anger;
• depressed mood, pessimism;
• deterioration in concentration;
• low self-esteem, guilt and worthlessness;
• oversleeping or vice versa insomnia, nightmares;
• fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome;
• an increase or decrease in appetite, leading to a change in weight;
• slowness of movement or increased fussiness;
• violation of sexual desire;
• lack of plans for the future;
• loss of faith and hope for improvement in the situation;
• abuse of psychotropic drugs or alcohol;
• poverty of facial expressions;
• frozen look.

If in some paragraphs you saw your psychological condition, which is observed for more than two to three weeks, then it is necessary to take serious measures to change it.

How to beat depression

What to do during depression or pre-depressive state leading to this disease? How to improve your well-being?

With a deep form of depression, it is necessary to urgently seek help from a doctor so that he can prescribe psychotropic drugs, comprehensive treatment and gave recommendations on how to get out of depression to you and loved ones who should take an active part in your rescue and assistance.

If you feel that you have a pre-depressive state and can help yourself, be sure to follow the below helpful tips to help you cope with the current state and solve your problems: how not to get depressed and how to overcome depression.

It may be difficult for you to force yourself to do useful, but not interesting, tasks. this moment action for you. If you do nothing, nothing good will happen, life will seem just as gray and uninteresting.

Help yourself, force yourself to constantly follow the tips below and notice that the multifaceted world around you is filled with colors, and actions have become the right way of your life. Life goes on!..

1. First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the cause that drives you into depression or move away from it. If this is not possible, then you need to change your attitude to the situation or circumstances. Depending on the complexity of the situation, try not to pass it through yourself, without taking it to heart as much as possible.

2. If the cause or object is in the past and is not present in your life now, but you think about it all the time, let go of all resentments and troubles associated with this object or situation. Don't keep it to yourself. Drive away all thoughts about this object and do not let them into your head.

3. Do not look back at the past, do not blame yourself for anything. Live in the present and plan for the future. Life goes on and there will be many new, interesting and beautiful things in your life.

4. Don't lie on the couch feeling sorry for yourself. Physical inactivity further aggravates depression, and pity makes you weak and lowers your self-esteem. Be confident in yourself and your plans for the future.

5. Review your priorities for being happy. Think about what you need for happiness and what it might mean for you.

6. Maybe you need to partially or completely change your lifestyle or your entire future life, set new goals, make plans for a week, a month, a year and 3 years. Look to the future and imagine it bright and beautiful. After the black stripe, there always comes a white one, and the width of the stripes depends only on you, on how you perceive this or that situation.

7. : people, nature, animals, birds and even useful things that are around you. Give more love, kindness, and then only good events, and on the way they will meet only good people and always in life there will be only a white streak of luck and good luck.

8. Connect with other people as much as possible. Sign up and participate in some training on a topic that could be useful and even interesting for you. Actively participate in social events aimed at getting only positive emotions, visit pleasant public places.

9. Remove all irritants. Repair a non-working household appliances and broken items or replace them with new ones.

10. Change the situation in the apartment if it annoys you or reminds you of unpleasant events: rearrange or change the furniture, re-hang the pictures, re-paste the wallpaper or make repairs.

11. Change your appearance: hairstyle, color or hair length. Buy new clothes, shoes, a bag or other interesting accessory. and take a picture, smiling happily.

12. Hang on the wall or put on the table in a beautiful frame your old or new photo in which you are smiling and happy.

13. Try to constantly occupy yourself with something so that there is no time left for negative thoughts but don't overexert yourself physically.

14. Due to the accumulated fatigue, the nervous system is exhausted. Therefore, it is necessary to sleep 7-8 hours, try to get up, eat and go to bed at the same time.

15. Take up outdoor sports: morning jogging, brisk walking, badminton, cycling, fitness, ice skating, skiing, rowing and more.

16. Think about your favorite hobby, such as photography, fishing, DIY crafts, drawing, reading books, etc. They will distract from obsessive unpleasant thoughts and show what a colorful and beautiful world we have.

17. Organize yourself in the place where you have long wanted to go or go. Change the environment for a while. This pause will give you the opportunity to heal yourself.

18. Communicate more often with wildlife, relax in squares, parks, in the forest, on the river, especially in sunny weather. Fresh air and greens soothe and relax, and sunlight uplifts mood and tone. For this reason, when at home on cloudy days, turn on brighter lighting.

19. Protect yourself from negative emotions. Do not watch films and programs that carry negativity.

20. Communicate with people who do not grumble, do not worry, do not complain, do not burden you with their problems, but enjoy life, are positive and are ready to understand and support you.

21. Don't start or keep up negative conversations. Do not discuss or criticize other people, do not envy, do not do evil to other people, because this negative, according to the boomerang law, will definitely return, but in the form of illnesses and troubles.

22. Get rid of bad habits: slander, smoking, alcohol, etc. Alcohol has a detrimental effect not only on human organs, but also on the psyche, driving people into depression even faster.

23. Try to stay constantly in good mood, experience positive emotions and a feeling of lightness. Cheer yourself up in a variety of ways.

24. Give yourself gifts and beautiful, fragrant flowers. Breathe in pleasant smells using aromatherapy.

25. We are what we eat. Unbalanced diet is a common cause of depression. Do not eat so-called "fast" food.

What foods to eat for depression

A pure body has pure thoughts. For this formula to work, every health-conscious person tries to consume only natural products non-GMO, chemical additives, a large number of saturated fats, as well as "fast" food (fast food, hamburgers, chips, etc.).

In the period of depression and predepressive state, it is necessary to use the following products:

• salmon, white fish, turkey, lean boiled meat;
• nuts, 4-5 pieces per day;
• raw fruits and vegetables;
• greens;
• berries;
• honey, 3-5 spoons a day;
• cereals, bran bread;
• eggs;
• dairy products, cheese;
• vegetable oil.

Take care of yourself and your health. Eat only natural products. Get rid of bad habits and lead a healthy lifestyle. Charge yourself with positive energy from positive emotions. Do good. Give the world a huge amount of your love and get it back, multiplied several times over. Be joyful, happy and easily realize your goals and dreams.

Life is beautiful and it goes on!..

I have depression, what should I do? It's easy to get depressed, but it's hard to get out of it. Practical Tips: what to do to beat depression.

1) What is Depression This is a depressed state, a depressed mood, a decline in spirit. This is a feeling of oppression and heaviness in the heart. This is a bad mood, sadness and a broken will. And often, this is a state of despair, giving a feeling of hopelessness.

2) Who suffers from depression ? It is so commonplace that everyone has experienced it in one form or another in their lives. Nobody is an exception, nobody is immune.

3) What the Bible says about depression ? The word depression itself is not found in the Bible, but it contains many examples of this common problem. The Bible points to different cases depression in people's lives. It turns out that believers such as Job, Moses, David, Elijah, Jonah, Peter, Paul and the entire people of Israel suffered from depression. (See Job3ch; Numbers 11:10-15; Psalm 41:42; 1 Kings 19:4; Jonah 4:1-3; Matthew 26:75; 2 Corinthians 1:8; Exodus 6:9).

4) What causes depression ? Depression can be caused by many factors. The most common reason for depression is stress. Life is full of difficulties, delays, disappointments, failures, illnesses, tragedies. Often, some situations in life are beyond our control. If not dealt with wisely, life's problems can weaken us, break us down, and cause a deep sense of depression.

A. Negative thinking

Our thoughts have a great influence on emotions, attitudes and desires. Depression is often the result of wrong thinking. Faced with circumstances beyond our control, we may find that any action here is useless, no matter how hard we try. And then there comes a moment of hopelessness, we begin to plunge into the abyss of depression. Such people see life only in a black light. They are always pessimistic. They convinced themselves that life was hopeless and painted a picture of desperation in their minds, reinforcing their feelings of depression. They often feel worthless, unnecessary and useless. They constantly nurture a sense of doubt and self-criticism. By thinking negatively, we not only destroy our current life, but also the future, looking at it with pessimism. This widespread tendency of negative thinking is extremely harmful. It only increases despair and self-pity. This is a trap that many fall into. This is a habit that needs to be broken.

B. Sin and Guilt

Unrepentant sin can cause depression. A person may walk around depressed because of guilt for some sin that has not yet been properly dealt with. Depression comes from an unwillingness or inability to deal with sin. At times, a person tries to hide it, instead of openly acknowledging and confronting it. When we try to cover up sin, it will inevitably come out. But at the same time, the spirit of gravity and condemnation of everyone and everything can still develop. Hidden resentment, prolonged bitterness, unforgiveness, a critical spirit, a tendency to grumble and complain - all this can serve as a reason for depression.

B. The burden of responsibility .

Sometimes difficulties, lack of time and responsibility can crush us so much that it leads to depression. At times, all people, not commensurate with their capabilities, try to achieve big goals, be in time on time, fulfill their plans, and fail. The many demands of life can overwhelm us, causing depression.

D. Physical factors .

No matter how smart we are, how beautifully built, what wonderful people around us, if we do not take care of ourselves properly, the price of this is depression. If we do what we want with our health, we are already beginning to prepare ourselves for depression. A healthy body is less susceptible to mental and physical illness. Lack of sleep, poor diet, neglect of exercise can all lead to depression.

5) Signs of depression. Depression itself gives many symptoms and manifests itself in various ways. It can be sadness, pessimism, fear, apathy, restlessness, fatigue, loss of energy, lack of enthusiasm, inability to make decisions, desire to withdraw from life, self-criticism, feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, loss of interest in work, in sexual intimacy and in normal activities, inability to concentrate, insomnia, loss of appetite. All these side effects depression is detrimental to a person.

6) What is the root of the problem? The root of the problem is sin. depression itself is not always a sin, but our inability to cope with it.

We are not always responsible for the circumstances that lead to depression and disappointment, but we are responsible for dealing with this problem the way God wants it to be. We must realize that we are not helpless, but responsible and significant in the eyes of God. If we do not look for the answer in God, the burden of responsibility falls on our shoulders, and it can break us. Depression is often the result of this.

The first step to victory is to rely on J. Christ, and not on yourself. To do this, you must confess your guilt before God, asking him to give us His grace and lead us further.

7) Is there an EXIT? Yes! One of the devil's greatest deceptions is that there is no way out for those suffering from depression. It's a lie. God always has an answer. Depression sufferers often feel hopeless, but God knows our pain and provides comfort. He is always there to help, unless we close the door to our hearts before Him.

Christians need to know that there are no hopeless situations in Christ. People make themselves helpless by turning away from Jesus. But, having given Him our care, everything around will no longer seem so gloomy.

8) What to do with depression? What God says. Many Christians also sink into the abyss of despondency simply because they have not tried to find the answer in the Holy Scriptures.

King David suffered from depression, probably more than any other biblical character. His depression lasted long and painfully, but he learned from it several life lessons about how to deal with it. The Psalms are full of examples of his suffering. “Why are you despondent, my soul, and why are you embarrassed?” (Ps. 41:6). Read also the following Psalms: 41, 42, 68, 101. Despite all the bouts of depression, he found several important keys to winning over it. Let's look at them:

I. START ACTION IMMEDIATELY

The most important thing is to immediately begin to counteract depression. She must be met armed! If you let it stay, it will spread like cancer tumor, and will infect everything she meets along the way. Usually those affected by depression carry it on and coddle it like a beloved child, instead of taking drastic steps. Many plunge into it simply from inaction, and self-pity only strengthens this state. David understood the importance of such a first step, so he exclaimed with a challenge to himself and to his depression: “Why are you discouraged, my soul, and why are you embarrassed? Trust in God! (Psalm 42:5). To trust means to hope. Start doing it right now!

II. GET YOUR THOUGHTS IN ORDER

“…and we bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 12:5). Christians must control their negative thoughts, bringing them completely under the dominion of Christ. It means to organize your thoughts according to the true Word of God. Without doing this, we may become discouraged. Christians must guard their minds. We must not think bad, impure, or indulge in bad confessions. The Word of God calls us to think about “what is just, what is pure, what is lovely, what is glorious, what is only virtue and praise” Phil. 4:8. Look at your present life and future life from God's point of view. Meditate on Doctrine Holy Scripture and cleanse your mind with His life-giving water.

III. TRUST IN THE LORD!

David cried out to his soul, "Trust in God!" (Ps. 42:5). And in 1 Peter 1:3 we see that God calls us to a "living" hope. Our hope is not dead, but alive, because we trust in the living God. This hope never brings disappointment, because the love and care of God for us is enduring. As we turn our backs on our problems and place them on God's shoulders, we gain confidence, courage, and strength. David confirmed this in Psalm 30:25: “Be of good cheer, and let your heart be strong, all who hope in the Lord!

IV. RELY ON GOD'S PROMISE

Christians should fully rely on the truth of the Word of God. We must know that "All things" work together for our good (Rom. 8:28). And no life circumstances will be terrible for us when we realize that God will not leave us helplessly floundering in them. There are no hopeless situations in Christ, God is always with us. This is the absolute guarantee of the Word of God! When we trust the truth of God's Word, we gain hope. In Holy Scripture you can find answers to all life's problems. It supports and encourages us in our journey, Scriptural advice can give true hope in any life situation. David confirmed this in Psalm 119:81 “My soul languishes for thy salvation; I trust in your word."

V. REJOICE IN THE LORD

One of the most liberating keys to defeating depression is found in Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; And again I say: rejoice! The Christian way to get rid of depression is not to run away from circumstances or isolate yourself from life, but to rise above them, praising the Lord. We rejoice not only when everything is in order with us. The apostle Paul wrote that we should rejoice always, and at the same time give thanks for everything (1 Thessalonians 5:16,18). This joy is not just because we have fun, no, by this we show our faith and understanding that in the Lord we find the basis for both confidence and joy. We know that the Lord is incomparably above all our problems, and that He does everything for our good!

VI. RECOGNIZE YOUR SINS TO GOD.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Sin can be both the cause and the result of depression. Often, as a result of some sin that we have not yet dealt with, a feeling of guilt and self-condemnation arises, leading to despair. Hidden bitterness, anger, hostility, jealousy, or some other sin in the heart, affects us extremely negatively. Feeling sorry for yourself, grumbling and complaining, you can fall into a deep depression. Sin corrupts the conscience and leads astray. If we harbor sin or cannot deal with it, we need to acknowledge it in prayer before the Lord, asking Him to give us His cleansing power. and often, throwing sin off our shoulders, we are freed from depression.

VII.TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH

As we have already found out, physical factors can play important role with depression. The reason for it may be the lack of habit to monitor their health.

We are obliged to take care not only of our spiritual condition, but also of our physical condition, since our bodies belong to the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:19). Poor treatment of the temple of God can lead to depression and punishment from God (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). This can be prevented by following simple rules to maintain your health.

9) Conclusion. We briefly reviewed this difficult topic and offered you some Bible advice on how to deal with depression. it is indeed a problem, but not one that can become an insurmountable barrier in a person's life. This is a temporary state. and with God's help, by simply following God's instructions, it can be overcome!