Depression - symptoms, depression treatment, psychotherapy

Depression – symptoms, depression treatment, psychotherapy

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Depression is a growing problem of our time and is an issue that affects millions of people around the world. It can be a debilitating condition that affects quality of life and leads to long-term suffering if not treated properly. It’s important to understand that depression is an illness, it’s much more than just depression, it can affect every aspect of life, making it difficult to function normally. With the right help and support, people with depression can learn to cope with their condition and lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

One can be an introvert or extrovert, socially active or withdrawn, young or old. Regardless, depression can affect anyone, at any stage of life. In this article we will learn what depression is, learn about its types and disturbing symptoms, find out where it comes from and how to treat it?

What is depression? What is a depressive mood?

What is depression? What is a depressive mood?Depression is a word often used colloquially to describe feelings such as sadness, frustration or disappointment. In clinical practice, the term “depression” is considered a mood disorder. People suffering from depression describe a prolonged low mood that lasts for more than two weeks. In addition to reported sadness, another predominant emotion is anxiety. An increasing number of depressed people tend to be strongly negative. Thoughts wander around how bad things are, how many difficulties life presents, how hopeless the future seems. Some people experience physical symptoms of depression: sleep patterns may change, energy levels often drop, as does the motivation to carry out daily activities. People who suffer from depression often have strong feelings of guilt about themselves.

Interaction with other people is often disrupted. People experiencing depression may feel lonely and isolated, and at the same time unwilling or unable to reach out to others, even when they have opportunities to do so.

Depression episode. What are the types of depression?

We can distinguish three types of severity in the course of depression, otherwise known as a depressive episode:

  • severe,
  • moderate,
  • mild.

Depression episode. What are the types of depression?Depression in mild stages of severity allows us to function, however, it costs us a lot of effort. The patient, although not feeling bad all day, generally evaluates his life in a negative way. Mood may rise with a positive experience, but fall again even with a minor disappointment.

Moderatedepression is a form of depression of moderate severity, characterized by more depressive symptoms that affect the patient’s daily functioning. These symptoms can make it difficult to perform daily tasks and lead to a significant reduction in quality of life.

Severe depression is a form of depression of severe severity, characterized by the onset of many severe depressive symptoms that significantly limit the patient’s ability to function in daily life. Severe depression can lead to significant impairment of social, occupational and personal functions. In cases of severe depression, suicidal thoughts, resignation and even suicidal intentions may occur.

Masked depression

Masked depression is a form of depression that is often overlooked because its symptoms are not as obvious as other forms of depression. People with masked depression may appear to be functioning normally, often hiding their depressive symptoms from those around them and even from themselves. However, they still struggle with the same emotional pain and loneliness experienced by people with other forms of depression. The most common symptoms of masked depression are changes in behavior, withdrawal or lack of interaction with friends and co-workers, loss of interest in ordinary activities such as work or socializing, and changes in sleep patterns.

Dysthymia

Dysthymia is a type of depression that can cause feelings of sadness, hopelessness and low self-esteem. Characteristic of dysthymia is that the depressed mood can last for up to several years, however, it is not so significant, the patient is able to perform daily duties, although at considerable expense. There are symptoms, associated with changes in appetite, sleep patterns and energy levels(chronic fatigue syndrome). People with dysthymia may also have difficulty concentrating or making decisions, and feel overly sensitive to criticism or rejection.

SAD seasonal depression

Seasonal depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a type of depression that affects people at certain times of the year. It usually occurs during the winter months, when there is less sunlight and lower temperatures. Symptoms in depression include feeling depressed, difficulty concentrating and changes in appetite or sleep patterns.

Psychotic depression

Depression can sometimes be psychotic, meaning that psychosis may be present as one of its symptoms. Psychotic depression, also known as depression with psychotic symptoms, is a form of depression in which additional psychotic symptoms are present, such as hallucinations (false perceptions of reality) and delusions (false beliefs). Psychotic symptoms can be associated with depressive mood, such as delusions with depressive themes, such as delusions of guilt or delusions resulting from feelings of deserving punishment. Psychotic depression is considered a more severe form of depression because psychotic symptoms can affect a patient’s functioning to an even greater degree than in the case of depression without psychotic symptoms. The patient may suffer an even greater reduction in quality of life.

Treatment of psychotic depression may require a specialized approach, often combining pharmacotherapy, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics, and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Symptoms of depression

Symptoms of depressionDepressive symptoms can be divided into three categories:

Physical

These are related to sensations in the body known as somatic symptoms such as:

  • Change in sleep patterns. Some may have difficulty falling asleep or have intermittent sleep; insomnia, others sleep more, and sluggishness translates into daytime functioning. An episode of depression can significantly contribute to poor sleep quality.
  • Appetite decreases; weight loss occurs, but other patients may experience cravings greater than usual.
  • Interest in the sexual sphere may be diminished, with a frequent decline noted in this area
  • Energy levels drop, as does motivation to perform daily activities.

Thinking

People suffering from depressive disorders think in very specific ways. This is as much a key symptom of depression as depressed mood or physical symptoms. People who experience depression tend to view themselves and others in an extremely negative way, overlooking positive aspects or success, which they explain by external factors, such as “I passed the exam because I got lucky.”

Emotional dimension and behavior

Lack of motivation or energy can cause depressed people to have limited motivation for activities, neglecting daily responsibilities and leaving decisions to others.
Less activity and avoidance of social gatherings is often one of the primary dimensions of depressive disorders. When activity levels drop, the ability to experience pleasant feelings is lost, so that feelings of sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, overwhelm and defeat are exacerbated.

Diagnosis of depression – diagnosis

Diagnosis of depression - diagnosisDepression is a mental health disorder that can have a wide range of symptoms. The risk of depression increases with age, however, the problem of depression can affect anyone, at any stage of life. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is the fourth most serious illness in the world and one of the leading causes of suicide. Mental disorders are classified by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). In the case of depression, diagnosis may include changes in mood, energy levels, sleep patterns, appetite, concentration, lowered self-esteem and thoughts of death or suicide. The Beck Depression Inventory can be a useful tool for diagnosing depression.

Here are some of the symptoms of depression that a patient may exhibit:

  • lack of energy, fatigue
  • a lowered mood appears, such as much more frequent sadness
  • feeling overwhelmed or feeling that things are too difficult to bear
  • trouble sleeping longer than usual and/or sleeping too much
  • feelings of hopelessness and/or worthlessness
  • feeling irritable, angry or frustrated more easily than usual

Causes of depression?

It is important to understand that depression is not caused by a single factor, but often by a combination of several factors interacting. These factors can be divided into two broad categories: biological and psychological.

Biological factors – is depression inherited?

Biological factors that can affect mood disorders include genes, hormones and manufactured chemicals in our brains.
Depression runs in families of origin, suggesting that individuals may inherit genes that make them susceptible to developing depression. However, it is possible to inherit an increased susceptibility to the disease, but this will not necessarily mean that one will become ill.

Studies have shown that there are certain hormonal changes that occur in depression. This can result in excessive or insufficient production of certain hormones in our body.
Nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other using specific chemicals called neurotransmitters. The onset of depression is thought to reduce the activity of one or more of the nerve cells’ communicating systems. This can disrupt certain areas of the brain that regulate the functions of sleep, appetite, sexual desire and mood.

Psychological factors

The triggers for depressive disorders are usually experiences of loss. During the course of our lives, we repeatedly experience the loss of someone important. This experience can include the loss of a loved one through bereavement or separation (loss of a job, friendship, promotion, image, support, etc.). Some people may make their happiness dependent on gaining a specific goal: graduating from college, getting a particular job, making a certain profit from a business venture, or finding a life partner.

If for some reason they are unable to achieve their dream goal, a sense of failure can contribute to depression.

As we mentioned earlier, many negative thinking patterns can increase and sustain symptoms of depression. Taking on excessive responsibility, inflexible beliefs about who one should be and how one should behave are common life attitudes.
Depression can also be triggered by an accumulation of stressful life events and situations: unemployment, financial problems, illness, serious difficulties with spouses, parents or children.

How to treat depression?

How to treat depression?A form of depression can be treated with antidepressants and psychotherapy. Often the recommended way to treat depression is to combine interactions-using pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. The main methods of treating depression are therapeutic interactions, primarily cognitive-behavioral therapy, which shows high effectiveness in this type of problem. Drug treatment must always be under the supervision of a psychiatrist, the psychiatrist will diagnose the patient’s condition and apply specific drug treatment.
It is difficult to cure depression on your own, so if you are struggling with the problems mentioned above, it is worth seeing a specialist. Meeting with a psychotherapist can increase the chances of minimizing symptoms or cure. Remission in the context of depression means the cessation or reduction of the severity of depressive symptoms. It is the period when a depressed person no longer meets the diagnostic criteria for a depressive episode according to diagnostic criteria.

A person with depression, how can they cope?

Increasing his activity level

One way to overcome depressive states is to increase your activity level. The more active and the more enjoyable the activities, the better we feel.

Stepping away from standard activities, in moments of worse mood, gives our mind a kind of respite – a different focus, a look at the present moment. Action, even if done a bit forcefully, can help give us a sense of moving forward and taking control of our lives.
Usually when we are physically tired, we need respite and rest. However, when we are depressed, more sleep and idle sitting will only cause sluggishness and numbness. In addition, spending time passively leaves a lot of space for the mind to “ruminate” on depressive thoughts. Taking care of your own physical health is a very important aspect. The main strategies for facilitating increased activity are goal-setting, action planning, techniques for developing social and problem-solving skills.

Fun and achievement

It’s good to do fun and enjoyable things, it helps us find joyful moments during the day. Especially at times of busy work, cold season or pandemonium, it is good to find a moment in your schedule for enjoyable activities and increase the desire to do things, such as jogging in the park with your favorite music in your ears or taking a warm bath.

Worse mood is associated not only with sadness, but also with feelings of hopelessness, guilt and despair. In view of this, it is worth taking care of the positive feelings associated with the area of achievement and goal pursuit. Performing tasks that culminate in a specific achievement or that allow us to excel at something will help us feel that we are beginning to take charge of our affairs again.

It’s clear that there are many benefits to increasing or changing activities, but some thoughts can keep us from changing: “I won’t enjoy it,” “it’s too difficult,” or “I don’t have time for pleasure.” A common mistake is trying to do too much too soon.

When we have worse days, certain actions or changes may require a huge effort. The idea is to start with small, simple steps that we are able to take. During a period of severe depression, it is unreasonable to expect that we will be able to jump out of bed and clean the whole house, and then go out to lunch with a friend. If we set our goals too high, we may fail to achieve them, become disillusioned with ourselves and feel much worse. Instead, it’s a good idea to plan things that are achievable for the present time. If we don’t have the strength to meet with other people, we can simply call someone.

Emotions

We often think that the feelings we experience are due to external causes. For example, we may explain to ourselves: “it was my partner who made me angry”, “my boss stressed me out so much”, “I’m depressed because I didn’t get the job I wanted” – but also with regard to positive experiences: “this trip made me feel so relaxed”.

What is the assumption behind these statements? Someone or something else influenced our emotions. However, what influences us most strongly is how we perceive a situation or the behavior of a person or event. It is our thoughts and beliefs that significantly influence our feelings and actions. Our interpretations can contribute to worsening depressive states. In turn, our negative feelings influence our thinking, creating so-called vicious circles.

Is sadness depression?

Each of us sometimes thinks about things that make us feel sad or anxious – this is a normal part of life. However, if this kind of thinking accompanies us on a daily basis, perhaps this is a signal to review your thoughts.

Experiencing loss

Experiencing lossOne of the triggers for depressive states is the experience of loss. People deal with grief in many different ways and do not necessarily go through a “predictable group of stages of grief.” The way people experience grief can depend on the circumstances of the loss (e.g., sudden death, long illness, death of a young person), as well as previous experiences of loss. There is no time limit on grief – some people return to their daily routine fairly quickly, while others need more time. Some prefer to grieve alone, others want support and companionship. Most people going through this process will eventually adjust to the loss and return to normal life. It is worth remembering that if, several months after the loss, the person’s mood remains significantly depressed and functioning is at a low level, it is essential to seek help. Psychotherapy will help safely explore the experience of grief, connect with painful feelings and memories, paving the way for resolution and a new stage.

Thoughts

What kinds of thoughts are unhelpful to us? They are those that tend to focus on the negative aspects of a situation; those in which we make unrealistic demands of ourselves or others, and those in which we refer to ourselves very critically, such as “he won’t like me,” “he’ll see how hopeless I am,” “I can’t show my true self.” These are often referred to as thinking patterns that have become a habit.

What can be done? How to deal with depression?

First, it is worth asking ourselves, “What am I thinking? What conclusions am I drawing?” to see what thoughts are directly contributing to our depression.
The next step is to challenge your thinking by examining other possible explanations. The most important thing is to try to look at the situation from different points of view. It’s worth asking yourself: how can you look at the situation differently? How might someone else view it? What other explanations might there be?
Balanced and helpful thoughts or beliefs are those that take into account alternative points of view. The final step is to ask yourself: “How can I replace the original thought to include other possible options as well?”

Imagine a situation where you are waiting for someone, for example, a friend who is already a quarter of an hour late and does not reply to text messages. An automatic thought arises: “He doesn’t respect me. He doesn’t give a damn about my time and the fact that I’m sitting here alone.” Let’s pause. Is this the only way to look at this situation? Or am I wrong or making a hasty judgment? Perhaps he’s standing in traffic, something fell out, or he’s just plain late and will tell me about it when we meet?

The method of working to change thinking is not the simplest. We are human, we often come to conclusions automatically, without asking ourselves whether this assumption is true.
However, if we “fight” our assumptions, which often make us suffer and become more and more withdrawn, we will give ourselves a chance to enjoy life in a new way.

Depression therapy

Depression therapyPsychotherapy for depression is a form of therapy that is used to treat symptoms and improve the emotional and psychological functioning of people suffering from depression. Therapy helps reduce the severity of symptoms. It can be used as individual therapy, group therapy or family therapy, depending on the patient’s needs and preferences. Sometimes, when depression is severe, it requires treatment that will be intensified, such as therapy meetings twice a week. Therapy for people suffering from depression, is one of the treatments that has a high treatment success rate.

Psychotherapy for depression can include a variety of therapeutic approaches, such as:

  1. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). This is one of the most commonly used therapeutic approaches for treating depression. Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, a strand of CBT, focuses on identifying and changing negative thinking and behavioral patterns that may contribute to depression. The therapist and patient work together to identify and change negative thoughts, habits and emotional reactions.
  2. Interpersonal therapy (IPT). Focuses on improving the patient’s interpersonal relationships, since relationship problems can contribute to depression. The therapist and patient work together to identify and resolve problems related to communication, social relationships, loss, life changes or other interpersonal difficulties.
  3. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). The therapy brings together elements of cognitive behavioral therapy with mindfulness techniques. Mindfulness is the practice of focusing attention on the here and now, without judgment or evaluation. MBCT can be an effective approach for treating depression, especially for recurrent depression.
  4. Family therapy. This form of help is recommended when depression is related to family dynamics. The therapist works with the immediate family members together to identify and resolve family issues that may be contributing to depression.

Remember depression is an illness and often requires specialized treatment. It is worth answering the question, “Do I need to continue to suffer like this? Make a decision, see a doctor, psychiatrist or psychotherapist.

Pharmacotherapy for depression

Psychiatry is a branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and management of various mental disorders, including depression. Pharmacotherapy of depression involves the use of antidepressant (also known as antidepressant) drugs, which are prescribed by a psychiatrist or other specialist. The choice of a particular drug, the dose and how long it takes to treat depression depends on the patient’s individual case and is adjusted by the doctor based on an assessment of the patient’s condition, severity of symptoms, medical history and other factors. Drug treatment should be consulted with a doctor, and it is important that the entire treatment process is carried out under the close supervision of a psychiatrist and in accordance with the recommendations and treatment plan set by the specialist.

The standard duration of pharmacotherapy for depression is usually a minimum of 6-8 weeks, but this time may vary depending on the severity of symptoms, the patient’s individual response to medication. Typically, the first improvement may appear at least two weeks after the start of treatment, but the full effects of treatment may require a longer time. Therefore, it is important for the patient to continue the process of taking the medication, as prescribed by the doctor, even if he or she does not experience improvement during the initial period of therapy.

The most commonly used groups of antidepressants are:

  1. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): These are drugs that increase the availability of serotonin, the neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood, in the brain. Examples of SSRIs include fluoxetine, sertraline, escitalopram.
  2. Norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs): These are drugs that increase the availability of both norepinephrine and serotonin in the brain. Examples of SNRIs include venlafaxine, duloxetine.
  3. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs): These are older antidepressants that work by blocking the action of the monoamine oxidase enzyme, which is responsible for breaking down neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Examples of MAOs include moclobemide, selegiline.
  4. Tricyclic antidepressants (TPPDs): These are older drugs that work by blocking the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Examples of TLPDs include amitriptyline, doxepin, and imipramine.

Prophylactic actions

As part of preventive measures, it is worth remembering:

  1. Maintaining a balance between work and rest. An intense lifestyle can be stressful in itself. It’s worth trying to maintain a reasonable balance, ensuring good eating habits, regular sleep, exercise and engaging in enjoyable activities that can be both fun and challenging.
  2. Develop a social support network. It’s good to find someone to sit down and have a frank conversation with. Often problems seem bigger to us if we only hear them in our heads. Talking can help put things into perspective. Socializing can be an opportunity to have fun and be carefree.
  3. In any work on oneself, one must expect ups and downs. It can be useful to remind yourself that most people have worse days, there are times when it’s harder to deal with small and big problems – it’s part of being human! Change is often a bumpy road, but the benefits will reward the effort.

It is worth remembering that preventive measures can help protect us from deep crises. However, if we feel worse, it is worth seeking out a person to talk to about what we are going through and how we perceive events. Depression and despondency are never our allies.

If you see similar symptoms and difficulties in yourself, then make an appointment- Psychotherapy online.

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Autor:
I am a certified psychotherapist and CBT supervisor. I use the latest methods of cognitive-behavioral therapy and schema therapy. My specialty? Turning complex theories into practical advice and solutions! As an expert in the field, I not only run a clinical practice, but also train and supervise other psychotherapists. I invite you to read my articles and contact me if you need professional support.

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