On depression.
Depression is a disease. It is a serious disorder that affects our thoughts, feelings and actions. As little as 2 weeks of impaired mood and functioning is enough to recognize depression. Early diagnosis and early treatment give you a better chance of overcoming the crisis quickly - a quicker recovery and return to full function. You are not alone, help is available. Don't be ashamed to ask for it. Persisting in the belief that "I can do it," only delays proper action.
Doctor, I can't handle it....
More than once I have heard these words from people answering my question, why did you come to see a doctor? Nowadays, people are constantly being tested. Life brings with it various demands that we try to meet. As long as our mental immunity mechanisms are in working order, any strain on the biological system, the body, is compensated for and we return to form after a short recovery period. For easier imagining, compare this to the work of a spring, cushioning, for example, a dump truck. When the car is loaded with a load, the springs yield, succumbing to pressure. And when the dump truck gets rid of the load, the springs relax and return to their original shape. This is also how our mental resistance system works. Note that we even use the same words: "load", "deflection", "pressure", "relaxation". But what happens if a loaded truck falls into a serious hole. The spring can seriously deform and incompletely return to its original shape, or it can break, and then, the mechanic faces a much bigger challenge. When people say "I can't handle it," most often they have had some period of experiencing stress that is undercompensated. The brain is already very tired, the brain's biological resources are on the wane, and its functioning - here is another association - resembles functioning through a credit card. There is money, but it's not mine... it will have to be paid back someday.
How do you know when something is "wrong"?
The symptoms of depressive syndrome are quite easy to understand and observe. Most people have this experience of having lost something important. One then feels grief over the loss, sadness. Nothing makes one happy, nothing interests one. Sometimes one has a limited desire to even move. It is similar with depression, but it must be strongly emphasized at this point that temporary periods of one or even several days of deteriorated mood is not yet depression. Depression is a disease. To recognize it, its symptoms should last at least 2 weeks. On the one hand "at least" 2 weeks, on the other hand "only" 2 weeks. This is because many people have the notion that depression is such a serious matter that it affects people who have been ill for months. Well, no, as little as 2 weeks is enough to recognize depression.
But what symptoms should we confirm in our observation to think about depression? There are three basic symptoms (1) lowered mood, i.e., sadness and depression, (2) anhedonia, i.e., impaired feelings of joy, and (3) impaired drive, i.e., nothing is wanted, nothing is done. Two of these three symptoms must be present for at least two weeks. In addition, depression may have additional symptoms, which can be a long list, but at least two additional symptoms must also be present. It is relatively common for the sufferer's sleep to be disturbed, self-esteem to deteriorate, and even thoughts of one's own suicidal death may be present.
What does a visit to a psychiatrist look like?
A visit to a psychiatrist looks just like any medical visit to any other doctor. This is because a psychiatrist is a doctor. His work with the patient therefore involves taking a history of the patient, his symptoms, and examining the patient, making a diagnosis and offering treatment. What distinguishes a psychiatrist from a doctor of other specialties is the method of examination. A psychiatrist doctor does not auscultate the patient, he listens to him. The psychiatrist's primary tools are conversation and observation. He may also order some additional tests. Psychiatry as a branch of medicine is a pure science. The organ that is diseased is the brain, and a psychiatrist examining a patient gets closer to interpreting which parts of the brain are functioning less well. Without going into deeper details - our cortex is more stressed when we think. Subcortical centers when we are experiencing something. In contrast, conduction disorders between different areas of the brain can express themselves, for example, by deterioration of attention. This is how we diagnose, make a diagnosis and select treatment.
How to treat?
As soon as possible. This means that if you have been suffering for 2 weeks, you know the symptoms and suspect that it may be a mental disorder - do not delay, come see a doctor. Depression can progress as a syndrome with mild, moderate, or severe symptoms. If you come to the doctor without undue delay, there is a good chance that the depression is still at the stage of mild severity of symptoms, early inclusion of psychotherapeutic treatment may make pharmacotherapy unnecessary. However, in most cases pharmacotherapy is needed, but the earlier treatment is started, the greater the chance that drug doses can be lower. The best results come from combined treatment, that is, psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is one of the most widely used approaches, is primarily recommended for depression. This type of therapy helps patients recognize and change their negative thinking and behavior. This is important for the functioning of our psychological resilience, so one could say that undergoing therapy, to some extent, reduces our risk of experiencing depression again. There are also other methods of psychotherapy - psychodynamic, integrative, etc.
Antidepressant drug treatment reduces the symptoms of depression in a biological way. Most commonly, drugs with receptor activity are used. For example. the drug blocks a receptor, as a result, the concentration of a substance necessary for the proper transmission of signals from one nerve cell to another is increased, and the improvement in conduction makes certain symptoms gradually withdraw. The most commonly used drugs are those from the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor group (known as SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). However, there are several groups of drugs available, which are selected depending on the clinical situation.
Prevention
Depression can also be prevented. The key seems to be taking care of the balance between strain and rest. A so-called healthy lifestyle is one of the best recommendations. Getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and avoiding alcohol and drugs can help maintain mental health. In addition, relaxation techniques, such as meditation, can help manage stress, which is often linked to depression.
Illness is not a reason to be ashamed
We are not ashamed of having the flu, asthma, or that we wear glasses. So let's not be ashamed of depression. Depression affects many people. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that in 2030, depression could become the most commonly diagnosed disease in the world. Many famous people have struggled with the disease and have spoken openly about it. In Poland, the experiences of famous people were brought to us by the "Faces of Depression" campaign. Do not hesitate, do not wait - you are not alone(-). Depression is not a "weakness" and will not go away on its own. Depression is a disease and should be treated. There are proven, effective methods that can be used for treatment. If you have doubts - come.
