Mental disorders often have devastating consequences for a person. One of these dangerous diseases is deep depression.
The disease changes the patient’s consciousness, prevents him from living, working, communicating with people. And if in the early stages you can get rid of depression on your own, then the deep form must be treated only with the help of a psychiatrist.
Causes
The disease can develop for many reasons. They are divided into three groups:
- Psychological - these include situations that severely traumatize a person’s consciousness. They can occur abruptly, unexpectedly (death of relatives and friends, loss of large money or property, war, break with a loved one, criminal punishment). The event that happened literally breaks a person’s life and turns the whole way upside down. The psyche is not ready for the changes that have occurred. A detrimental factor can cause deep depression after some time of its action. The psyche of some people does not withstand the stress of an exhausting work schedule, caring for a bed patient, and constant poverty. Deep depression in men is most often caused by problems of a financial and career nature. In women - personal life and family turmoil.
- The endogenous causes of deep depression are not related to the outside world. They are a metabolic disorder, which is accompanied by an imbalance of dopamine, serotonin and adrenaline. These elements are the main mediators of the human nervous system. With a decrease in their content in the body, a person has an unreasonable bad mood and an oppressed state. The peak of deep depressions caused by endogenous factors occurs in the autumn-spring period.
- Symptomatic - causes provoking the occurrence of a pathological condition. These include severe ailments, injuries, and medications.
Deep depression does not develop in all people. It depends on the stability of the psyche and individual characteristics of a person.
Manifestation
Certain signs indicate the development of an abnormal state. Symptoms of deep depression are represented by such external manifestations:
- loss of strength and increased fatigue, accompanied by insomnia;
- indifference, lack of interest in his ordinary life and people around him;
- constantly depressed mood.
If such signs are noticed in a person for more than two weeks and have an increasing character, then the help of a doctor is required. The clinical picture with deep depression is supplemented by the following conditions:
- a feeling of self-doubt, precariousness of their position;
- the inability to concentrate, to perform mental work at the same level;
- memory impairment;
- thoughts of suicide;
- feeling of guilt;
- constant doubts;
- weight loss
- decreased sexual desire (sometimes complete frigidity and impotence are possible);
- overexcitation or excessive inhibition;
- lack of appetite;
- emotionless;
- violation of the instinct of self-preservation.
Such manifestations of depression lead to the fact that a person loses the ability to normal socialization. He feels like a black sheep in society. Understands that something is wrong with him.
Due to lethargy or excessive temper, the patient begins to not cope with work, inadequately behaves in the team. The pathological condition is exacerbated by the dismissal.
Psychotic symptoms
Often the symptoms of deep depression are supplemented by hallucinations. Disorders can be visual, auditory and even olfactory in nature. Often patients complain that they hear voices.
In addition, people who are deeply depressed may suffer from delusions. Most often, a sick person says that:
- sick with a terrible, incurable disease;
- He is a terrible sinner;
- impoverished;
- guilty of far-fetched crimes;
- feels that misfortune will happen to him.
Psychotic symptoms are also characteristic of other disorders of consciousness. Therefore, to determine the disease, it is important to know the whole clinical picture as a whole.
What is there to be afraid of?
With a deep form of depression, a person is constantly depressed. The quality of life is noticeably reduced, and the ability to fully work and relax - disappears. The inhibition of intelligence and the motor apparatus makes it difficult to interact with other people. Emotional emptiness does not allow you to really look at yourself from the side and evaluate the state.
Since it is almost impossible to get out of deep depression on your own, during this period the patient needs urgent medical attention. In its absence, the disease can develop into schizophrenia. Some have manic-depressive psychosis.
Against the background of depression, the following may develop:
- hepatitis;
- gastrointestinal tract disorders;
- thyroid dysfunction;
- coronary artery disease;
- joint pain
- osteochondrosis.
What else is the danger of deep depression? A person may develop suicidal tendencies. Vision of the whole world in a distorted form, self-flagellation, lack of desire to find a way out, emptiness give rise to thoughts about settling accounts with life.
Deep depression: what to do?
People who are in such a state are emotionally closed, so even relatives can not immediately understand that something is wrong with their family member. However, if a shock occurred in a person’s life or strange behavior is noticed, it is better not to wait for severe manifestations and visit a psychiatrist. Only a specialist will be able, having understood the reasons, to determine how to withdraw from a deep depression a patient in this condition.
In no case should you self-medicate, drink herbal teas, tranquilizers and go on fortune-tellers. Only a psychiatrist will be able to understand whether there is a disease and how to cure it.
Diagnostics
The doctor determines the presence of deep depression by interviewing (special tests are used) and monitoring the patient. Symptoms and treatment of deep depression are inextricably linked.
If the specialist is confused by any atypical manifestations of the disease, he directs the patient to additional examinations to other doctors:
- to a cardiologist - to confirm or exclude diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- to a neurologist - for an examination of the brain (in this case, the passage of a cardiogram or MRI may be prescribed).
Pharmacotherapy
The most effective method used to treat severe depression is to take medications. For this, antidepressants are used. The choice of drugs depends on the condition and age of the patient, as well as the manifestations of the disease.
Most often used antidepressant drugs:
- with noradrenergic action ("Mianserin");
- inhibitors whose effect is based on the reuptake of serotonin (Fluvoxamine, Sertraline);
- tetracyclic series ("Imipramine", "Amitriptyline").
If deep depression is accompanied by an anxiety state, a parallel administration of tranquilizers is prescribed. Psychosomatic symptoms are treated with antipsychotics.
At the discretion of the doctor, therapy is performed on an outpatient basis or at home. If there are suicidal symptoms, treatment is carried out only in a hospital.
Psychotherapy
Treating severe depression in women and men is not limited to taking medication. Psychotherapists conduct interviews with the patient. At individual sessions, various techniques are used:
- cognitive-behavioral correction;
- suggestion;
- conviction.
Psychotherapy is aimed at changing the patient's attitude to the problem that caused deep depression. The patient must learn to live with what happened, to cope with the situation.
At the final stages of treatment, group and family therapy gives good results . After recovery, the doctor advises the patient about auto-training sessions. They should be used by the patient throughout life.
Electroconvulsive therapy
Patients with deep depression are not always amenable to therapeutic treatment. In this case, doctors use a more radical means - electroconvulsive therapy. It consists in exposing the patient to electrical discharges.
The procedure is as follows:
- Anesthetic is administered to the patient.
- Electrodes lead to the temples.
- The current causes a seizure lasting up to one minute.
In order to avoid complications, a full examination of the patient is performed before the procedure. The course lasts from ten to sixteen sessions. Positive changes begin after the first of them.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
From deep depression, the patient can be excreted by exposure to the cerebral cortex with a magnetic field. The procedure helps to restore the processes of interaction of neurons.
The method of transcranial magnetic stimulation is completely painless. It does not require anesthesia. The number of sessions can be up to thirty.
Physical exercise
When a patient begins to emerge from a state of deep depression, his independent participation in the healing process is very useful. To do this, the doctor prescribes exercise.
Active movements affect muscle tone, make the body produce endorphins. These substances act in the same way as antidepressants. In addition, the patient begins to feel control over his body. This makes it possible to regain self-confidence.
Exercise must be performed regularly. Ideally, every day for fifteen minutes.
Additional measures
When treating deep depression, it is important not only to take all the medications prescribed by your doctor exactly, but also to follow his other recommendations. These include:
- good rest (sleep at least eight hours a day);
- balanced nutrition at the same time;
- daily walks on the street, field trips;
- charging, swimming, playing sports.
You need to monitor the amount of sweets eaten. During a deep depression, their number goes through the roof, and this can cause the development of diabetes.
Alcohol must be completely eliminated from the diet. Its use is strictly prohibited while taking antidepressants, since their combination can give the strongest side effects. In addition, alcoholic beverages greatly aggravate the patient's condition. Against the background of a hangover syndrome, depression only strengthens and develops faster and stronger.
It is very good if, during the progression of the disease, a close person will be next to the patient, making decisions for him. Indeed, with deep depression, the patient becomes apathetic, he is not able to prioritize and determine important moments for himself in life.
Prevention
After exiting the pathological condition, it is necessary to take all measures so that emotional stability is maintained. To do this, you need:
- to exclude from the circle of communication unpleasant people that cause negative;
- develop supportive relationships;
- lead a socially active lifestyle ;
- observe the sleep mode;
- master the technique of relaxation;
- to establish relationships with loved ones and loved ones;
- fight attacks of negative thinking;
- avoid stress, disruptions, hysterical seizures;
- lead a healthy lifestyle;
- take care of yourself;
- get an animal;
- walk;
- find a hobby.
If, despite following all the recommendations, the pathological condition returns, do not hesitate to contact specialists. The need for help does not mean weakness or worthlessness. Different situations in life cause severe damage to the psyche, and the body can not always cope with severe depression the first time. Providing timely medical care will help get rid of the abnormal condition and return to a normal full life.