For the first time, the founder of medical science, the physician and philosopher Hippocrates, wrote about melancholy. He characterized this condition as suffering, gloom and fear of loneliness. Nowadays, many psychotherapists and specialists often associate it with a character trait of a person - temperament. But there are those who consider the condition a serious mental and psychological disorder. What is melancholy really about? Is it depression, illness, or a temporary phenomenon caused by stress? Let's try to figure it out.
Freud's scientific explanation
The founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, at the stage of his therapeutic and research activities, tried to give a specific characterization of the disease state. He reflected his thoughts in correspondence with Dr. Fliess. He correlated melancholy with psychological sexual tension. He clarified the essence of the disease in his work “Sorrow and melancholy”.
In his understanding, a person suffering from this ailment constantly demonstrates a decrease in his own dignity. He ceases to respect and perceive himself as a person, he has lost interest in everything that happens. A bad and even painful mood is observed, all feelings are inhibited, the patient seems to be waiting for punishment.
In the doctor’s description, melancholy is self-torture. The patient considers himself disgusting, immoral, incapable of committing reasonable acts. He reproaches and humiliates himself in front of others, spreads self-criticism to the past. The picture of such insanity is complemented by a refusal of food and insomnia.
Characteristic signs
Constant baseless fear, self-destruction and self-reproach manifests melancholy. A disease, if left untreated, can make a person suicidal. Doctors attribute accusations against loving people to the first signs of this condition. Through self-punishment, a person tries to avenge, as it seems to him, the object of his love.
Unpleasant memories, sad fantasies, gloomy thoughts appear in the mind. Incentives to vital interests are weakening, the patient becomes indifferent, inactive. Considers the only way out - suicide. Some develop auditory and visual hallucinations. Psychotherapists believe that this condition indicates depressive psychosis or schizophrenia. Only a doctor can understand why melancholy occurred.
This depressed state is extremely dangerous and requires a special approach. Often, a melancholic blood circulation and metabolic processes are disturbed. He completely refuses food, falls into a stupor. Attacks of fear, agitation, panic, rage and longing can be observed paroxysmally. Sometimes painful manic phases lead to mental insanity.
Therapeutic measures
An individual approach requires melancholy. Treatment depends on the severity of the course. If the reason for this was a stressful situation, from which a person cannot get out on his own, then the doctor will recommend psychotherapy, proper rest and sedatives of plant origin. Herbal preparations, teas and decoctions well help with depression. It is better to drink the broth with a course - 14 days. It is useful to drink milk or tea with honey, cranberry, lingonberry, blueberry or currant fruit drinks daily.
They have a calming effect. Instead of coffee, it is better to drink chamomile, lavender, lemon balm or strawberry tea. If you feel a breakdown, nervous tension and panic, then try to surround yourself with loving people, do not lock yourself in and do not drive into a painful state further. It is better to consult a qualified doctor who will tell you how melancholy is treated. This is not a harmless phenomenon, remember this.