What is depression? We answer the main doubts

There is a lot of talk about what depression is , but do you really know? Considered a chronic psychiatric disease, it affects many peoples around the world, causing changes in mood throughout their routine, being harmful to health and well-being , impacting quality of life and even social life.

Continue reading with us to learn more about the subject!

What is depression?

Depression, also known as Depressive Disorder, is much more common than many people realize. It’s a feeling that, when not looked at carefully, can trigger countless symptoms, interfering with social life, whether with friends or family.

Depressive syndromes have as their main characteristics sad mood and discouragement. Furthermore, it is considered a chronic psychiatric illness.

Generally, due to mood swings , predominantly deep sadness, people with depression tend to have multiple symptoms, such as affective, instinctive and neurovegetative, cognitive, among many others.

According to information released by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), depression is a problem that must be viewed very carefully around the world. This is estimated to affect more than 300 million people.

That’s right: depression is a disease, it should not be considered or treated as a “frills” or “way to attract attention”, but always accompanied by health professionals and with the support of family and friends.

What causes can lead a person to have depression?

The causes may be linked to the following factors: genetics, brain biochemistry and/or vital events. Check out a little about each of them:

Genetics

Depression may have a genetic predisposition, that is, in cases where parents have the disease, the child may develop depression throughout their lives.

But be careful: although this can happen, it is worth remembering that it is not a rule. On the other hand, it is important that the necessary care is taken from the day the disease is diagnosed.

Brain biochemistry

In some cases, biochemical imbalance can cause depression, especially with a deficiency of neurotransmitters, as they are responsible for regulating our emotions through nerves or nerve cells, such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.

Vital events

Difficult problems in one’s own routine , whether at home or at work, are related to the disease, as people have been increasingly overworked, leaving them stressed. “It is important to always remember that the environment we are in can help make depression better or worse,” she explains.

In cases of vital events, depression can develop more easily in people who already have a genetic predisposition, but this does not mean that other individuals cannot have the disease.

In addition to these factors, issues related to personality can bring about depression, especially when it is related to low self-esteem .

What are the symptoms of depression?

Depression is a disorder that can present numerous symptoms, both physical and emotional. Furthermore, they are harmful to routine, as they can reduce morale in activities that a given person is used to doing on a daily basis, such as sleeping, working, eating, talking, practicing physical activity , leisure time. in general, among others.

But, after all, what are the symptoms of depression? Apart from deep sadness and lack of desire to do things on a routine basis, this disease has many other signs that people may not identify as “depressive symptoms”, which, in fact, are also part of it.

Below, we have put together a list of the main symptoms of depression:

• Affective: sadness, easy crying, boredom, irritability, despair, among others.
• Instinctive and neurovegetative: recurrent tiredness, lack of will, frequent insomnia , lack of appetite, lack of pleasure in various aspects of life, among others;
• Ideative: pessimism about things, feelings of regret or guilt, regrets about things that have already happened, suicidal acts, among others;
• Cognitive: lack of concentration, memory problems, difficulty making decisions, among others;
• Self-esteem: low self-esteem, feeling of insufficiency, shame at being in public, among others;
• Volition and psychomotricity: does not want to get out of bed, talk or any other type of social interaction;
• Psychotic: delusional ideas, visual and auditory hallucinations, delusions of non-existence with oneself and the world.

It is important to note that symptoms could vary from one person to another; hence, if you have more than one of the above, seek medical assistance for the right diagnosis and, consequently, the best treatment.

Myth or truth: is depression curable?

First of all, the answer is: myth. In disagreement with what most people conceive, depression does not have treatment for a cure but rather strategies that will help to reduce the symptoms of the disease, such as medication, therapy, or even a combination of both.

The psychologist comments that as it is a chronic disease, depression begins in a person’s life gradually, generally lasting a long or uncertain period. “It has phases, it has moments. Therefore, it is important for the individual to know themselves to know when symptoms are coming, to take care of themselves and to know what to do to improve”, she advises.

But be careful: at times, controlling your own emotions can be difficult, especially when feelings of depression arise. Therefore, the disease requires professional treatment and monitoring.

What is the role of therapy in depression?

The therapeutic process is essential in the life of anyone with the disease, as it helps to reduce the intensity of symptoms and, above all, it is an opportunity to talk about the situations that afflict one’s own thoughts.

“Over time, through treatment, the patient discovers himself and finds the best solutions for him as an individual for his own depressive issues”,

It is worth remembering that treatment is individual and personalized for each patient. In other words, what works for one person may not work for the other person, agreed?

7 attitudes that help in the treatment of depression

Although depression has no cure, it is possible to alleviate the symptoms with some simple everyday actions. With that in mind, we’ve put together some tips:

1. Keep your schedule up to date;
2. Have a healthy diet ;
3. Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages ;
4. Keep your mind busy with leisure activities;
5. Include regular physical activity ;
6. Try to see the beauty in the little things around you;
7. Avoid charging yourself in all situations, especially in those that went wrong.