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PROGRESSION BEYOND DEPRESSION

Life’s one unending roller coaster. We have our ups and downs. Thankfully, these negative phases are temporary and somehow, we adapt to these situations and emerge stronger. However, there are people who go into a shell and remain depressed for far too long. This elongated phase of negative emotions and feelings is known as Clinical Depression.

Depression is Complicated

Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the world, so understanding it has major consequences for a large number of people. But our recognition of the condition was murky until recently. The intricacies of the condition are becoming clearer because of the development of wider surveys, granular scales and more rigorous analysis. We have a better idea of what people experience and how their condition progresses over time.

What we know now is that depression is surprisingly complicated. Low energy and sleeping problems are some of the most common symptoms. But people with depression experience different symptoms, with different levels of severity, at different times in their lives, with episodes that last different lengths of time. In this post, we’ll look at what we know about depression today.

People often think of depression as a single, uniform condition – deep sadness and a loss of interest in the activities that someone usually enjoys. But depression is complicated and it’s difficult to define what it means in an objective way.

This is because depression is a condition of the mind: it is diagnosed based on people’s psychological symptoms and behavior, not from a brain scan or markers in their blood or DNA.

When we diagnose depression, we have to rely on people to recall their own symptoms. We have to trust that doctors will observe and probe their symptoms reliably. We have to analyze this information to understand what people with depression experience that other people don’t. Our ability to do all of these things accurately has changed over time, and so has our understanding of depression.

LET’S ELABORATE A BIT MORE

Usually depression is sparked off by certain continuous distressful events or even at times without any symptoms or cause. This form of depression usually has a negative impact both on professional and as well as personal life. A person is usually diagnosed with clinical depression if these feelings last for more than 2 weeks.

WHAT ARE THE WORRYING SIGNS?

Spot these symptoms if you feel people around you are suffering from clinical depression:

– Low energy and negative mindset

– Drastic loss or gain of appetite

– Basic daily tasks and chores seem distressful

– Disturbing sleeping patterns

– Lack of physical and muscle activity

– Endless fatigue

– Low self-esteem

– Lack of thinking, decisions making and concentration

– Repeated thoughts of self-harm, infliction and suicide

– Restless and feelings of guilt

If you see any manic behavior from the people around you, it can be signs of another mental illness called Bipolar Disorder.

HOW TO DIAGNOSE

Depression is far too complex to be diagnosed with lab tests. If your symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks, it is time to pick up the phone and fix an appointment with the psychiatrist or psychotherapist.

CAN ONE COME OUT OF IT?

Yes of course, they can, provided they seek help with the right person at the right time. Here is how to treat this mental disorder:

GET TALKING

Talking really helps especially with a professional counsellor or psychotherapist. Usually, the therapist will ask you several questions. Be as open and honest about answering them as it will help you express yourself, which is one of the major reasons for people going into a shell.

TRY COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY

This therapy aims to channelize your negative emotions, feelings and overcome them. The therapist helps you to list down each of your problems, thoughts and behaviors. Next, the therapist analyzes and provides you with the skills to beat this negativity.

PILLS TO THE RESCUE

Antidepressants are the last resort for any psychotherapist but can work wonders, especially for patients with severe depression where counselling has little impact. The medication helps to release neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine (the happy chemical), which affect your moods, emotions and behaviors.

EXERCISING – THE ULTIMATE STRESS BUSTER

Multiple studies and reports have suggested that exercise can really help those suffering from depression. An active lifestyle keeps one sharp and distracted from those negative feelings. Plus, the body also releases certain chemicals and hormones during exercise that makes one feel high and motivated.