The use of the word 'depression' in public includes a judgment that individuals form very quickly, both for themselves and for others; however, in reality the situation is very different from that. The experience of being human is very sophisticated and not easy at all.
Characterized by difficult events in life, you may often feel depressed, sad, unhappy, or pessimistic. It is perfectly normal to experience these emotions; In order to be defined as a disease, your mental depression must alienate you from yourself, your relationships and the world, and significantly reduce your functionality in daily life. Although it is very natural to feel intense emotions, experience tired and exhausted mood, and demand the support of people in your life in the face of difficult events, there are some points that are different in depression.
The person is in intense feelings of helplessness, guilt, hopelessness and worthlessness about himself. He has a strong belief that no one can help him. The sincerity of other people who are ready to help may also not be convincing, because the person may even believe that he deserves to be in this situation because he feels worthless at the deepest level. At this point, the depressed individual does not aim to attract attention or to be spoiled.
Depression should be taken seriously
Depression is a medical illness that affects the chemistry and functioning of the brain; therefore, it must be taken seriously. This condition, which significantly reduces the quality of life, can be treated.
If left untreated, it can become chronic. Depression with long-term depressed mood and inactivity may cause a physical predisposition to other diseases by lowering the immune system, and may lead the individual towards a picture where suicide can be experienced because it can disconnect the individual from relationships and life in every context.
The severity of depression (mild-moderate-severe) is determined as a result of the tests applied by the specialist and the active evaluation in the first sessions. In mild and moderate cases, psychotherapy applied once a week, especially with cognitive behavioral therapy and schema therapy approaches, may be sufficient; In some moderate and all severe cases, drug therapy and psychotherapy should go simultaneously. It should not be forgotten that drug treatment alone is not enough; because the cognitive structure that causes depression, the way of relating, past traumatic experiences, if any, and much more sophisticated issues such as self-worth, self-esteem and self-confidence; however, it is possible to be treated with psychotherapy and reprocessed in a healthy way. Only after six months or a year of drug therapy (without establishing a healthy coping model) can a person fall into the trap of depression again at another difficult stage in life, and this time the disease can become resistant.
Depression has many different causes, including heredity, biological, psychological, and environmental. The most well-known type of depression in the society: major depression; There are sub-categories of mixed symptoms (mania-hypomania), melancholy, atypical (more difficult to distinguish), psychotic features, onset at or after birth, and seasonal depression. When you or your loved one apply to a specialist for mental breakdown, it is his duty to make a detailed analysis for the right treatment and to share the information necessary to make sense of your life, rather than the diagnosis, within the scope of psycho-education. Due to the types of depression, the symptoms of the disease can also differ between the two extremes; It can be short-lived by giving positive reactions to positive events such as not being able to fall asleep or sleeping too much, feeling unhappiness and helplessness in the morning or evening, feeling unhappiness and desperation, gaining weight such as losing weight, or general unresponsiveness. The healthiest thing is to apply to a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist for psychological support if the mental depression that affects you and your life has been going on for at least two weeks.
Does depression recur?
In fact, most psychological disorders can be repetitive. Psychotherapy or drug treatment cannot guarantee that the mental problem will not occur again; However, when the client encounters a repetition of the problem he applied after the end of the psychotherapy process with the cooperation he established with his therapist, the client has learned what to do and how to overcome it while these symptoms begin. Depression is also a recurring illness. Coming at a very early age or at an advanced age, having repeated it before, becoming chronic, having a high anxiety or melancholic temperament and substance use increase the likelihood of recurrence.
Medication or psychotherapy first?
In mild to moderate depression, psychotherapy may be chosen as a priority. The clinical psychologist will definitely refer you to a psychiatrist where he deems it necessary and will inform you about the need to go simultaneously with medication. E.g; harm yourself or someone elseA doctor should be consulted first, and hospitalization should be done if necessary, in cases of atypical depression that is often confused with bipolar, and depression with melancholic features.
How can we be protected if there is a family history of depression or a depressive predisposition?
It is very unreasonable to list items for depression and say that you do them because strong underlying schematic beliefs prevent the person from healthy thinking and behavior. Relatives of the patient also give good-intentioned 'suggestions' on this issue and make statements such as 'it's actually very simple', reinforcing the belief that the depressed person is not understood, is inadequate and helpless. For this reason, treatment is applied in slow steps in psychotherapy. However, it is essential to adopt a healthy lifestyle in order to be protected from the onset of depression. A healthy diet, regular exercise, walking outdoors, social relationships with people who make you feel good, and regular blood tests and supplementing the missing values are protective factors.
I wish you healthy days.