Methods of treating depression

Methods of treating depression: Depression is a dangerous disease that affects a large part of society. Unfortunately, not all patients respond to treatment, so the disease often ends tragically. Many people suffer for years, the disease frequently relapses, and depressive episodes of varying severity appear. Depression affects the patient’s entire life, it is a mental illness, but its symptoms not only affect the psyche, they have a negative impact on all body functions. Depression is still a shameful disease that is reluctantly discussed. This is a big mistake, because only proper treatment of depression can guarantee a quick recovery.

What is depression?

Depression is a disease whose main symptom is low mood, which sometimes reaches levels that do not allow you to function normally. The sick feel constant sadness, irritability, they lose the ability to feel pleasure. They are not able to work, focus, stop taking care of their hobbies, lose their desire for social contacts. Depresja unlike the state of bad mood or sadness, it lasts a long time, the symptoms worsen. The disease can be diagnosed when the deterioration of mood lasts more than two weeks, bad mood accompanies the patient throughout the day. The sick person feels unwell, is tired, cannot concentrate, suffers from eating and sleep disorders.

There is insomnia, or on the contrary, people with depression sleep most of the day. In extreme cases, suicidal thoughts and actions appear. In addition, sufferers have physical symptoms, so depression is easily confused with another disease. There may be shortness of breath, headaches, abdominal pain, palpitations, etc. If the disease is not treated in its initial stages, it may worsen, depressive episodes will become more frequent and the disease becomes chronic.

The causes of depression

Depression is a civilization disease, its causes are very extensive, not all have been known. Depression is believed to be genetic and often spreads to the next generation. It can be caused by disorders of neurotransmitters, hormonal disorders, inflammations in the body. The occurrence of depression depends on the type of personality, the disease is influenced by the character, the ability to cope with stress, childhood experiences, and the lack of support among loved ones. It often occurs under the influence of an unpleasant event, e.g. death of a child, spouse or loss of job.

How to cure depression?

Depression always requires consultation and treatment. You have to remember that this is a serious disease and it cannot be underestimated. A visit to a psychiatrist should be taken as something completely normal, not a cause for embarrassment. In order to diagnose depression, a detailed interview is needed, during which the doctor determines the causes of the disease and suggests treatment methods. Various types of tests are often helpful to help determine the severity of the disease. In some cases, your doctor may order laboratory tests to help rule out other diseases. Treatment of depression is lengthy and complex.

Depending on the severity, treatment is carried out at home, in a severe case, in a hospital or in a day ward in a psychiatric center. Treatment is divided into pharmacological and psychotherapy. Only by combining both methods is the sick person.

      • Psychotherapy in the treatment of depression

Depressions are diagnosed by a psychiatrist, but the psychotherapist to whom the patient is referred is also very important. Psychotherapy can take place in many ways, sessions can be group or individual. If the disease is mild, sometimes pharmacological treatment is not necessary, regular therapy alone is sufficient. Therapy allows you to learn to live with the disease, learn to recognize its symptoms, and show you how to solve problems. During meetings with a psychotherapist, the patient gets to know himself better, learns to control his emotions, and looks for the causes of the disease. Cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic therapy are most helpful in treating depression.

      • Pharmacological treatment of depression

 

Drug treatment is often necessary, helping to deal with the most severe symptoms of depression. Patients can start to function normally. Medicines help to normalize the mood, thanks to which psychotherapy can be started. Remember that antidepressants don’t work right away. You should wait 3-6 weeks to notice an improvement in mood. Medicines should be selected individually, sometimes it is necessary to change them several times.

Most often, psychiatrists assign drugs that affect the concentration of serotonin and norepinephrine in the blood, and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Modern antidepressants are safe, not addictive and have no side effects. Treatment of depression takes a long time and must be continued for several months after the symptoms have resolved. Otherwise, the depressive episodes will start to recur.

Fighting depression is hard, but you can win it. The most important thing is to take the first step and go to a specialist. In the fight against the disease, it is best to combine two methods, pharmacology and psychotherapy, which will help you overcome symptoms and learn to fight them.