Depression is one of the most acute and serious problems of modern society. In order to move away from this terrible state and find a way out of depression, when any effort on oneself is given with great difficulty, and there is no hope that enlightenment and relief will ever appear, it is necessary to understand the reasons that interfere with being happy and led to this disorder.
The way out of depression exists in the same place as the entrance, no matter how trite it may sound. It is necessary to find and solve your problem, which led to depression. Solving the problem leads to improved well-being, as well as increased personal self-esteem. It is important to try to understand yourself: with your feelings, sensations, thoughts, the body’s reaction to all external stimuli. Often, limitations in capabilities (objective, internal, external, personal) provoke this mental disorder.
For some people, it is enough to visit a psychologist several times, who will guide the person to make an independent decision on how to find a way out of depression. The task of a psychologist is to help a person understand himself, to outline various options way out of depression, and the one who seeks help will choose the most acceptable option for getting out of the current situation. Psychology is the science that studies the patterns in the development and functioning of the human psyche. The psychologist conveys to the client the importance of the need to hear the internal state, understand the very essence of the problem and then make the optimal decision on their own.
I would like to note that recently psychologists have become active assistants for doctors in conducting psychotherapy and have come as close as possible to the practical activities of doctors. Some psychiatrists are against cooperation with psychologists, while others believe that time dictates its own rules. People are initially more willing to resort to the advice and help of psychologists than to psychiatrists, healers of human souls, to whom fear, distrust, and a reluctance to admit to oneself that something is wrong have long been formed from generation to generation. So, you have figured out the causes of the disorder and are looking for a way out of depression.
Ways out of depression
If the patient has internal causes of the disorder, then this is. In this case, it is necessary to make up for the shortage chemical substance– serotonin, responsible for good mood, as well as dopamine - the hormone of pleasure. The deficiency of these hormones in the brain is compensated by drug therapy, but not only. You can get a good mood and pleasure from the life around you, but you need to learn this by attending, for example, psychotherapy sessions. At the initial stage, drug therapy will serve as an initial boost that will move the patient from his place, from the bed and allow him to get up, as well as take the first steps towards recovery.
Observations of patients experiencing painful feelings of depression are interesting. According to their stories, they experience a deep-seated depression inside, which does not give the strength to begin any action and poisons life so much that the person wishes death to himself, but often he seems cheerful and satisfied with life to those around him. Patients in this state perceive cheerful music and fun as a “feast during the plague.”
Often, as psychologists and psychotherapists state, this is a recurrent phenomenon. Patients should know about this and calmly accept it without fear. With the right attitude and treatment, this condition recedes and the sufferer can lead a normal life. If a patient’s depressive disorder is caused by traumatic factors, then this is exogenous depression and the ways out of depression will be different than with endogenous depression. Treatment of depression in this case is aimed at eliminating psychosomatic disorders: abdominal pain, headaches, digestive disorders, insomnia, tachycardia.
Getting out of depression on your own
A depressive state does not allow one to move or do anything, blocks any desires, as well as physical and moral strength, provoking aggression and irritation to all attempts by the immediate environment to bring the sick person back to life. A person does not see the point in further existence, and therefore in everything that others do and what his loved ones call him to do.
For people who are depressed, the state feels close to the collapse of the world. For them, the past, like the future, appears terrible and disgusting. A depressed person loses the ability to talk about anything except his apparent and real problems. For those around him, he also becomes uninteresting, boring, and many often stop communicating with him. Over time, depression is replaced by loneliness, which can push a person to suicide.
Getting out of depression on your own without medication involves strong motivation. A sick person’s motivational desire must be burned from the inside so that he believes in its significance and importance for himself personally. Only this will serve as an impetus for independent exit out of depression.
Many people ask doctors how to help themselves if the state of the disorder is very strong, and the solution has been delayed due to lack of money, the desire to live, eat, and the inability to sleep peacefully. In this case, you need to understand yourself and answer the question of what exactly makes you unhappy. Having understood the reason, think about how to solve this problem.
Reviews about the treatment of depression are as follows: initially, accept your condition and learn to live with what you are no longer able to change. Don't torment yourself with past memories, losses, losses. Try to remember only the good things that happened in your life. Look to the future with hope.
The way out of depression after a breakup, divorce, or death of a loved one, according to people’s reviews, is this: find a person who truly cares about you. Only he will help and pull you out of a depressed state. It will serve as a lifeline.
A quick way out of depression includes taking medications. For example, Tenoten is a homeopathic medicine that allows you to restore balance, calm, confidence, without causing addiction. The effect of the drug is delicate, with a cumulative effect; the medicine increases concentration, performance, and memory. The drug Mexiprim is also effective in treatment, which increases the content of dopamine in the brain and helps in the fight against endogenous disorder. Very good feedback about the “Calm down” tablets. Being also a homeopathic medicine, they help relieve the patient’s tension, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, and restore normal sleep, appetite, relieve headaches. And most importantly, there is no addiction to all these drugs.
The psychiatrist’s task during treatment is to select the correct medications. Not all patients immediately feel an improvement in their condition. Sometimes you have to change your treatment regimen in order to find a more effective one. Antidepressants are often unable to restore happiness and fill the soul with light, but they can ease emotional distress. Antidepressants are prescribed strictly by a psychotherapist taking into account your condition.
Ways to get out of depression
Resort to any physical activity, because it is occupational therapy and sports that contribute to the production of endorphins, which will significantly improve your mood. Physical activity is as effective as psychotherapy and antidepressants.
Four-legged pets (dogs, cats) help in the fight against mental illness. By stroking animals, people's blood pressure and pulse normalize and their mood improves. In particular, caring for a cat removes the cost a short time physical excitement. The arising desire to stroke a cat gives a person long-awaited peace through energy exchange, thus, four-legged animals help restore mental balance.
It is very important to diversify your daily menu by enriching your diet with a variety of foods. Listen to your body, what you want most. At the same time, forget forever about alcohol, which only temporarily lifts your mood without solving your psychological problem.
Nutrition for depression should be fortified and filled with micro and macroelements. Below are presented to your attention important products, necessary for the body during a period of depressive disorder.
- Carrots, green leafy vegetables, pumpkin, apricots are rich in vitamin A.
- Fruits and vegetables (in particular black currants, citrus fruits, cabbage, kiwi, broccoli, rose hips) are rich in vitamin C.
- Cereals, liver, yogurt, bran bread, pumpkin, avocado, lean meat, nuts, fish, brewer's yeast are rich in B vitamins.
- Vegetable oil is rich in vitamin E.
- Green vegetables, herbs, figs, grapefruits, tomatoes, carrots, buckwheat, nuts, peas, oatmeal are rich in magnesium.
- Milk and dairy products are rich in calcium.
- Lean meats, eggs, seafood, yogurt, nuts, and cheese are rich in zinc.
- Egg yolk, sprouted wheat grains, beef liver are rich in choline.
- Bran bread, honey, sweet fruits are rich in glucose.
Nutrition for depression should be as saturated as possible with substances that will increase abilities adaptive systems. Herbs (Schisandra, Ginseng, Kombucha, green tea, Echinacea) have this property. Their use is important for nervous exhaustion that occurs after intense mental activity.
Often, a person in a depressed mood eats a variety of foods and this helps for a while, but then the condition only worsens. Therefore, it is important to properly develop a diet for depression, taking into account the usefulness of the products, and not just filling the stomach. It is important to know what properties the products have in order to achieve the desired result or maintain the body in the desired tone.
Spinach, lettuce, paprika, cabbage, rich in cytofin and opiate, improve mood. Milk contains casomorphine, a morphine-like substance. Beer is marked by the presence of morphine. Bananas contain serotonin, which gives a person a feeling of fun and lightness. Chocolate has endorphins, which have a stimulating effect. All sweets can make a person cheerful, since the glucose contained in the products turns on the happiness mechanism in the brain.
Methods for getting out of depression include relaxation, but not drinking alcohol. Relaxation in the system, for example, is meditation, which releases endorphins into the brain, thereby lifting your mood. Often the term relaxation is applied to the body, and meditation to the brain. But both methods can calm, restore balance in the body-brain systems and help overcome depression.
Free yourself from chronic dissatisfaction by learning to relax. This is facilitated by massage, self-massage, auto-training, aromatherapy, music therapy, dance therapy, rebirthing (breathing psychotechnics). It is very important to avoid lack of sleep, which can lead to nervous system disorders. Sleep produces hormones that are responsible for restoring body functions.
There are various ways to get out of depression, but only you can decide for yourself what exactly will help. And by making a decision and believing in yourself, you will achieve good results in the fight against mental illness. Since you are here, it means that you are already improving your condition by learning something new for yourself. The main thing is to believe in yourself and not give up. It is clear that prolonged and deep depression completely takes away all bodily and mental strength. You're just waiting, eh gray everyday life turn into empty weeks and nothing changes in your life. Doctors in this regard say that patients should know that this is just a condition that will definitely pass, but how quickly this will happen depends on you personally. 
Depressive illnesses have been the most common over the past few years mental pathology. There are approximately 100 million new cases of depression every year. Emotional depression, a feeling of loneliness in a crowd and a feeling of the meaninglessness of existence - so in general outline this condition can be characterized. Only a specialist can tell you how to get out of depression, especially if the condition has dragged on and prevents a person from living a full life.
Depression is a mental disorder accompanied by emotional depression, inability to enjoy life, decreased motor activity and thinking disorders.
A person in a state of depression experiences fatigue and sadness, loses interest in everything that is happening. The disease negatively affects the socialization of the individual: the patient avoids communication, his performance decreases, the usual course of life is disrupted, the future seems unpromising and gloomy.
Besides psychological signs, the condition may lead to physiological deterioration with signs of cardiovascular disorders, dizziness and headaches. The main danger that depression entails is suicidal tendencies. According to statistics, about 15% of depressed patients commit suicide. Therefore, it is so important to treat depressed people with understanding, and not to consider the disorder as a manifestation of selfishness, laziness and pessimism.
Depression affects women and older people in 70% of cases.
Leading causes of the condition
The causes of the violation are combined. The combination of several provoking factors at once leads to the occurrence of a disorder varying degrees expressiveness.
Most experts associate depression with the peculiarities of life in modern society:
- fast rhythm of life;
- constant stress;
- high population density and lack of long-term contact with nature;
- lack of physical activity and physical inactivity;
- severe psychological trauma due to the loss of a loved one, experienced shocks, conflicts, etc.;
- seasonal factors, shortage sunlight;
- abuse of alcohol and certain types of medicines;
- psychological and physical exhaustion;
- hereditary predisposition;
- unfavorable social environment - lack of support and;
- endogenous disorders of the central nervous system - bipolar disorders, Alzheimer's disease, manic-depressive psychosis, atherosclerosis, traumatic brain injury, etc.
The likelihood of developing depression increases with hormonal changes in the body: puberty, menopause. Associated with fluctuations has become highly prevalent hormonal levels, exhaustion of the body and the new responsibilities of a young mother.
Russian psychiatry distinguishes two large groups of depressive states: simple (minor) depression and complex (major) depression.
The group of simple conditions includes the following types of depression:
- adynamic with physical and emotional inhibition;
- agitated – accompanied by anxiety, increased arousal, feelings of guilt and fear;
- dysphoric – chronic dissatisfaction with outbreaks of irritability;
- ironic - deliberate demonstration of a good mood and concealment of the true depressed state;
- stuporous – motor inhibition which can reach complete immobility;
- anxious - a persistent feeling of danger, anxiety, anxiety, depression;
- melancholic – increased tearfulness, deep depression, severe “mental pain”, accompanied by pain in the heart area.
The group of complex depression includes syndromes with a variety of symptoms and disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system:
- asthenic – disturbance of emotionality, inability to express feelings;
- hysterical - violent manifestation of emotions, exaggerated attitude towards all events;
- hypochondriacal – development of overvalued ideas combined with delusions;
- psychasthenic - manifests itself in complete inhibition, indecision, timidity.
There is a protracted form of depression, the signs of which can be observed for 2-2.5 years.
One of the varieties is alcoholic depression, which develops against the background of alcohol withdrawal or coding.
Signs of Depression
Regardless of the form, the disease covers several vital areas. It is the combination of several symptoms that allows doctors to make a depressive diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
Depression is characterized by an individual course - the signs of the disorder in different patients may be of the opposite nature (from insomnia to drowsiness, from overeating to complete refusal from food). The causes of the disease and the psychological characteristics of the patient will determine how to get out of depression.
Emotional symptoms
Emotional disturbances are the most striking and typical manifestation of a mental disorder. TO emotional signs relate:
- melancholy, despair, depression;
- mood swings;
- anxiety and a persistent feeling of fear;
- irritability for no apparent reason;
- decreased interest in life;
- low self-esteem, dissatisfaction with oneself and one’s life;
- loss of interest in favorite activities;
- difficulties in expressing feelings and emotions.
Physiological symptoms
This symptomatology is associated with somatic manifestations– the patient complains of deterioration in health, signs of other pathologies appear.
The most common complaints are:
- sleep problems;
- loss of appetite or an insatiable desire to consume food;
- disorders of the stomach and intestines;
- decreased or absent sexual desire;
- weakness and fatigue;
- pain in the heart, joints, muscle pain.
Behavioral changes
A patient suffering from depression changes his usual behavior:
- becomes passive;
- afraid of public events and large crowds of people;
- strives for loneliness and refuses communication;
- loses interest in previously familiar surroundings, friends, family, relatives;
- refuses entertainment.
Patients with depression may exhibit a pathological attachment to alcoholic beverages, which can lead to the development of alcoholism.
Cognitive disorders
Cognitive disorders are associated with impairment thought processes, difficulties in obtaining and processing information.
How does this manifest in the patient:
- cannot concentrate on the simplest task;
- afraid to make decisions;
- becomes inattentive;
- often thinks about death and has suicidal conversations;
- unable to show a sense of humor, joke and laugh;
- thinks only in a pessimistic way.
All symptoms as a whole can progress if measures are not taken to combat the disorder. To make a correct diagnosis, it is necessary that a set of signs or individual symptoms persist for more than two weeks.
Symptoms of depression are generally similar in both sexes. However, there are differences in the course of male and female depression associated with physiological and psychological gender characteristics.
Depression in women is characterized by seasonality and a protracted tendency. Signs most often appear in autumn and winter, accompanied by a change eating behavior. In addition to low mood, women complain of vegetative symptoms - pain in the stomach and intestines, discomfort in the heart area.
Of the psychological signs, the most pronounced are constant worries about one’s fate and loved ones, anxiety, fear of failure, fast fatiguability, permanent tension.
However, getting out of depression is less difficult for women than for men. Representatives of the weak are more attentive to their own health and seek medical help in a timely manner.
The hormone testosterone protects men from depression, so the stronger sex suffers from depression three times less often. The insidiousness of male depression lies in the fact that patients are not inclined to notice the signs of the disease, preferring to treat themselves with cigarettes and alcohol. They do not accept traditional treatment psychological problems, consider depression a sign of weakness and do not rush to see a doctor.
Signs of male depression include increased fatigue, irritability, loss of interest in work and favorite activities, and sleep disturbances.
Feelings of guilt, anxiety, suspiciousness, apathy, and derogatory behavior are not typical for male depression.
How to get out of depression on your own? If the disease appears in a short-term, minor form, you can use a simple psychotherapeutic approach that is accessible to everyone. To successfully get rid of the disorder, it is necessary to clearly understand the cause of its occurrence and take self-medication with full responsibility.
- Take responsibility and decide to change at a deep level.
- Use affirmations - short affirmative phrases with a positive attitude.
- Avoid solitude and strive for contact with others.
- Do not refuse the help of friends and loved ones, do not withdraw into yourself.
- Turn to spiritual food - the works of philosophers and writers, life-affirming films.
- Completely eliminate alcohol, nicotine and psychoactive substances.
- Change your daily routine and regulate your sleep.
- Exercise.
- Show love to loved ones, strive to bring them joy and selflessly help.
- Attend exciting events, take up a new hobby, or return to old interests.
If depression is associated with severe injuries, serious violations functions of the central nervous system, you need to contact a highly specialized specialist - a psychotherapist. Good healing effect provides an integrated approach: a combination of medications, psychotherapy, physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises.
Main pharmacological drugs Antidepressants are used to combat depression. They stimulate the body to produce nerve impulses responsible for mood, behavior and activity.
Treatment of depression is carried out with drugs of four generations.
- Tricyclic drugs - Amitriptyline, Imipramine. They are used only for severe forms in a hospital setting.
- Second generation drugs - Befol, Pyrazidol. They have a calming effect, but will not help cope with severe depressive disorders.
- Third generation drugs – Citalopram, Fluoxetine. Activate the production of the happiness hormone serotonin, successfully stop panic attacks and phobias.
- Fourth generation antidepressants – Duloxetine, Milnacipran. They have a selective effect on serotonin and norepinephrine, without blocking the functions of other neurotransmitters.
In severe cases, antidepressants are combined with tranquilizers, antipsychotics and nootropics. Tranquilizers are effective in anxiety states, they calm and help fight fears. Neuroleptics are used in suicidal patients, with severe depression crazy ideas. Nootropics have stimulating properties, restore the functioning of the nervous system, help in the fight against nervous exhaustion, apathy, lethargy and increased fatigue.
Any medication for treating depression is available only with a doctor's prescription!
Psychotherapeutic practices
Psychotherapy for depression involves the use of certain methods of psychocorrection depending on the pathogenesis and form of the disease. Therapy is aimed at teaching the patient to independently cope with depressive symptoms and solve important life questions, control emotions and conditions that inevitably lead to depression.
Recognized as the most effective the following types psychotherapy:
- cognitive-behavioral – aimed at correcting behavioral errors that lead to depressive disorder;
- interpersonal – helps to form healthy relationships between the patient and people around him;
- psychodynamic – aimed at searching for the internal conflict underlying the pathology.
Aromatherapy, art therapy, bibliotherapy, methods of self-hypnosis and hypnosis are also used to combat depression.
Prevention of depression
At the first symptoms of the disease, it is necessary to take decisive measures so that the emotional state does not worsen. In the off-season, the room should have a lot of light and a large number of lighting fixtures. Frequent walks will help fresh air, daily gymnastics and feasible sports activities.
General restoratives - rosehip decoction, herbal tea, ginger, medicinal balms - can keep the body and spirit in good shape. You should make your life as healthy as possible positive emotions– do what you love, watch good movies and treat yourself to pleasant purchases.
A positive outlook on life, bright plans for the future, good friends and interesting meetings - all this will help improve your mood and leave no chance for depression.
Conclusion
Depression is not just blues and bad mood. This is a serious disease that leads to dangerous disorders at the physiological level. Only a qualified doctor will tell you how to get out of depression, help you find the meaning of life and take a fresh look at the world.
3-part article
- Symptoms and causes
- Diagnostics and drawing up a work plan
- Therapy for depression
Let me begin, perhaps, with the fact that in our everyday vocabulary, depression refers to states of sadness, apathy, or sadness, which differs from depression in its short-term effect and the absence of additional effects. symptoms, such as physical discomfort, fatigue, insomnia or drowsiness, poor concentration, loss of a sense of satisfaction and joy from familiar things.
The main thing is not to turn into a person whose whole life is spent in depression and he gets used to it as the norm.
Causes of depression:
- Somatic signs- caused by physiological disorders such as injuries, hormonal imbalances in endocrine system. Treatment of depression in this case should primarily take into account physiological recovery.
- Mental trauma. Depression can occur as a result of a severe traumatic event that occurs affective disorder, that is, the process of natural living and processing of a stressful situation was blocked, after which suppressed emotions were repressed and gave rise to unresolved internal conflict and tension. For example, you were publicly reprimanded by your boss, you felt shame, injustice, anger, but did not allow yourself to fight back in front of the team and the degree of humiliation was so high that this incident was imprinted in the memory and left a trace, an energy charge that, not finding a free outlet, leads your psyche to slow self-destruction, the signs are strong suppressed negative emotions. Treatment should be based on finding and combating the cause that gave rise to depression.
- Unconscious internal conflict. Sometimes, depression can occur without a clear, or even in the absence of, external cause. For example, existential sadness (loss of meaning in life, disappointment), unfulfillment, midlife crisis. That is, deep, sometimes unconscious internal conflicts caused by the discrepancy between our expectations and external realities, or the quality of our life choices. For example, a person brought up in conditions of strict Christian morality, with age, consciously renounces Christianity, but is faced with an ethical dilemma in his life, formally violates some religious dogma and his deep childhood attitudes take over, he begins to experience causeless melancholy, and then, for example, he begins to live in an unofficial marriage and “living in sin” constantly, the sadness becomes chronic and turns into depression. In this case, depression must be treated comprehensively and deeply in order to understand its true causes.
- Hands down. One more possible reason Depression is a voluntary giving up as a result of one or a series of failures. Unfortunately, this is the most common phenomenon when ambitions collapse when a person is faced with life's difficulties and instead of making an effort to regain control of his destiny, he simply assumes a losing fetal position, complains and expects a miraculous resolution of problems spontaneously. As a rule, such people are still waiting for a magic pill that will make them happy, these are signs of immaturity, this category of people is practically not amenable to the psychotherapeutic process, since their immaturity is expressed in a reluctance to take responsibility throughout their lives, making efforts to improve the situation, they prefer to complain about the injustice of fate, economic crises, bad politicians and simply blame everyone and everything for their problems. In this case, the most effective treatment depression there will be vigorous activity and an honest review of one’s life values.
- Constant negative thoughts can also cause depression. Pessimism and lack of self-confidence give rise to negative thoughts and the habit of being sad, this develops into a chronicle and can one day lead to the onset of a disease such as depression.
- Loss of goals and meaning in life. If a person has lost a loved one who was everything to him, or his ideology has failed, the desire to live without meaning and purpose is lost and the person experiences a difficult crisis period, from which it is very difficult to get out.
Signs of depression:
Just as there are people of a stoic nature who block experiences and suffer in silence even in the most difficult conditions, there is another extreme, those who are accustomed to the immediate satisfaction of their needs, who tend to become despondent at the slightest disappointment. To clarify, I will list the main possible signs depression if any of the following lasts more than a few weeks:
- Bad mood
- weak vitality
- apathy
- things that used to bring pleasure are no longer enjoyable
- insomnia or hypersomnia
- irritability as an alternative to depression
- psychosomatic signs that foreshadow the formation of neurosis and occur, as a rule, after a long time of advanced depression, or a strong repressed traumatic situation: migraines, tightness or pain in the chest, stomach discomfort, or spinal region, in rare cases, heaviness and mild pain in the legs. what to do about depression
It is important to understand that depression is always a disruption of our neurobiological reward system. When the reward hormones that we receive as a result of eating, sleeping, communicating, performing tasks and achieving goals are no longer released in the required quantities and a person is faced with an unusual demotivating state, when it seems that everything has lost its meaning, since there is no one behind any actions. pleasure and satisfaction follows. Respectively, correct treatment depression is built on the restoration of natural motivation. How to get out of depression
First of all, a thorough and honest analysis of your life recently, to identify psychogenic factors that triggered depression.
Apart from cases of advanced clinical depression aggravated by suicidal impulses, I would not recommend prescription drug treatment, and as a last resort, use lighter stimulating supplements, or nootropic drugs. Although this can give a short-term boost, like doping, it in no way eliminates the underlying causes of the disorder and does not replace behavioral and psychological work. when a person is depressed
From the second part you will learn how to create a self-help plan for depression
The plan and diagnosis may look like this: depression after injury or childbirth
- Somatic signs. In some cases, even hormonal disorders caused by a malfunction of our body occur due to primary psychogenic factors. At the same time, if there is a real physiological disorder, it is necessary to begin treatment of depression with it, or in parallel with psychological recovery; psychosomatic diagnosis is a rather complex and imprecise procedure. In cases of an established connection between the psyche and a physiological disorder, I do not see any other option for you than to contact a specialist competent in this field. To work with psychosomatics, methods of body-oriented therapy, EOT, or RPT can be effective. Therefore, I recommend that you pay attention to the methods used at the stage of choosing a specialist; usually they are posted in the appropriate section, like mine.
- Mental trauma. If depression arose as a result of a traumatic situation (loss of a loved one, dismissal, termination of a relationship, bankruptcy, betrayal, fear, stress), psychotherapy should begin with analysis and work with this event in order to free up the energy resource of the stuck part of attention. For an independent attempt at self-therapy, I will try to describe this procedure in a simplified form as clearly as possible, and since there will be many similarities in therapy methods in all cases of depression, I will describe them below in a separate block. In cases where you have clearly established the connection between a specific traumatic event or events, the scientifically proven method of EMDR, which will be discussed in more detail in the next section of the article, helps very well. If its use is not enough to re-experience the memory, you can try, one by one, the techniques posted later in the article, such as RPT or TMO. Usually, the development of depression proceeds smoothly
- Unconscious internal conflict. With internal reasons, everything is practically the same, with the exception of an episode; the analysis of your condition will not come from a specific situation, but rather from a set of trends that have been occurring in your life lately. Special attention attention should be paid to the signs in the following areas life: many people ask if there is a universal cure for depression
- Professional\creative implementation
- are you moving in the desired direction?
- are you satisfied with yourself?
— satisfaction with the results of work
- following plans
Once the cause is identified, work with negative emotions using the techniques below.
After working with emotions, it is important to consolidate the results, draw conclusions and write a plan for immediate action.
- Couple relationships/family. Are you satisfied with the current state of affairs?
— satisfaction with the relationship with the partner
- if you don’t have a partner, are you okay with being alone?
— is there anything you would like to improve in this area?
- Existential
- the meaning of life, plans for the future, etc. Willpower will defeat depression, if you wish.
Just like in the previous paragraph, if you managed to find out specific traumatic events using the guiding questions I gave as examples, use the first technique (EMDR); if that doesn’t work, techniques numbered 4 and 7 (posted below) can be very useful. internal dialogue, dissociation and dividing yourself into several individuals can help identify the unconscious cause of your internal conflict. Let me remind you that links to the above methods are located below in the text.
This is the most difficult form of depression to treat, caused not by some traumatic situation (although it often happens that the impetus was given precisely by an objective incident), but by a personal crisis, demoralized by a lack of understanding of why to live, or disappointed in people, love, or professional growth , a man who has completely lost the desire to live.
The treatment strategy for depression in this case should begin with deep analysis, which a person is not able to carry out on his own, for objective reasons. So far, no magic pill has been found that can restore vital impulse to a person in crisis, except for psychostimulants that provide temporary relief.
For some, this incentive is falling in love, children, socially useful activities, revision of values and creative realization.
You may need help from a professional who treats depression. You can sign up for an introductory consultation with me on Skype using the form at this
This is the final, 3rd part of the material, which provides techniques for independent work.
Psychotherapy for depression
- Re-experiencing and release.
Here are links to a few techniques you can use to do this.- What does this event mean to me?
- Why did it affect me so much?
- Can I learn any valuable lessons from this?
- Could I have prevented the situation?
- What action/character quality was I missing to avoid this, or to take it more calmly?
- What can I do externally, or change within myself, so that the situation does not repeat itself?
- Conclusions and action plan
Based on the answers, it is necessary to meaningfully accept this experience and the resulting realizations. Take responsibility for situations in which you could physically influence. Get rid of unnecessary responsibility, feelings of guilt and regret for what you could not influence, forgive yourself, thank this situation if it taught you something.
It is extremely important that all your new awarenesses and insights are supported by specific actions, because a person develops and changes precisely in action.
In any case, a positive factor contributing to getting out of depression will be communication, activity, socially useful activities, an adrenaline surge, travel - everything that can give a positive impulse.
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Thousands of articles and books have been written about depression, because this problem is so global that it affects people all over the world. Depression doesn’t care how old you are, what country you live in, what your social status is, or how much money you have in your bank account. Alas, a state where you don’t want to do anything and don’t want to live can accumulate and mature into critical level any sensitive person.
Depression can be especially aggravated in winter - cold weather and short daylight hours do not contribute to a cheerful mood.
Proven ways to get out of depression
Let’s make a reservation right away: the article is about ways to get out of depression, which is tolerated in a relatively mild and stable form and which a person can overcome with a strong desire.
If the patient’s emotional state is unstable (especially if there are suicidal thoughts) or depression has reached a very severe phase, then one should not hesitate to contact a psychotherapist and select appropriate treatment, including “heavy artillery” - medications.
As we already wrote above, when trying to get out of depression, the main thing is the strength of a person’s desire. If a person is aware of his problem and wants to fight it, this is already half the battle and the real first step towards victory. In this case, it is quite possible to try using methods for treating depression at home.
First you need to understand the roots of your problem. After all, depression does not fall on people from the outside - it is the result of a long silence from oneself about internal problems, conflicts and contradictions with the outside world or with oneself.
To do this, you will have to spend more than one day delving into yourself, or even better, working with a psychologist.
You can distinguish ordinary blues from dangerous depression by symptoms by reading our article.
After this, you can safely try one of the proven ways to get out of depression, which have helped more than a dozen people cope with a depressed state. If possible, it is better to try everything one by one so that you can eventually settle on a few of the options you like best.
1. Physical activity.
It can be any sport, but it doesn't have to be. Any physical activity in which the desperately resisting body gives in to physical stress will be beneficial.
It’s clear that when cats are scratching at your soul, the last thing you want to do is get out of bed in the morning, put on your sneakers and run somewhere. But motivation saves the situation, and then you won’t even notice how you’ll get involved and want the next portions of endorphins.
After all, scientists have proven that regular exercise has almost the same effect as antidepressants!
During research on large group patients suffering from depression, doctors were able to prove that in the case of combining the use of antidepressants and physical exercise positive effect occurred in 90% of patients! While the exclusion of one of the factors (medicines or sports) reduced the result to 60-70%. And the point here is not only in the biochemical processes that occur in the body as a result of regular physical education (although they play an important role), but in increasing self-esteem and growing self-confidence (“I can do even better, I’m becoming stronger and more resilient, I’m better than yesterday!”), which is very important for people suffering from depression!
2. Light therapy.
This is an ideal method for those who are susceptible to seasonal outbreaks of depression (now is the most dangerous time of year). According to statistics, 30-40% of all people feel the influence of weather and lack of sunlight, and in 5-10% these feelings take on the character of depression.
The essence of the method is that the patient undergoes regular procedures, being exposed to light from a very bright lamp, which will be equivalent to the amount of light passing through a window on a bright sunny day. The procedures range from half an hour to several hours a day - thus artificially lengthening the daylight hours. Within 1-2 weeks, signs of improvement are noticeable, and the cycle of procedures usually lasts a month.
Similar lamps for home treatment(their light is close to the solar spectrum) are manufactured by companies in the USA and Western Europe. In our Internet age, ordering them is not a problem. As a last resort, you can try powerful lamps that are sold for photo salons.
3. Aromatherapy.
Aroma oils affect our mood because they reach us through our sense of smell. brain regions, responsible for emotions, so the method is quite effective.
There are many methods of aromatherapy, for every taste:
- heating in a special aroma lamp (the most common and convenient method);
- splashing around the room;
- adding a few drops to the bath;
- adding to massage oil.
Choose essential oils better according to your taste, but remember: it is useful to change them periodically, as the body gets used to it and the effectiveness decreases.
Well proven in the fight against depression:
- orange;
- lemon;
- rose;
- jasmine;
- lavender;
- lemon balm;
- mint;
- rosemary;
- cedar;
- spruce and other conifers;
- bergamot;
- basil.
4. Pets.
Tailed and mustachioed pets are wonderful healers. Psychologists have long noticed that people who keep dogs and cats at home have attacks of sadness much less frequently than those who do not even have a parrot or hamster at home. Everything here, in principle, is clear: it is enough to hug a living being who loves you with all his heart, or immerse your hands in soft wool, and your soul immediately becomes warmer. In addition, dogs and cats have a special energy that cannot be replaced by anything.
So, maybe it's time to get the puppy or kitten you've been dreaming of for a long time? True, it is still useful to remember about further long-term responsibility for the pet at the time of making such a decision.
5. Radical ways to throw out emotions.
Even if it seems to you that you have a dead desert inside, believe me: your emotions have not disappeared anywhere, you just hid them to the deep bottom. It will be a very useful practice to extract them and live them.
The most effective way to bring hidden negativity to light is radical methods. For example, place a punching bag or just a pillow at home. Or dance until you drop (literally), simply obeying the impulses of your body. Or go to a remote, secluded place and scream there to your heart's content - just scream out all the suppressed grievances. If any of the methods is accompanied by tears, this is good sign: This means that emotional therapy has achieved results and awakened your feelings.
6. Music.
When treating depression, psychotherapists often prescribe a special musical “menu” to patients. Many things from classical music have a truly healing effect on human soul- it’s not for nothing that they have survived centuries.
Concerts by Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov and works by Bach will serve well for these purposes. Recordings of the sounds of nature - birdsong, the noise of the forest or the sea - have also proven themselves to be excellent.
7. Nutrition and sleep.
These are the fundamental factors of our well-being, which our selection cannot do without.
Without maintaining a sleep schedule and proper balanced nutrition curing depression will be extremely difficult, if not completely impossible.
With depression, many vitamins and microelements in the body are quickly “eaten up” by stress hormones, so their supply must be constantly replenished.
Among them:
- vitamins A, E, C and group B;
- magnesium;
- zinc;
- calcium;
- choline.
Depression is, of course, primarily a disease not of the body, but of the soul. Therefore, when using all these methods, the most important thing is to believe with all your heart that they will help, and that you will again be able to find inner balance. There is always a way out of any situation, and you are no exception.
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