Fighting depression in women. Self-treatment methods for depression. Plow like never before

Depression is the body’s reaction to negative situations, conflicts and unwanted changes in personal life. Because of constant stress overload often occurs defense mechanisms body, that’s when the first signs of depression begin to appear, such as:

Lack of interest in life;
- lethargy and apathy;
- chronic fatigue;
- sleep and appetite disturbances;
- headache;
- constant depressed mood.

Depression is caused by tense situations that require enormous amounts of energy and mental strength, or by physical overload at work. This could be illness, loss, forced change of residence or place of work, fire or loss of property, conflicts with loved ones and other problems.

If you notice in yourself obvious signs depression, then it is necessary to take measures to eliminate them. Otherwise, the current situation may lead to aggravation or development of many chronic diseases. Often, neuroses, cardiovascular disorders, decreased immunity, and hypertension occur against the background of depression. It’s not for nothing that they say that all diseases are caused by nerves; this has been scientifically proven.

How to deal with depression?

Only active actions. You can’t isolate yourself from society, no matter how hard it is, you need to go for walks more often and communicate with friends and acquaintances. Adequately assess the situation that led you to this state. Think about what you can do to fix it or just get through it calmly.

You can talk about this with dear people, because some have already encountered similar situations, they can probably tell you about this problem. Or research other people and see how they dealt with similar issues.

Do only what you like, so that work completely distracts you from bad thoughts. Regular physical activity And playing sports also helps improve your mood. Rest more, pamper yourself and praise every little thing. Try to smile, even if you don’t feel like it at all - it is deposited on a subconscious level, and your soul becomes lighter.

A lot is written and talked about depression, but it is not often mentioned that it is enough serious illness. You can cope on your own only with early stage. If it doesn't pass long time, you need to contact a specialist - a psychotherapist, a psychiatrist.

Depression is a mental disorder accompanied by a complex of negative symptoms. The set of reactions differs depending on the type and type of depression. Among the reasons, the most popular is the loss of something significant, loss or separation from a loved one. The reasons are largely due to the individual personal characteristics of a person, single list, as well as there are no identical cases. Depression is a disease that requires exclusively the help of specialists.

According to diagnostic criteria, there are three types of depression: mild, moderate and severe.

Mild depression is characterized by:

At least two of the following manifestations: a completely unusual decrease in mood for most of the day, every day for at least 2 weeks and not dependent on external conditions; loss of previous interests and usual activities; increased fatigue, decrease and energy.
At least two signs or one, provided that all three signs from the first point are recorded: decline and loss of self-confidence; inappropriate feelings of guilt or self-blame; suicidal thoughts and behavior; pessimistic vision of the future; indecisiveness, decreased ability to concentrate; psychomotor disorders; loss or increase in appetite.

Moderate depression is diagnosed if at least two signs from the first group described above and at least four signs or three (if all three are observed in the first group) from the second group described above are observed.

Severe depression is diagnosed if all the signs from the first group and at least five from the second group are present. The absence of hallucinations, delusions or depressive stupor is taken into account. In the case when the presence of hallucinatory-delusional realistic experiences with voices that do not comment or discuss the patient or depressive stupor, as well as both, is recorded diagnostic criteria severe, severe depression with psychopathic symptoms (with complications) is diagnosed.

Atypical depression

It is customary to distinguish several non-standard forms of depression, manifested by atypical and contradictory signs that make diagnosis difficult.

Ironic depression

Noted low mood and the inability to rejoice, but at the same time, motor skills are animated and distractibility is high. The personality suffers from feelings of deep sadness and pessimism, but in the society of people it is active, involved in many activities, sociable and witty, ironic about its own failures.

Neurasthenic melancholy (asthenic depression)

The person is in an anxious-depressive mood or apathetic. The risk group for this disorder includes people who are asthenic and sensitive, with high and pronounced conscientiousness. The latter takes extreme forms, people overload themselves, which often results in disability.

The main symptom of asthenic depression is powerlessness, the inability to even wash oneself. Sensitivity, tearfulness, and sensitivity to external stimuli (light, sound) increase. Fatigue does not depend on the intensity of the load. A person becomes indifferent to himself and his fate, feels hopeless and depressed. The ability to concentrate is weakened: thoughts are confused, delusional and confused ideas arise, and emptiness is felt.

Depersonalization depression

A person’s ability to respond emotionally is reduced and the ability to experience pleasure is lost. As the disease progresses, painful insensibility is noted. A person feels inferior and strives to evoke compassion from others. The fear of losing understanding of the world and regret about lost intellectual capabilities and successes become a priority.

Hypochondriacal depression

Pessimistic chronic mood is combined with hypochondriacal ideas and manifestations, the patient feels real somatovegetative symptoms. Hypochondriacal symptoms regularly increase, panic attacks. The most popular phobias: cancerophobia, heart attack phobia, agoraphobia. The endless path of examinations by doctors begins.

A characteristic phenomenon of this depression is hypochondriacal raptus. This acute attack anxious and melancholy mood combined with vegetative-vascular disorders and unclear sensations, fear of death, dysphoria and phobias.

Endogenous and reactive depression

By origin, depression can be reactive (a response to some event) and endogenous (hereditary lack of certain substances in the brain, which causes a depressed state).

With reactive depression, there is apathy, inhibition of actions and reactions, anxiety, low self-esteem, a pessimistic vision of the present, future and past, autonomic disorders. Suicidal attempts are common. Psychogenic depression does not always develop immediately; it can be delayed. The time between the event and depression is spent on the person’s attempts to survive on their own, but this fails, and after a while the following appear:

tearfulness;
insomnia;
lethargy;
feeling of powerlessness;
low performance and increased fatigue.

A person is haunted by the thought of the worthlessness and pity of existence, a feeling of fatigue from life and a feeling of brokenness. Suicidal thoughts accumulate, a plan is thought out, a note is written, attempts are made alone. If a person can be saved, then, as a rule, suicide attempts are repeated.

Endogenous depression is diagnosed based on somatic signs (minimum 4):

loss of former interests and pleasure from usually pleasant things;
abnormally low emotional response to events (individual norm, of this particular person);
early awakening (two or more hours before the usual rise);
fluctuations in affective states during the day;
lethargy or psychomotor agitation, excitement;
decreased appetite;
loss of more than 5% of weight in the last month;
severely reduced libido.

Endogenous depression is most easily confused with neurosis, but there are significant differences between them. Depression is accompanied by a feeling of meaninglessness in life.

Depression and personality type

The nature of depression, its occurrence and course is largely determined by its type and the character of the person. Let's look at common combinations of personality type and depression.

In psychopathic individuals, depression is difficult to treat and differs chronic course and frequent relapses.
In hysterical individuals, depression occurs easily and often, after the slightest affective state. The main reason is resentment towards others (they do not recognize the person). Depression begins acutely, accompanied by moodiness and... The patient may even faint; in general, he exhibits hysterics in all its glory. The likelihood of suicide is low, but harm for the sake of attracting attention is quite likely.
The narcissistic personality only values what is unattainable. Everything that can be obtained through one’s own efforts (work, love) is devalued, or rather devalued after acquisition. Depression develops after disappointment in oneself or someone from the environment. The patient categorically refuses to interact with people and his subconscious, does not recognize his own desires. Learned helplessness turns into dependence. The personality constantly demonstrates its superiority and devalues the people around it.
Borderline individuals experience depression after psychological trauma and changes in life patterns. The individual suffers from interpersonal and maladjustment in the main areas of life. The person denies change and tries to return to the old world.
Schizoid individuals experience depression against the backdrop of the hostility of the surrounding world and the impossibility of conquering it (the perception of a schizoid). The schizoid's vision is abstract, relationships are unemotional. A person cannot enter the world, which is why he wants to destroy it, but he is also unable to do this, which is why he directs aggression towards himself. Because of high level The personality often suffers from pretensions, which aggravates depression.
A person with avoidant behavior suffers from depression due to being constrained by inhibitions and responsibilities. Because of constant feeling limited personal space, the patient experiences chronic anxiety and... But aggressiveness is also restrained, directed at oneself, and gets to others out of a sense of duty. The need for self-punishment and feelings of guilt do not allow the patient to enjoy life; he consciously avoids potentially pleasant situations.
Obsessive individuals suffer chronically from depression. No special reason is needed. The attack lasts from a couple of days to several months. The prerequisites for depression are self-blame, a feeling of insignificance, dissatisfaction with oneself, and low mood. Behavior is characterized by uncertainty and fear of failure. A person represents his suicidal and antisocial actions very vividly. There is a high risk of suicide.

Treatment of depression

Psychotherapy is prescribed to correct depression. But able deep depression not all patients find the strength to talk. Moreover, it can exacerbate the patient's feelings of guilt and worthlessness.

The patient is hospitalized and the normality of his sensations is explained. The goal is to reduce feelings of guilt, avoid panic and attitudes of “worthlessness” and “worthlessness.” The patient is explained that all changes are signs of illness, and not of his personal degradation. He himself is a sick person, not a degenerate person.

You should not try to cheer the patient up or convince him of a quick and easy healing - he will not believe it and will become even more nervous. Although it is worth talking about the experience of successful treatment. For the rest, you need to let the patient speak out, sympathize, and understand. This will allow the specialist to win the patient’s favor.

In the framework of getting rid of depression, body-oriented therapy, creative self-expression, massage and cognitive and family therapy have proven positive. For diagnosis, the “Tree” technique, a test of anxiety and depression, and a study of the level of optimism and pessimism are used.

For self-diagnosis For depression, I recommend using the Beck Questionnaire and the Suicidal Ideation Scale. But you can’t fight depression on your own. With your own strength you can drive away melancholy, sadness, Bad mood, but not depression.

Major depressive disorder

It is important not to confuse depression with depressive personality disorder. In order to be able to distinguish between them, I suggest you get acquainted with the signs of the disorder. This is a more complex and larger problem, which is characterized by a complex of symptoms and many episodes of depression. To put it exaggeratedly, this is the highest depth, last stage depression.

Signs

Depressive disorder is diagnosed if at least 5 of the following symptoms are present simultaneously:

the predominance of a gloomy and despondent, depressed mood;
low self-esteem, conviction of one’s own worthlessness and inferiority, and an attitude towards oneself based on this;
downplaying one's own merits, self-criticism, self-accusation;
search for reasons for concern, tendency to sad thoughts;
negative, critical attitude towards others;
pessimism;
tendency to experience feelings of guilt or regret.

The onset of the disorder occurs in. The patient is dominated by negative thinking, positive opportunities are ignored, and the world looks bleak and colorless. The person is passive, restrained, afraid of independence, indecisive (even at the moment of mandatory decision-making). The personality is afraid of the opinions of others, condemnation, and ignores life chances and opportunities. At the same time, the patient attracts others with his warmth, reliability, readiness for self-sacrifice, uncomplaining fulfillment of the demands of people, phenomena and conditions of the surrounding world: read a book to the end, take a walk in good weather, repay a gift.

The patient does not demand anything from the people around him, seeks dependence, is happy in dependent relationships, does not show initiative, is driven. A person is driven by the fear of being abandoned and unloved. From this same fear comes attachment to things, fear of loss and parting with objects. In a group, a person feels insecure, avoids discussion, and withdraws into himself.

Consequences

The consequences of the disorder include chronic depression, depressive psychosis, suicide. The risk increases when the partner in a close relationship is cold. Against the background of a depressive disorder, addictions (food, drugs, alcohol) and withdrawal into the world of fantasy develop.

The need for affection and fear of rejection provoke the development of intrapersonal conflict. The patient is wary of praise and signs of attention from others. He is truly convinced of his own unattractiveness (external and internal).

Factors and reasons

Factors that provoke the development of depressive disorder include:

bad Education, ;
the individual’s desire for self-punishment, the need for punishment;
exaggerated sense of guilt.

Among childhood causes, there is a lack of communication with the mother, a feeling of deprivation, improper feeding, hostility, abrupt weaning (perceived as deprivation of love). Incorrect, age-inappropriate demands from parents regarding cleanliness and toilets, and training methods also contribute. Training according to the type of training continues. As a result, the child becomes quiet and exemplary, “mother’s joy”, although sad, but that’s okay, because he is so obedient. In reality, of course, such upbringing does not benefit the child.

Treatment

The patient’s thinking is based on the following judgments (material borrowed from the manual of G.V. Starshenbaum):

To be happy, you must always achieve success.
To be happy, you need everyone to love you.
If I make a mistake, it will mean that I am clueless.
I can not live without you.
If a person argues with me, it means he doesn't like me.
My human worth depends on what others think of me.

The patient's inner child speaks. And the child expresses feelings of hatred and other negative feelings. During psychotherapeutic work, it is important to give free rein to these feelings (as a rule, they never received an outlet and were condemned by parents, and then by the person himself).

In the process of working with a psychologist, the experienced loss, the loss of the object of love, is worked through. Often depressive disorder has these roots. When there is a loss, responsibility is shifted onto oneself (“they don’t like me because I’m bad”), the lost object is idealized, and manifestations of auto-aggression are noticeable (self-punishment, destructive attempts at self-improvement, decreased self-esteem). Included are transference and overcompensation (excessive caring instead of resentment), introjection and symbiosis.

Gradually, all feelings are directed inside the personality, which provokes the development of a strong superego (inflated demands and expectations, striving for the ideal). It struggles with the Ego, which feels guilty about not being able to fulfill these demands. Later the feelings are projected again, and the whole the world seems demanding of personality. But the person himself becomes picky and unfriendly, envious, and disappointed. But there is only one problem - accumulated and unexpressed feelings, unresolved problems, unforgiven grievances.

The patient perceives himself as an object, not a subject. It is necessary to work on the manifestation of a healthy, individual awareness of himself as a subject. It is important for the patient to learn rivalry and healthy competition, opposition to servility, and the perception of refusal and opposing opinions as a victory over fear.

Bad mood, chronic fatigue and simple laziness completely coincide with the symptoms of this mental disorder.

Having no idea how to deal with depression, many are sure that they should not indulge their whims and whims, that everything will disappear on its own.

Meanwhile, the damage caused by depression in the world is equal to the consequences caused by cardiovascular diseases.

Until now, experts have no consensus in explaining the nature of depression. Sigmund Freud believed that depression was caused by a number of interacting causes.

Majority modern research, dedicated to depression, tend to believe that its causes are psychosomatic in nature.

Summarizing modern views, we can identify the main causes of depression:

biological reasons;
psychological reasons;
social reasons.

Biological reasons

Neurophysiological reasons are associated with a failure in the transmission and processing of information in the limbic region, the pleasure center and the hypothalamus of the brain. Responsibility for this lies with the neurotransmitters contained in the pathways - serotonin, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, dopamine.

With their help, the brain controls the expression of emotions, sleep, appetite, memory, anxiety, sex drive, activity, reaction to stress, fear, panic. Most antidepressants used in treatment are aimed at creating an imbalance of these substances.

TO biological reasons include genetically burdened heredity. If the immediate family had a tendency to depressive symptoms, alcoholism, drug addiction, suicide, then a person has a greater chance of being exposed to this disease.

Diseases that provoke depression include:

endocrine and nervous system;
insufficiency and disorders cerebral circulation, traumatic brain injuries;
cardiovascular diseases;
anemia;
oncology;
tuberculosis, asthma;
chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
disorders in the genitourinary area;
severe infectious diseases;
chemical addiction (alcoholism, drug addiction) and behavioral (gaming addiction);
pharmacological dependence;
physical inactivity;
vitamin deficiency and hypovitaminosis.

Psychological causes of depression

These reasons are due to the specifics of thinking and life circumstances:

critical perception of life, pessimism, self-flagellation, introversion;
violations in the field of self-esteem, self-perception;
tendency to conflict type of behavior;
increased psychological sensitivity;
loss or serious illnesses loved ones, orphanhood, divorce;
lack of affection, attention in children and adolescence, violence in family;
retirement;
hypochondriacal disorder (fear of getting sick, becoming infected, getting hurt);
lack of productive communication, psychological support from others, childlessness;
destruction of formed values, confidence in one’s own inadequacy to the ideal and its unattainability, loss of the meaning of life.

Social reasons

The social component of our life provokes most depressive illnesses.

A large amount of information that requires constant processing, unstable political and economic situations, the unpredictability of tomorrow, the need to constantly compete and meet requirements in the professional field, difficulties with employment, the race for material assets, the need to hide your weaknesses and shortcomings from others - these are constantly acting stress triggers.

More than 20% of humanity experiences depressed, depressed states leading to loss of ability to work, destruction of social and personal connections, and decreased interest in what is happening.

With a severe, protracted illness, 15% of those suffering from depression attempt suicide.

How to get rid of depression

Let's look at how to deal with depression and apathy. It should be understood that protracted, chronic manifestations of depression require specialist intervention.

Only by seeking help from a psychotherapist or consulting psychologist can you determine the causes and methods of treating a depressive state.

Medical assistance for the treatment of depression is usually a combination of psychotherapy, medication and non-drug methods.

The medication method involves taking antidepressants under constant medical supervision. Non-drug methods represented by physiotherapy, magnetotherapy, aromatherapy, light therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy, various types of massage.

Modern psychotherapy has a whole arsenal of methods and techniques to combat depression. Most often they practice cognitive, psychodynamic, behavioral, family, group, individual, suggestive, rational psychotherapy. Used as auxiliary methods different kinds art therapy (drawing, modeling, music) and animal-assisted therapy with the involvement of animals (dolphin therapy, hippotherapy).

To get rid of depression, you need to remember that the causes of depression are diverse, often complementary and depend on many factors.

How to get rid of depression in women

The female psyche is more mobile, they easily fall into a depressive state, but they tolerate it more easily than men.

Only in two out of ten cases do women attempt suicide.

The most striking symptom of depression in women is a loss of interest in their appearance and a reluctance to communicate with friends and colleagues.

Unsuccessful marriage, divorce, excessive household responsibilities, the need to combine work with caring for a child, parents, lack of material resources and uncertainty about the future, cases of sexual violence, betrayal of a husband, unrequited love often cause depression in women.

Women are susceptible to systematic changes in the amount of estrogen in the blood associated with menstrual cycle, menopause and menopause.

Everything related to reproductive function: pregnancy, prenatal and postpartum periods, infertility or the decision to terminate the pregnancy.

Help get rid of female depression close and significant people can, showing attention and participation.

Good ways to get rid of depression can be: walks, travel, gifts, attentions, compliments, vacations in warm places, self-realization in your favorite activity, shopping.

Depression in pregnant women - how to deal with it

The best ways to combat depression are:

direct warm communication with loved ones, significant people(not on the Internet);
yoga, light exercise, communication with nature, going to exhibitions, attending concerts, theater performances;
fitness courses and groups for pregnant women;
balanced diet.

How to get rid of depression in men

Male depression, as a rule, is latent in nature, but leads to more serious consequences: alcoholism, drug addiction, suicide.

Men are typically worried about the wrong choice of profession, compliance own ideas about success. The cause may be problems in the sexual sphere or family relationships.

When treating male depression, several effective techniques are used:

verbalization, articulation of problems, their detailed discussion in the family circle;
engaging in an emotionally comfortable hobby (sports, fishing, creativity);
systematic analysis of the situation, revision of priorities;
refusal to make hasty decisions.

Often traumatic experiences and depression are caused by military service or participation in combat.

Do you know what is neurotic depression? Follow the link to see what characterizes this type disorder and what methods can be used to combat it.

How to get rid of depression in the elderly

Depression in the elderly - how to deal with it? Elderly people most often develop senile depression due to genetic predisposition, coupled with age-related diseases, loss of loved ones, decreased vital activity, deterioration of financial situation.

Senile depression is accompanied by outbursts of anger, irritability, dissatisfaction with reality, others, selfishness, tearfulness, and a desire to die.

Having retired, many people cannot get used to the changed pace of life or adapt to new conditions.

The cure for older people is pleasure. The pleasure of communicating with family and nature, from making new acquaintances, easy travel and new responsibilities, from feeling important to loved ones, participating in charitable and public affairs, reading, working at garden plot, needlework and crafts.

How to deal with depression yourself at home

The main conditions for getting rid of depression at home are: a comfortable emotional environment, patience, benevolence, interest in success, unobtrusive attention from relatives, their desire to support, listen, understand the cause of worries, and involve them in meaningful activities.

Patients with depression should adhere to a diet. Avoid products that contain caffeine, tannin, or stimulants. Reduce meat consumption. Eat at certain hours, do not eat 3-4 hours before bedtime. Avoid overeating and undereating.

The diet should be supplemented with natural antidepressants: bananas, dates, nuts, seeds, fermented milk products, soy, mushrooms.

Required good sleep. A contrast shower helps a lot.

Support in depression breathing exercises. Meditation and aromatherapy will do. Baths with sea salt are effective.

IN folk medicine decoctions are used to treat depression medicinal herbs: valerian, pharmaceutical chamomile, hops, oats, St. John's wort, mint and lemon balm.

To successfully overcome a depressive state, psychologists advise:

set small and realistic goals and achieve them;
accept the help of others, do not hesitate to discuss problems that have arisen, find the causes of these problems;
walk more;
engage in activities that bring positive emotions;
pay attention to your appearance and physical health;
in case of prolonged depressed state (3-4 weeks), seek help from a specialist;
If suicidal thoughts occur, immediately seek help from loved ones and a doctor.

No person is immune from depression. It can arise suddenly and also pass unexpectedly, or it can oppress a person for many years. The main thing is to recognize the symptoms in time, analyze the causes and take measures to eliminate the causes. It is best to do this not alone, but together with specialists and loved ones.

Video on the topic

Self-help ways to combat depression can win on their own. soft shapes depressive states. In more serious cases, “amateur” is unacceptable, specialist supervision is necessary, and natural remedies can become good help for prescribed activities.

Change your lifestyle

Although therapy and medication are key methods of controlling depression, there is a lot you can do on your own without waiting until you need to pop pills. Changing behavior - physical, diet and lifestyle - can be effective naturally overcoming depression.

4. Strive for the goal. Nothing keeps your spirit up like achieving your goal. The difficulty lies in determining realistic goals. There is no need to set global goals for yourself or write a 20-page list of feats. Start with small but realistic tasks, the completion of which will give you a feeling of small but victory, and therefore satisfaction.

5. Responsibility. When a person’s heart is heavy, his natural instinct is to step back, abandon all his responsibilities at home and at work. We must fight this feeling. responsibility will not let you lose heart. Just don't force things: if you're not ready to go back to work or school, that's okay. Consider working part-time. If this seems too complicated, consider doing something simple. But you can’t give up - seeing the result of the work done, you will experience satisfaction.

6. Relaxation. Don't think that pleasure or relaxation are things that happen on their own. The only way to make them happen is to plan for them.

Change of consciousness

Automatic negative thoughts are private sources of anxiety. These thoughts arise randomly when you encounter a situation that hurts your feelings. They can be connected to each other and all together poison your life.

Example: Your boss asked you to rewrite the beginning of a project you are working on. Instead of simply rewriting, you begin to “think out” the reasons for such an order, “deepening” the problem: what if I’m not professional enough? What if I get fired? Further down the chain: “I’ll be left penniless, I’ll lose my home, my family will hate me, I’m a complete loser, why should someone like that live in the world”... That’s it. We arrived: within a few seconds you are plunged into complete despair.

How to deal with automatic negative thoughts?

7. Think. At first it will be very difficult to catch the beginning of this negative chain. After all, these thoughts arise involuntarily. It will be easier to remember the “bad day” and try to retrospectively understand what happened. How did you move from Have a good mood morning to a disgusting afternoon? What events - and what thoughts - lead you to a depressive state of consciousness?

By reconstructing what happened, you will understand what automatic thoughts you are prone to and how they arise. Then, over time, you will learn to recognize automatic thoughts at the right moment and take control of yourself - stop them before they get out of control.

8. Take a break. When you find that automatic thinking has turned on, try to pause, switch, and unwind. They will help breathing exercises, or just a walk on fresh air. Take a break for a while from the activity in which these thoughts caught you.

9. Use logic. The next time a problem makes you feel terrible, try using it as a natural remedy against depression logic. Depression can make you think disgusting things about yourself, often grotesquely exaggerated. Try to imagine this: is it true that no one likes you? Is there real evidence? True, you can feel himself as the most stupid and hated creature on the planet, but what is the real likelihood of this?

Other Natural Ways to Fight Depression

In addition to creating habits and changing your mind, there are other natural ways to combat blues.

10. Reach out to friends and family. When your heart is heavy, people you trust will help. Talk to them about what is happening to you. Sometimes, realizing that a friend cannot only be your “vest” (this is very difficult emotionally), you will need to leave your feelings aside for a while. And it's good to take care of emotional health loved one, you will take a break from your own worries. You can simply enjoy the time you spend with this person.

11. Find support. In addition to relying on friends and family, you can try participating in a mental health support group. You may find people who truly understand what you've been through and can help you regain your mental strength.

12. Consult your doctor before taking supplements. Although great amount supplements are recommended as a remedy for depression, practice suggests that prescribing them to yourself is simply dangerous. Always consult your doctor before starting to take a supplement, especially if you are already prescribed any medications.

13. Beware of abuse. Many people trying to cope with depression try to drown it out with alcohol and other substances. It's no use - you'll feel even worse in a few hours. If you already have problems with abuse, for example, alcohol, don’t wait for your depression to end. Seek help, otherwise, together, these problems will “deal with” you even faster.

14. Do something new. When a person is depressed, he seems to be in vicious circle, in a rut. Every ordinary day will go according to the following scheme: bed, TV, computer. Psychologists believe that to get rid of depression naturally, you need to force yourself to do something different, completely new. Go to a museum. Take a book and go read it on a park bench. Sign up for courses foreign language. In general, break this pattern.

15. Don't ignore serious signs of depression. Although self-use natural ways fighting depression can help, they have their limitations. People have enough resources to help themselves, but these resources are not infinite. And when a person is so immersed in depression that he cannot cope with his own will depressive state when thoughts appear that the world would be better without him, he needs urgent professional help.

Perhaps no more dangerous condition For successful person coping with their life tasks productively than depression. So much has been said and written about it that at first glance it seems that dealing with this disease is not difficult. But, having encountered it face to face in everyday life, it becomes clear that everything is not so simple. Depression - what to do, how to fight? How to expel it from your “soul”? How to learn to enjoy life again? Is it possible? Definitely yes! Depression is a surmountable illness, but it requires the right approach.

If you decide to fight depression, change your attitude towards everyday activities and responsibilities, otherwise the war against it will drag on for a long time.

Change your attitude towards daily activities and responsibilities

Family, communication with colleagues, friends and relatives, work, study, household chores - all this requires a person to fulfill a certain range of responsibilities. Every day, each of us must solve many problems. Depression robs us of our vitality. And what seemed normal just yesterday becomes an unbearable burden today and contributes to the development of the disease.

Don't set yourself impossible tasks. Now your priority goal is recovery, which you need to fight for. You should strive to get as much information as possible about how to deal with depression. Work only at a rhythm that you can tolerate and that is comfortable for you. Break down large tasks into smaller ones, then depression will not manifest itself so acutely, and you can begin to act in the right direction and effectively fight it.

Postpone serious decisions until better times come.

Depression reduces the internal reserves of the body, significantly affects self-esteem in the direction of its decrease and “colors” the vision of tomorrow in black tones, if you do not start to fight it. It is for this reason that you can make a mistake: either put a load on your shoulders, out of habit, focusing on the reserve of strength that you previously possessed before depression “visited” you, or abandon what is important and essential, afraid of not being able to cope with the task.

For depression to go away completely and irrevocably, try not to make serious decisions. If the task requires immediate action from you, consult with relatives or close friends. It's good if they help you fight it.

Avoid stressful situations

Depression is also dangerous because along with it it “comes” to you a decrease in the threshold of stress tolerance and adequacy of assessing the situation. In the euphoric stage, it may seem to you that you can do everything and there are no tasks that you cannot cope with. In a depressed state, on the contrary, there is a feeling of impossibility to complete even the simplest task, fear and exaggeration of difficulties. All this sooner or later leads to nervous breakdowns and mental stress.

How to deal with the failure to assess stress factors in depression? The answer above: limit the impact of stress and avoid situations that provoke these conditions. If you work, take time off during your treatment. Depression must be treated comprehensively, and it must be fought with every effort.

Pathways to Healing: Your Priorities

Perhaps now you don’t even imagine how to overcome depression and take the first steps towards a full-fledged life. happy life. But believe me, there is a way out, and a lot in this situation depends on you.

More communication with people

Very often depression leads to the fact that a person does not want to communicate with anyone. He is possessed by only one desire - to hide in a shell, to shield himself from the rest of the world. But contacts with people close to your interests are one of the most effective ways fight your illness.

Choose a social circle that promotes recovery. Eliminate pessimists, whiners and manipulators from your reach, as it is much more difficult to fight depression in their environment. But do not reproach your relatives for their impatience with you - communicating with a sick person is not always a pleasant and simple task.

Do what really makes you happy

Depression is a pit, a hole full of despair, melancholy, sadness and hopelessness. With her you feel suffering and unbearably sad. But always remember that you can get out of any hole. Gradually climbing the steps of small joys that you will give yourself every day.

How to overcome depression? Take a walk, watch your favorite movies, buy trinkets dear to your heart, lie in a warm bath with plenty of foam, take up your favorite hobby, play with your pets, read books, go to exhibitions, theater and cinema. In general, do what brings you pleasure (what previously brought you pleasure). If during such a pastime you feel guilty, consider that the doctor has written you a prescription for joy, and along with it, a good mood will return to you.

Play sports

We are not talking about professional sports here, we are talking about any physical exercise. You don’t need significant effort, but light and easy ones will only do you good. If you, reading these lines, want to object to us: what kind of physical activity can we even talk about when even any habitual movement seems like an impossible task to you? We will answer you the following: depression inhibits the production of “hormones of joy and pleasure,” and physical activity causes the release of endorphins in the brain, due to which the patient’s condition significantly improves. Therefore, do not neglect charging and any other physical exercise: cycling, Pilates, yoga, brisk walking.

Avoid idleness

Yes, depression provokes a state of total inaction, when you just want to lie on the couch, burying your absent gaze at the TV, but you must understand that this is a dead-end path that in no way contributes to your healing. We need to fight this! Don't know how to overcome depression? To get started, just “get out of bed” and get interested in something you love, whether it’s cleaning your room or replanting houseplants in new flower pots. The main thing is don’t be lazy!

Eat right

Depression provokes a disturbance of appetite: with it, it either significantly decreases down to complete refusal from food, or increases significantly. As a result, such eating disorders lead to the fact that when overeating a person develops a feeling of guilt and worthlessness, he gets better, and he is no longer happy with his diet. appearance. Refusal to eat, in turn, completely deprives the patient of physical and emotional energy.

Think for yourself, how to deal with depression if you simply don’t have the strength? Eat right: follow the principles of healthy and balanced nutrition. Eat foods that you enjoy, but at the same time make sure that they are not harmful.

Don't refuse medical help if depression is bothering you

Unfortunately, most people see no other way out but to deal with depression on their own. And over time, a specific deformation of the patient’s psyche occurs, which forms a “new personality.” To avoid this, you need to fight it not alone.

It is important to understand that this “personality” has nothing to do with your healthy attitude. It's not you - it's the disease! It is necessary and possible to fight against it.

We looked at what depression is and how to deal with it. Remember that you should not avoid going to the doctor or refuse to take prescribed medications. Then your condition will first begin to stabilize and then improve.

Set realistic goals for yourself, even if it seems to you that you will never be able to achieve what you want. Fight yourself, no matter what. Have the courage to stay on the path to recovery. If you decide that you are able to cope with depression, that you are able to erase it from your life forever, then that’s exactly what will happen.