A depressed person is sad and in moral pain. She feels neither pleasure nor desire, and feels tired, without energy, useless. Very often, she also feels a certain anxiety and will lose sleep, appetite and libido depending on the case. But all is not so schematic because “there is not one but forms of depression”, explains Professor Antoine Pelissolo, psychiatrist, head of the psychiatry department at CHU Henri-Mondor (Créteil) and author of the book Depression: lock yourself in or get out of it?.
“Some will especially be sad, others will especially devalue themselves, ruminate, be pessimistic, others will especially have physical disorders”. If in doubt, no need to let these feelings hang around. If the moral suffering is bothersome and lasts for more than two weeks, “You shouldn’t be ashamed or embarrassed to talk about it with your doctor, or a shrink. They can help you see more clearly and assess if there is real depression by possibly using questionnaires”. He offers two or three close consultations to confirm the diagnosis, see the evolution of symptoms and think about the most suitable treatment. The opportunity to also take stock of other psychological difficulties that may be associated, such as anxiety, phobias, addictions, bipolar disorder…
Women more exposed
“No one can say they are immune to depression” remarks the specialist. However, we do not all have the same risk of illness. Women are more exposed than men. Some families also carry genes responsible for emotional fragility.
Temperament and life history also play an important role. It is on this particular context a lot of stress or constant, a serious or traumatic event (death, separation, dismissal …) will serve as a trigger. But besides all these factors, we must not forget the biological component. In depression, certain messengers (neurotransmitters) in charge of emotions at the cerebral level appear less effective: dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, which in particular manage pleasure and motivation, are the most disturbed. Without knowing which chicken and egg explains this mechanism, normalizing them can help heal. This is the reason why medication are often needed to heal.
A healthy lifestyle protects
The hygiene of life has a significant impact on the onset of depression. Because sleep well and eat healthy allows you to have enough energy in reserve to face the possible hardships of everyday life. When you feel that you are going through a period of emotional fragility, it is important to ensure that you adhere to regular meal and sleep schedules. And when you are better, it is useful to learn to understand and manage your emotions in order to know how to take the distance in difficult times.
Relaxation, sophrology or the mindfulness meditation can be very useful: they allow you to better manage moments of stress or rumination. Moreover, scientific studies have shown that mindfulness meditation – when it is well practiced – is as effective as antidepressants in preventing relapses!
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