How to overcome a depression

Depression generates a series of physical and mental symptoms that can vary in intensity depending on the severity of the disorder and other genetic and psychosocial factors that affect the person.

Symptoms Mild depression

Symptoms of mild depression include:

• Irritable or depressed mood
• Difficulty in falling asleep or excess sleep
• Appetite changes (weight gain or loss)
• Tiredness and feeling of fatigue
• Anhedonia or lack of interest

Symptoms moderate depression

The symptoms of a moderate depression include those already described in the case of a mild depression experienced with greater frequency and intensity, mainly with regard to difficulties in falling asleep, fatigue and anhedonia. In addition, others may arise as the absence of sexual desire, low self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness or guilt and problems with attention and concentration.

Symptoms severe depression

The symptoms of severe depression include those described in cases of mild and moderate depression, to which must be added a feeling of discomfort and persistent hopelessness that is often accompanied, in the most severe cases, by thoughts of self or suicide that require immediate psychiatric attention.

Although depression is typically referred to as major depressive disorder, there are a number of other related disorders or disorders with similar symptoms that we highlight below:

Major depression

Major depression or major depressive disorder is what we all commonly know as clinical depression and is characterized by a low and persistent mood, accompanied by low self-esteem and loss of interest (anhedonia) in activities normally considered enjoyable. For its diagnosis, other conditions with coinciding symptoms must be ruled out, such as dysthymia, adaptive mood disorder or bipolar disorder.

Seasonal depression

Seasonal depression or also known as seasonal affective disorder is related to the changes in seasons, beginning and ending at the same time each year. Depressive-type symptoms begin in the fall and persist throughout the winter months, and typically include: low and irritable mood, malaise, lack of motivation, sleep difficulties, and anhedonia..

Endogenous depression

Endogenous depression differs from the major depressive disorder we all know in the causes we attribute to it: internal rather than external factors. This means that the causes of this type of depression would be endogenous and not exogenous, such as the person's life events (the loss of a loved one, a traumatic experience, etc.). The endogenous factors point to certain genetic components, which could be activated more in autumn and winter.

Dysthymic disorder - Dysthymia

Dysthymic disorder or dysthymia is a milder, more persistent type of depression. What differentiates it from major depressive disorder is its duration and intensity: in dysthymia, the symptoms are sustained continuously over time and the level of intensity of the symptoms is significantly lower than in its "big sister". However, to be diagnosed, the symptoms must remain constant for at least 2 years.

Prolonged confinement due to the coronavirus pandemic is a risk factor for the emergence and exacerbation of depression or depressive symptoms, especially in people predisposed to or with previous psychiatric pathologies. This new reality that we have had to live is a hard drink for those people who must face for the first time a situation that they have never lived before, testing their psychological coping mechanisms.

Coming out of a depression should be done under the guidance of a qualified professional. Facing a depressive episode with psychological help guarantees a better prognosis of the illness and to be able to alleviate the symptoms with professional and useful tools that the psychologist will provide you with during the treatment. Online therapy is increasingly in demand because it allows you to talk to your psychologist instantly, 24 hours a day and without waiting, and you get the same results as in a face-to-face situation.

Postpartum depression is a disorder that can affect some women after giving birth. The most common symptoms are intense feelings of sadness, anxiety, malaise, fatigue, and lack of interest that make it difficult to carry out the daily activities they need to do, such as caring for themselves, their newborn, and others.

To combat the psychological impact of returning to routine, it is advisable to follow a series of guidelines:

1. Return a few days earlier to your usual residence
2. Recovering physical exercise routines and good eating habits
3. Standardize schedules progressively
4. Plan realistic objectives and goals (from minor to major complexity)
5. Prioritize the most important and immediate work tasks
6. Accept and manage the emotions we have from now on
7. Be forgiving and allow yourself to make mistakes
8. Ask for professional help if you see that you can't handle it all by yourself

Depression can also occur in children and is a disorder that interferes with their development significantly. The symptoms do not differ much from those that appear in an adult, except perhaps for the mood, which in children tends to be irritable rather than sad. When we detect that our child is suffering from depression, we should ask for professional help.

Older people are a population group vulnerable to depression, given the high percentage who suffer from previous pathologies and have been confined in solitude for a long time. Confinement due to the pandemic has triggered psychological problems in older people, with symptoms typical of depression and others such as loneliness, irritability or hopelessness.

Depression in one partner can affect the other partner's mental health. Having a partner with depression can increase depressive episodes and even precipitate previous undiagnosed pathologies. Situations of prolonged confinement, such as the one we are currently experiencing, are also a risk factor that multiply the probability of suffering from depression and related disorders.