Depression — such a worn-out term that everyone seems to be familiar with it. Autumn has begun — everyone has a blues, the holidays are over — than a reason to be sad. In fact, depression — these are not sad pictures in social networks, and not the desire to cry into a vest. This is a serious illness that can lead to disability, loss of social skills, and suicide. We'll tell you how to help people with depression and how to recognize when your loved one has a depressive disorder.
- Signs of depression to look out for
- How to help people with depression return to normal life
- Prevention of depression: how to prevent the problem
Signs of depression to look out for
First symptom of depression — no positive response. This does not mean that the person is simply unhappy. He is also uninteresting, tasteless, unfunny. Nothing causes surprise or interest. Favorite dish and unleavened bread are eaten with the same displeasure, and news — even if about winning the lottery— don't evoke any emotion. Feelings and conversations of other people seem empty and annoying, there is a desire to retire.
In depression, a person cannot find the strength in themselves to perform everyday activities. At the same time, he is aware of the need to brush his teeth and understands that it is not a feat and does require special efforts. But can't do it. In severe cases, patients with depression did not even find the strength to pick up the phone that lay nearby.
Indifference and inaction can be replaced by anxiety. This is a strong, exhausting anxiety, leading to a frenzy. The expectation of something terrible that is about to happen makes you instinctively seek salvation. As a result, a person either does not leave the room, or, on the contrary, breaks down somewhere in the hope of escaping from his fear.
Living with such a severe disorder is terrible, but psychiatrists know how to help people with depression. Of all mental illnesses, it is the best studied and there are many ways to cure it. Main — desire to change your condition, and for this you need to acknowledge the problem and agree to treatment.
Read also: Existential crisis: what it is and how to overcome
How to help people with depression get back to normal life
In a good way, the best friend of a person with depression should be a psychiatrist. The combination of drug treatment and psychotherapy gives the fastest results. But even outside the hospital walls, the patient needs support and help from loved ones. How to help people with depression and do's see below.
Show your love and affection
It is very important to know that you are loved not for something, but for just because. A depressed person needs such confidence like air. Do not show that you are angry or annoyed by apathetic behavior and constant blues, be friendly.
Emphasize the temporality of his condition
A patient with depression believes that everything that happens to him is forever and the joys of life are no longer for him. Say as often as possible that everything will pass, the future is even better than he thinks and an interesting and eventful life lies ahead of him.
Reduce your positives
You don't need to try to cheer up your loved one in depression with jokes, stories, to disturb him "well, why is it so sour, life is beautiful!". This does not mean that you need to sit down and shed tears, but and irritating with strained fun is also superfluous. Just be natural and friendly with he.
Use every opportunity to get out home
Physical activity is very necessary for depressive disorders, but it is the first thing that lacks strength for . Think of a way to get a loved one to at least walk to a nearby store. Gradually increase the distance, choose quiet and calm places for walking.
Restrict access to alcohol, drugs, potentially dangerous items
It is emphasized to hide everything under lock and key, of course, it is not necessary. There is simply no point in provoking a loved one once again with a blister of sleeping pills left in sight or a bottle of whiskey in a bar. And remember, depression doesn't go away after taking antidepressants for the first time. And then the strength to do stupidity appears, and it is very important to keep the patient's emotions under control.
Read also: What is social phobia and how does it differ from introversion
In modern society, an artificial trend towards positiveness has been created. Therefore, it is difficult for a person with depression to find understanding: everyone needs cheerful, cheerful friends, and other people's problems do not bother anyone. If you are interested in how to help people with depression, look up information about this disease to know how it manifests itself and how it differs from the autumn blues. And then your help will be many times more effective and more valuable.
Prevention of depression: how to prevent the problem
To know how to help people with depression, you need to know what events can trigger it. Most often it is the death of a loved one, divorce, dismissal, injury, illness. Against the background of stress, reactive depression may occur as a reaction to certain events. If your loved one has experienced grief, do not leave him alone, share news, ask questions. Pay attention to his social activity and sound the alarm at the first sign of withdrawal.
Depression can also have very specific causes, for example: traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, hormonal imbalance (hypothyroidism is one of the provoking factors), taking certain medications. Also, depression can develop on the background of alcohol or drug abuse. If you or your loved one is at risk, find a good therapist and do do forget about preventive examinations. For an objective assessment, try testing, for example, the Beck Depression Test, the Zung Depression Test.
Depression "ennobled" rock culture, and many people see in it a certain mystery and attractiveness. It is actually a disease, and there is nothing attractive about it. If you notice your loved one showing signs of this condition, don —— contact specialists.
Read also: Post-traumatic stress disorder: how to deal with the effects of stress
You may be interested in: Stone massage or stone massage - what is it? Watch the video.
Add a comment