How to get rid of long-term depression. How to get King Solomon's ring, get rid of depression and start living. Orange and lemon balm

This article is dedicated to how to get rid of depression on your own, without the help of pills or doctors. If you have already read my blog, then you know that all my articles are based on personal experience. I write about how I got rid of a lack of discipline, bad habits, learned to deal with stress and control emotions. I take all these tips from personal practice, and not from books and textbooks. And this article is no exception.

This article reflects only my personal experience, I do not claim that these truths can be applied to any experience without exception.

And the methods of this article in no way claim to replace qualified psychotherapy in combination with drug treatment methods. If you find yourself depressed, I highly recommend contacting a qualified, good specialist.

And the information in this article will help you get acquainted with the view of the problem, understand what methods you should resort to, and also in it you will find effective self-help techniques.

Let me tell you my story briefly.

The story of my illness

Several years ago I suffered from the so-called and even went to the doctor with this problem. Against the background of panic attacks, a kind of despondency, chronic pessimism, despair, dissatisfaction with life, high mental sensitivity and even tearfulness began to develop. Nobody gave me such a diagnosis as depression, probably because there was no one to diagnose it - I did not communicate with doctors on this issue (although I tried to “treat” them for panic attacks).

But I observed many of the symptoms of this disease in myself. I didn’t feel bad all the time: this state of psychological discomfort came in fits and starts. At the same time, there were problems with sleep: and it happened that I was tossed up in bed, as soon as I fell into sleep, it was as if a sudden discharge of current was passing through my body. To eliminate all these symptoms, I started drinking alcohol, which subsequently developed into a chronic habit.

Symptoms of depression caused difficulties at work and in life. Apathy and lack of purpose led to laziness, and sudden outbursts of irritation or despondency reflected poorly on those around me.

How does depression appear?

It happens that depression is caused by some unpleasant event, for example the death of a relative. And it happens that this illness manifests itself as if for no reason. In fact, there is always a reason, it’s just either hidden, or there are many reasons. For example, a person may experience depression due to constant stress, fatigue, alcohol consumption, family problems, lack of goals and aspirations, etc. All these things together can form a psychological background favorable for the development of depression.

Many may think that depression caused by some single, non-repeating event (the death of a loved one) is a less hopeless case than the same disease, but provoked by recurring circumstances (stress, constant nervous fatigue, personality traits, etc.) .

After all, sooner or later, the memory of misfortune will begin to fade, and life will begin to be filled with new meaning, new pleasures, and at the same time, grief and the depression associated with it should disappear. But it doesn't always happen like this. An unfortunate event can only become a “trigger” of depression for a person who, due to various factors, was predisposed to it.

This is similar to how a draft causes a cold in a person with a weak immune system. It cannot be said that the draft alone caused the cough and sore throat. Air from an open window only provoked the disease, and the prerequisites for its occurrence already existed due to weak immunity.

Even if the cold goes away after a week, then after that a person still runs the risk of getting sick if he gets caught in the rain or in a draft.

Such a “draft” for the appearance of depression can be some kind of misfortune in the life of a certain person. Like a long-term illness, depression can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of developing the disease in the future.

That's how it was for me. I used to be a very sensitive and stress-sensitive person. At one point, severe stress triggered panic attacks and associated depression. If my psyche had been more stable and stable, then I would have reacted to this situation more calmly and it would not have caused such dire consequences for me. But I was who I was...

After a few years, I already forgot about this stress, the memories of those events stopped causing pain, I began to relate to it more simply. But depression and panic attacks did not disappear. Because these illnesses further “shaken” the already painful psyche. When I forgot about that stressful situation, I still continued to suffer from sudden attacks of panic, bad mood and pessimism.

I gave this example to make a very important point about the nature of depression. I believe that most often, the causes of this disease are found in the person himself, and not in external circumstances. I don't take extremes. Naturally, there are things that can break and make even the strongest people suffer. But, in most situations, depression is a consequence of your mental state, physical health, nervous sensitivity and worldview.

And some situations in the outside world can only trigger something for which the prerequisites already existed.

My method is to strengthen the immune system

Despite the fact that antidepressants and tranquilizers can have a positive effect on the symptoms of depression, they cannot be used alone!

Even if your depression is caused by an imbalance in the chemical balance in the brain, there are other ways besides pills to restore this balance. It has been proven that even psychotherapy and various practices of working on oneself change the chemical balance in the head. That's it!

Moreover, although I cannot deny the need to use medications, it has been proven that psychotherapy and work on oneself have a much more lasting and lasting effect. That is, the pills will relieve the symptoms. But if you want to strengthen your “psychological immunity” and reduce the likelihood of recurrence of depressive episodes in the future, then you definitely need to exercise and work on yourself!

In order not to get a cold, you need to harden yourself, keep your body in good athletic shape, and not just drink all sorts of drugs. The same applies to depression. It is necessary to stabilize the emotional background, strengthen the nervous system and learn to look at things differently. This is my method.

This helped me not only get rid of depression and panic attacks, but to be sure that it would not happen again. And even if it happens again, I can handle it on my own. I will not depend on the arbitrariness of these attacks unknown to me and tremble at the mere thought that they will return, as they did before. Let them come back - I know what to do.

However, in some cases medications are necessary. They are needed simply to literally “put a person on his feet,” to help him start working on himself and undergo therapy. This is simply some kind of pharmacological support, but not the treatment itself. This needs to be understood. But if your case is severe, medication should not be neglected!

But you just don’t need to see this as a panacea and limit yourself only to drugs: pills are just your temporary assistant in the service of therapy. In addition to pills, it is imperative that you carry out activities to work with the psyche on your own or, better yet, under the supervision of a psychotherapist.

Getting rid of depression - starting to work on ourselves

I move on to the practical part of the article and a description of those tips that will help you get rid of depression and strengthen your mental immunity.

Eliminate negative ideas

There are some ideas that make it very difficult to cure attacks of mental blues. I’ll say right away that these ideas are false and need to be gotten rid of. Next I will dwell on each of these ideas.

Idea 1 - I feel depressed because I am such a person (nervous, sensitive, etc.), this is how I am built and I can’t do anything about it.

There is no more destructive misconception for personal development! You suffer from depression, not because you are who you are, but because you haven't done anything to change! Every person is capable, every personality has enormous potential for positive metamorphoses.

In order to stop experiencing depression, many people will have to work on themselves and even change their outlook on things. Be prepared for this. It's not that easy, but it's certainly possible. This is confirmed by my experience and the very fact of the existence of this site.

Idea 2 - I’m depressed because some circumstances of my life are to blame for this (I live in a bad country, I don’t have money to buy myself everything I want, I’m surrounded by idiots, I don’t have a girlfriend/boyfriend , my parents didn’t love me, etc.).

This is also a rather dangerous misconception. When you feel bad, you are overcome by despondency, your brain tries at all costs to find the reason for the current situation. The search for a reason precedes the determination of a way out of the current situation, so many people cling to these imaginary reasons as life preservers. This helps them realize that they know why they suffer and know how to stop this suffering.

This gives them a sense of control over the situation. They think: “If I change my job or place of residence, my depression will stop, I know what to do, now I’m suffering, but then, when I move to a new country, divorce my wife, buy myself a yacht, everything will be fine.” This is how hope appears. Therefore, depressed people are extremely reluctant to give up such ideas.

The brain begins with great diligence to sort through those circumstances that cause discomfort and subsume them as causes of depression. It can be difficult for us to abstract from our perception and understand that it’s all about this perception itself.

A negative view of things, negative emotions, constant resentment and despondency introduce an extremely strong distortion in our view of things. You can look at the world through rose-colored glasses, or you can observe it, on the contrary, looking through glasses with cloudy, gray lenses.

Depression makes things look different from what they are to ordinary, pure perception. We begin to pay attention to the bad sides of life, our shortcomings seem huge to us, our problems seem insurmountable, and our whole life is a series of meaningless suffering.

If you suffer from depression, your perceptions are illusory, erroneous and do not reflect the actual state of affairs. It's like you're under the influence of a drug! Don't believe this perception! We need to change it!

If you cannot be happy with what you have, then you cannot be happy under any circumstances! No matter where you go, no matter what kind of woman you find, no matter how much wealth you have, your negative perception will remain with you.

And you can’t escape from it by simply moving to another place! But if you change your perception, you may realize that the conditions in which you live are not so bad, your friends are not so terrible, and there seems to be something in life worth living for! Nothing in the world will change around you, just your views will change!

For example, there are still things in my life that I am not happy with and that I want to change (for example, working conditions, lack of my own living space). But these things no longer make me unhappy, because I myself have become different, although before it seemed to me that it was precisely because of these things that I felt bad.

When I try to convince people that the whole problem is in themselves, in their perception of life, I run into an insurmountable barrier. They begin to demonstrate a fierce reluctance to give up the idea that the causes of their depression are rooted in some external circumstances. After all, their hope is based on this idea, a false, groundless, illusory hope!

Of course, it is necessary to change in life what is not satisfactory in it. But, first of all, you need to start with yourself!

Idea 3 - Depression is exclusively a psychological illness.

This is wrong. Depression is also related to the condition of your body. Bad habits, fatigue, stress can lead to the appearance of this disease. And exactly the opposite: playing sports, keeping your body in good shape, and regular rest can help prevent depression.

Stop looking for the reasons for your unhappiness only in some lofty matters: in a feeling of existential emptiness, loss of Faith, etc. Also pay attention to how your body feels, whether it is healthy enough and whether it is getting all the vitamins it needs to function.

Practice meditation to find inner balance

Meditation helped me get out of the pool of despondency and pessimism, find joy and faith in myself. I forgot about depression and panic attacks a long time ago. Meditation calms and stabilizes the psyche, gives a good mood and relieves stress. Laboratory studies of meditation have shown that the practice of meditation affects the brain by increasing the activity of electrical alpha waves, the frequency at which the brain begins to work. This activity promotes a calm, relaxed state.

Regular meditation practice can help with depression, although it cannot be said to help everyone. Even if with their help you cannot completely get rid of this illness, then practice will help you endure these attacks more easily and somehow control them.

In my opinion, meditation is one of the most effective and safe means for getting rid of the blues, nervousness, anger and anxiety. Many people greatly underestimate the effect of this practice and are sure that it will not help them.

When I advise people who suffer and cannot understand themselves to start meditating, they respond to this advice with slight bewilderment. They don’t say it outright, but most likely they think this: maybe meditation will help me feel calmer, better control my emotions, but will it get rid of the things that make me unhappy? Will practice be able to attract the money that I so lack for happiness? Is it possible that with her help I can find the woman of my dreams, without whom I feel bad?

Many people think this way and, as a result, remain confident that meditation is not for them and it will not solve their problems. Thinking like that is a mistake. For these people, it is more important to maintain faith in their own prejudices, which they are accustomed to believe, than to try something else and try to help themselves in a different way. This train of thought is a consequence of having false idea No. 2 in my head, which I wrote about above.

You are most likely not unhappy because you live in a bad country and you don’t have enough money for the expensive car that your neighbor has. Happiness and unhappiness depend more on your internal state than on external circumstances, I wrote about this in my article.

Meditation is a great way to put your psychological and emotional state in order, to look at the world with a sober and unclouded look, and not through gray lenses.

When you remove the illusion glasses, your values ​​may undergo a change. These will no longer be the ideals on which you base your belief in getting rid of suffering. Now you may believe that without a huge bank account you will not be happy, but if you understand your desires well, gain a sense of inner comfort and a sense of independence, you will understand that the value of life lies in something completely different!

Through practice and self-discovery, you can realize that the deepest treasure of life lies in itself, in the very fact that you live and breathe, and not in the possession of certain things.

A bank account is also good, but this is not the main thing. You will achieve it someday if you try, but first you need to find happiness within yourself.

Meditation can change your perspective on things, teach you to notice the good sides of this life, see joy in little things, and through introspection and reflection, come to the realization of your true goals.

Practice taught me all this, and I hope it will teach you too. A feeling of inner comfort, satisfaction, optimism, and peace of mind is what regular practice leads to.

I'm sure it would be very difficult for depression to manifest itself in such a state of mind and feeling.

I started meditating in the hope that the practice would help me eliminate depression and panic attacks. But she gave me immeasurably more than just relief from despondency and anxiety! I realized my weaknesses and shortcomings, began to work on myself, strengthened my willpower, became more sociable and cheerful, and gained control over my desires and emotions.

Attention! Meditation does not have an immediate effect! Depression will not go away immediately! Only regular, long-term practice (preferably under the supervision of a psychotherapist) can help you!

Depression may worsen in the first weeks of practice. This is fine. Some antidepressants have a similar effect when a person first starts taking them. If the unpleasant effect does not go away for a long time with continued practice, meditate less or stop meditating altogether.

In order to get rid of depression with the help of meditation, it is not enough to just sit, meditate and wait for the depression to go away on its own. Meditation is not an end in itself, it is just a tool. I describe in the article how to properly use this tool to cope with depression without harming yourself. If you want to start meditating, This article is a must read for you!

Strengthen your body

The cause of depression may not only lie in the psychological aspects of your personality. Your mental state is highly dependent on your physical health. You are unlikely to get rid of despondency if you frequently drink alcohol, smoke, chronically lack sleep and lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Alcohol and other drugs (including antidepressants) provide only temporary relief, but in the long term they only make the situation worse and increase the chance of further development of depression. And .

Physical activity and sports exercises not only strengthen your body and increase physical tone, but also improve your mood, relieve fatigue and stress. Sport is a natural antidepressant. Sport increases the level of endorphins (“happy hormones”) in your brain, causing joy and euphoria.

This way to improve your mood does not have side effects such as depression, insomnia and decreased sexual function, like many antidepressants. A side effect of sports as a means of lifting your mood is a healthy body.

If you are not yet involved in sports, then start doing at least morning exercises and light jogging. If running is still difficult for you, take long walks in the fresh air. Notice how short exercise and walks improve your mood and overall well-being. Track this effect, feel it and remember it so that your brain associates the feeling of pleasure with useful activities, like sports.

I am sure that yoga classes are great for coping with mental blues, and they are also very beneficial for your body. Try it!

Lack of vitamins and junk food can also greatly affect your psychological state, so try to eat right: visit fast food less often, eat less junk, like sausages or chips.

Develop willpower

The key to successfully overcoming depression is strong willpower. Without willpower you can't. Instead of going for a run, you will be left grieving at home. Instead of regularly practicing meditation, you will choose an easier way: go to the doctor and ask him to prescribe you another pill.

Without willpower, you will not be able to pull yourself together and say to yourself: “Even though I feel bad and don’t want to do anything, I will still get out of bed, wipe this pained expression off my face and do what will help me get rid of depression forever.” !”

Depression is “fuelled” by your lack of will, weakness and laziness. Based on these qualities, she grows and strengthens by leaps and bounds! If you cannot say “no” to your weaknesses, if you cannot restrain yourself when you want to complain about life, if you cannot force yourself to forget about despondency when you need to work, then it will be difficult for you to eliminate depression.

When I began to actively fight depression (I did not make any active attempts to fight it for a long time), I discovered one remarkable property of willpower.

Sometimes I would lie and suffer from another attack of the blues: I didn’t want to do anything, I just wanted to whine and complain. At one point I realized what needed to be done. I realized that you can’t follow these desires, but you need to do the opposite! If you want to lie down and complain because of despondency, you need to get up and do something, for example, clean the house, do other things. If you want to complain about life to a friend or simply infect him with your despondency, then instead you need to stretch a smile on your face and say something good, pleasant!

It's not easy at first. A very strong resistance appears, as if you are walking against a wind of incredible strength, which blows your body in the direction opposite to the movement. But once this resistance is overcome, a wonderful relief appears, even some kind of triumph! A triumph of willpower! Fear and despondency are receding! You feel powerful and in control of the situation!

Willpower is one of the most effective tools that allows you to achieve great success in the fight against depression, panic attacks and other types of blues.

That is why the effect often goes away with the end of taking antidepressants - the disease returns again. Why shouldn’t it come back if you haven’t learned anything, if you haven’t increased your mental immunity, if you haven’t eliminated the very prerequisites for depression, but only fought the symptoms?

If you are weak, prone to anxiety and worry, and do not know how to control your feelings, then pills will not cure you! You will remain the same, and along with this there will be a risk of another blues.

Strengthen your nervous system, learn to relax

This can be attributed to physical health, but it’s better to write about it as a separate paragraph. Anxiety, nervousness, irritability - all these are prerequisites for depression. In addition to physical wellness procedures that strengthen the nervous system, learn to restrain and control nervousness.

Learn stress management and relaxation techniques.

Learn to control your emotions, take care of yourself

Negative emotions can also be a source of despondency. Anger, envy, irritation, hatred, pathological - all this poisons your personality, making it more susceptible to despondency. Learn to control yourself and free yourself from negative experiences.

Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself

Stop complaining about life! Stop telling your friends how unhappy you are - they have enough problems of their own. It only poisons your mood and sets you in a tone of self-pity. Try to focus on the positive aspects of life. There are people whose lives are much harder than yours. There are those who live in conditions of constant danger to life, deprivation and hunger.

I assure you that if you have enough food, water, you have housing and some kind of health, then this is practically all you need to be happy! Learn to be happy about what you have, and not be sad about what you don’t have!

Train to endure the blues and mental pain, do not identify yourself with this state. Act and behave as if he is not there, forget about him, do not pay attention to him, do not let him take over you. This state is simply a chain of chemical reactions that occur in your brain. And you have the power to control this condition.

If you cry and complain and constantly think about how unhappy you are because of depression, you will only make your illness worse. After all, depression is not only the state of your body, it is also all your experiences associated with it. The disease itself is not so scary when you begin to suffer because of it and pile your anxieties, unhappy thoughts and fears on top of it!

Even a common cold with fever goes away easier if you don’t get discouraged, don’t whine and wait for recovery. Think of depression as you would a cold. Be patient, this is just a temporary state of the brain. Things around are not so terrible, the situation is not so hopeless. Your illness makes you think that everything is bad - don’t give in to it!

Getting rid of depression - improving external living conditions

I have already written about how important it is to work on yourself and change your outlook on things in order to stop experiencing the blues. But our external conditions of existence can also affect your psychological state. True, these conditions are not as important as many of you are accustomed to think. It's what's inside that matters. And so that you don’t forget about this, I will remind you of this in each of the points that I will list below.

Create comfortable living conditions

If many people live in one small room, this can cause feelings of psychological discomfort. And it’s not even about the people themselves, but about their number. No matter how good the relationships in a team or family are, crowded conditions and lack of privacy can greatly spoil your mood and interfere with proper rest.

If you have the opportunity, move to a larger room, move from your parents to a separate apartment (or dacha). Even if this apartment is small and located far away, the housing will be more comfortable if you live, say, with one wife than with a wife and parents.

Probably, those of you who have problems with housing will now think to yourself: “Oh, that’s it! That's why I'm unhappy! No, that's not the only reason.

Even in the absence of comfortable housing, you can find your happiness! It's also about you. If you don’t yet have the opportunity to change your living circumstances, then work on yourself, develop your qualities, this will help you endure unfavorable life circumstances more steadfastly.

Even if you have your own living space, create coziness and comfortable conditions there. Clean up your house, get a pet if you don’t have one. Better a cat. Or better yet, two cats. Or a cat and a dog.

An animal won't make you happy right away, but a four-legged friend can help relieve stress, alleviate loneliness and improve your mood.

Find a suitable job

Don't like your job? Change it! Don't like working at all? Create your own business and organize it so that it doesn’t take up a lot of time and effort! Think about what you want from life. Maybe it's time to start moving towards something, and not sit and passively contemplate how year after year nothing changes, and all your dreams melt like ice in the sun?

If you find your life purpose and begin to move towards it, it will fill your life with meaning and give you the joy of existence. After all, some path will open for you, you will stop living without any goal! The lack of meaning in life and the collapse of hopes can provoke despondency.

What is stopping you from moving towards your dream? Most likely, only your internal limitations: laziness, fear and doubt. Start slowly realizing your wildest desires. Study, read, communicate with people, learn about all the opportunities that exist in this world.

Working 5/2 at a job you don’t like, as “everyone” supposedly does, is not the only life alternative. There are many other opportunities, you just need to learn about them and not sit back and wait for those opportunities to find you. Move and learn new things, explore different options, make plans.

But it's not just about work.

Even doing activities that do not bring you pleasure, you can find your happiness!

But still, you need to strive for the best! So start looking for new opportunities!

Update: Let me explain the above situation a little. Lack of purpose is not always one of the causes of depression. It's more of a consequence. Therefore, finding and finding purpose is not always a panacea against depression. It’s difficult when nothing makes you happy, nothing inspires you. A person subject to chronic despondency is not inspired by opportunities to somehow improve his life. Everything is equally bad for him.

To find your goal, you need to work on yourself, practice meditation, and achieve at least some kind of internal balance. There is no need to start by trying to find a stimulus when you feel bad and are not attracted to anything. Start with yourself. The goal and incentive are secondary.

Find the right life partner

Look for a way out of your loneliness. Find a suitable match for yourself. I cannot teach you how to look for a suitable partner, how to decide to meet someone - all this is the topic of separate articles. The only thing I can advise is to choose a person who will be strong, balanced, balanced and without unnecessary cockroaches in the head.

If you are a delicate, sensitive person, prone to emotions, then you should not date a person of the same character! Maybe he will be close to you in spirit, but you will not learn anything from him, just as he will not learn anything from you. His and your shortcomings will be developed within your union.

This is somewhat similar to incestuous marriages. When people who are related have offspring, they turn out weak and defective, since they inherit the weaknesses and defects of the father and mother. But people who are not relatives have a much higher chance of having healthy children.

Therefore, you do not need to choose a person with the same shortcomings as you as your partner. Your union will inherit your weaknesses and will be fragile and short-lived and will become a source of new suffering.

But don't forget that Even alone you can find your happiness!

Get out into nature more often

I recommend a calm, measured holiday for those who suffer from depression. It is better to relax in quiet places than to drown in the revelry of a noisy resort. If you simply try to distract yourself from depression through unbridled fun, parties and alcohol, it will not do any good, but only harm.

Learn to enjoy nature and peace, walk in parks and forests, go to the country. Stay alone with yourself more often, try to understand yourself, listen to yourself! Fresh air, peace and quiet work wonders!

But don’t forget that even in a noisy city you can be happy!

Concluding remarks

As you can see, a lot of work will have to be done. You won't get off with just pills. If you decide to take antidepressants, then combine them with other methods of therapy that I described above. Meditate every day, develop willpower, learn a positive outlook on things, play sports. I can’t imagine how you can get rid of depression without changing yourself!

Approximately 30% of the 70% of those who read this article to the end will listen to the advice and begin to implement my recommendations. The rest will become lazy, they will think that my advice is not suitable for them, because I do not know their grief, their deep existential troubles and, therefore, I cannot help them in any way, and meditation and yoga are generally some kind of shamanism.

Some of these people may even agree with me and think “yes, it’s all true what Nikolai writes.” But things will not go further than this tacit agreement, because what I advise requires patience and diligence. Agreeing with my provisions will not prevent someone from running to the doctor for pills, simply because it is easier than anything else and does not require effort.

5-10% of 30% will begin to methodically follow my advice, actively fight depression, play sports, yoga and meditation. The remaining 20% ​​go to a couple of workouts, try to meditate and immediately give it up, seeing that these remedies did not bring immediate relief and were difficult to achieve. Maybe they will turn to pills and alcohol or just continue to suffer.

These 5-10% of persistent and patient people will, after some time, feel that their condition has improved. Not only will their depression begin to go away, but they will see improvement in other areas of their lives. Volitional qualities will strengthen, communication with other people will become easier, the body will gain strength and health, and the mind will become calmer.

For some of these people, depression will go away forever, another part will learn to control and tolerate it, the symptoms will become less intense, the disorder will begin to appear less frequently, and the fear of new attacks will pass.

I gave this rough forecast not to rob you of hope. I did this to show that everything is in your hands, and not in the hands of the doctor who treats you, not in the hands of the person who writes encouraging articles, not in the hands of the pharmacists who develop your medications.

It depends on you whether you will suffer or defeat your sworn enemy - depression. Will you resist or just passively accept your fate? No one can help you until you want it yourself.

Neither I nor anyone else can force you to do anything, I can only guide and give advice, everything else is in your hands! Forward! Take action!

Attention! This article does not encourage you to refuse the help of a qualified specialist! Some people can get rid of it on their own, but not everyone. If you are experiencing strong symptoms of depression, I recommend that you do not delay and, as soon as possible, go to a good psychotherapist and a doctor who will not only prescribe medications (if necessary), but will also conduct therapy sessions with you!

In the modern world, most people, experiencing a painful state of melancholy, hopeless despair, and depression, ask the question: “How to get rid of depression?” Depression often occurs after a difficult life situation, after taking certain medications, or after physical illness.

Depression should be distinguished from a person’s physiological reaction (mild subdepressive state) to unpleasant experiences, life failures, and mental trauma.

Depression is characterized by mental, motor and emotional inhibition, in severe cases delusions of blame, in which the patient is allegedly blamed, condemned for poor work, as well as unethical behavior or self-deprecation and self-blame, in which the patient blames himself for poor work, dishonesty, misconduct and considers himself to blame for the death of the team and family. Hypochondriacal delirium is also classified as a depressive state, in which the patient feels that the internal organs have undergone changes that can lead to eternal torment and illness.

Severely depressed patients are treated in hospitals because sufferers are prone to suicide and self-harm. Treatment of depression includes the use of psychotropic and antidepressant drugs, psychotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy.

And you will learn how to get rid of depression on your own and not end up in a hospital for treatment by reading this article to the end.

Get rid of depression on your own

Initially, do not allow negative thoughts and ideas into your life that will destroy your personality.

Because you suffer from depression not because you are a sensitive person, but because you are not doing anything to change. Every personality can change; we have enormous potential for positive transformation. Of course, it is not so easy one day to reconsider your attitude towards life; for this you need to work on yourself and change your worldview on many things.

People often blame the circumstances that cause them to become depressed (we live in a bad country, no money, no job, no love, no girlfriend, my parents didn’t love me, I’m surrounded by bad people, I’m unlucky). This is a misconception, because in moments of despair the brain looks for the reasons for the situations that have arisen.

The search for an endless reason creates the illusion of getting out of depression. Many people think that moving to another country, city, buying a car or a new partner will solve the problem and get rid of depression on their own. This is how an idea arises and hope appears, which is why people who are depressed are reluctant to part with their thoughts that lead to these actions. Sufferers think they know how to stop it, but this is not the case.

The brain goes through with great diligence those circumstances that cause discomfort and falsely identifies the causes of the disease. It is very difficult for a person to abstract from his perception and realize that the reason lies precisely in perception.

A negative attitude towards many things, negative emotions, endless grievances, as well as despondency introduce a strong distortion in views. In simple words, this can be described as follows: a person turns his attention to the negative aspects of life, his shortcomings seem enormous, and his problems seem insurmountable, and life appears in the form of meaningless suffering. When depressed, perception is illusory and therefore erroneously reflects the state of many things. This state can be compared to the effect of a drug that cannot be trusted. This feeling urgently needs to be changed.

If it is difficult for you to be happy with what you have, and you do not experience a state of happiness under any circumstances, then no matter what woman (man) you find and no matter where you go, and no matter how much money you have, however, a negative perception everything around will remain with you. And it is impossible to escape from this state by moving to another place. But if you change your perception, you can understand that the conditions in which you live are not so bad, and your friends are not so terrible, and there is everything in life that is worth living for. You won't change the world, you will change your views on it. Of course, there will be things in life that you are not happy with and that you want to change (lack of living space, working conditions and pay), but these circumstances will not make you unhappy.

By changing your attitude towards these things, you will become different, and you will not feel so bad. People often do not want to understand that the problem often lies in them, in the perception of this world, and not in the fact that they cannot achieve something. However, they still do not stop blaming external circumstances for their mental problems. Of course, it’s worth changing what you’re not happy with in life, but first, what’s worth changing is yourself.

Depression is classified as a psychological disease, but there are many reasons that provoke it. Are you still interested in how to get rid of depression? Give up bad habits, don’t let your body get tired, avoid stress, play sports, include vitamins in your diet, keep your body in shape and rest regularly. This is something that will help you get rid of depression on your own.

To find inner peace and balance, as well as to get rid of depression on your own, meditation will help. Meditation eliminates the pool of despondency and pessimism, helps to gain self-confidence and joy. Meditative practices calm and stabilize the psyche, restore good mood and relieve stress. Studies of meditation have shown that its effects go directly to the brain, due to the activity of electrical alpha waves. The person becomes calm and easily achieves a relaxed state.

Regular meditation practice helps everyone cope with depressive attacks more easily or makes it possible to get rid of depression forever. Meditation, being one of the safest and most effective means, helps to get rid of not only depression, but also nervousness, blues, anger and anxiety.

How to get rid of anxiety and depression

Most people are pessimistic or ironic about meditation, convincing themselves that it will not help them solve their problems. For example, attract money or a loved one. It is easier to remain in your faith than to learn something new that will help you get rid of depression on your own. Meditation is an excellent way to bring your psychological and emotional state back to normal and look at the world with a sober look. Practices of self-knowledge make it possible to realize that life itself is a treasure, and the value in it itself, in the fact that a person lives and breathes, but not at all in the possession of goods or things.

It is possible to get rid of depression on your own after you find happiness within yourself. This is achieved through meditation. A person changes his view of many things, learns to notice the good sides and enjoys the little things. Introspection and reflection lead to a person’s awareness of his true goals.

Regular practice leads to a feeling of inner comfort, gives satisfaction, gives optimism, adds confidence and gives peace of mind. However, you need a system in your studies to achieve success in getting rid of depression.

Physically strengthening your body will also help you get rid of depression on your own, since your mental state depends on your physical health. Dejection will not leave you if alcohol, smoking, chronic lack of sleep, or a sedentary lifestyle are present in your life. Physical activity, as well as sports exercises, strengthen your body, improve physical tone, improve your mood and relieve stress. Sport is a natural antidepressant that increases the level of endorphins in the brain - happiness hormones, causing euphoria and joy. Track how exercise affects you and improves your mood. Remember this, fix it in your brain. Yoga classes are also great for helping to overcome mental blues. But a lack of vitamins and poor nutrition will greatly undermine your health and psychological state. Develop the willpower that will lead you to exercise. Lack of willpower leaves us at home grieving on the couch, and laziness does not allow us to meditate and pushes us to see a doctor for more pills. Without willpower it is impossible to tell yourself to stop, now I will get up and not suffer anymore, but will do everything possible to get rid of depression on my own. Depression is charged from lack of will, laziness and weakness. If you are weak-willed in the face of your weaknesses, if you continue to complain about life, are depressed when you need to work on yourself, then it will be difficult for you to get rid of depression on your own.

Experts advise not to follow your desires, but to do the opposite. If you want to lie down, get up; if you feel lazy, start cleaning, come up with a useful activity.

If you need to complain about life and infect a friend with despondency, say something pleasant. This is difficult, as if you are going against the flow, but once you overcome it, you will feel relief, and most importantly, you will understand that you are in control of the situation and you can get rid of this condition yourself. Willpower allows you to achieve success in many areas of life and, most importantly, get rid of depression on your own.

Antidepressants, unfortunately, do not contribute to the development of willpower; they only improve the condition without making any effort. Pills weaken the ability to independently fight depression. Therefore, increase your mental immunity, develop willpower.

You can get rid of depression on your own only after you strengthen your nervous system and learn to relax. Because nervousness, anxiety, and irritability lead to depression. It is very important to learn to restrain nervousness and control your emotions: envy, anger, hatred, irritation, jealousy. These emotions poison the personality, making it subject to despondency.

It is possible to get rid of depression on your own as soon as you stop complaining and also feeling sorry for yourself, since whining poisons life. Focus on the positive aspects of life and control the blues as well as heartache. It's in your power.

Improved living conditions, as well as proper rest in your own separate, comfortable home, without parents, will help you get rid of depression on your own. Even if you do not yet have the opportunity to purchase your own home, this does not mean that you have to be unhappy. Continue to work on yourself to endure life's unfavorable circumstances with dignity. Create comfort in your living space, put things in order, get a pet.

Doing your favorite job can help you get rid of depression on your own. If you don’t like your job, then change it or create your own business that brings you income and doesn’t take a lot of effort. Decide what you want from life. Perhaps the time has come not to sit passively, watching your gray life year after year without changes, but to set a goal and move towards it. A skillfully set goal will not only help you get rid of depression on your own, but will also bring meaning to your life. Lack of meaning in life leads to despondency. Start realizing your bold dreams and drive away fear, laziness, and doubts. Learn, develop, read, communicate with people and learn new things every day. Make plans, strive for the best and look for new opportunities. Before you can find your purpose, you must achieve inner balance and you must have a strong desire to change.

A worthy life partner can help you get rid of depression on your own. You don't have to be alone, looking for a suitable match. Your companion should be strong, self-confident, balanced. Choose a person with opposite qualities to you as a mate. However, remember that you can also find your happiness in solitude.

Nature will help you get rid of depression on your own. Allow yourself to be in nature more often, choose quiet places. Fun, parties, and alcohol will not do any good. Enjoy nature as well as peace by walking in forests and parks.

It is possible to get rid of depression on your own if you change yourself. Patience and diligence will bring the desired result. Resist, don't be passive.

How to get rid of anxious depression

Anxiety depression is not the last among mental illnesses. Many patients are concerned about the question: “How to get rid of anxiety and depression?” Anxious depression is characterized by the following symptoms: suspiciousness, restlessness, anxiety, anticipation of bad news and events, hypochondria, poor sleep, loss of concentration. Exacerbation adds dry mouth, as well as abdominal discomfort.

To accurately establish a diagnosis, an anxiety and depression scale is used.

How to get rid of anxious depression on your own? This presents a certain difficulty, since it can be done by a qualified specialist who will prescribe antidepressants, tranquilizers, herbal medicine, as well as special psychotherapeutic methods. Most specialists in the treatment of anxiety depression focus on cognitive behavioral therapy. The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is to change the negative thinking of the patient to positive, but then getting rid of anxiety and depression comes from the desire of the patient.

How to get rid of anxiety and depression on your own? We begin to think positively and also make efforts for this. To get rid of anxiety and depression, you need to increase your knowledge of the basics of psychology, which helps you manage yourself. A person must clearly understand that he cannot influence events, but he can change his attitude towards this.

Ways to get rid of depression

There are many ways to get rid of depression, but three approaches are the most effective: psychodynamic psychotherapy, behavioral psychotherapy, and cognitive psychotherapy. Biological treatment, consisting of drug as well as non-drug treatment, is also effective.

Ways to get rid of depression include additional family counseling as well as group psychotherapy.

Depression and emotional overload have become an integral part of our lives. The psychological discomfort that stress brings us often leads to depression, chronic fatigue and often leads to the development of serious diseases.

Depression is a mental condition involving mood disorders that cause a person to feel low. Depression is characterized by various symptoms, both physiological and mental, which can have varying degrees of severity.

Depression

Unfortunately, this concept has become firmly entrenched in our lives. The name of the disease is derived from the Latin word deprimo, which means “to crush”, “to crush”. Depression is becoming the scourge of our time. Too many stress factors in our lives affect a person, which sometimes leads him to a state where melancholy, apathy and detachment set in, he doesn’t want to communicate, nothing brings joy and pleasure, sleep and appetite are disturbed. Many people explain this condition by accumulated fatigue, a busy pace of life, stress, and believe that to eliminate the symptoms it is enough to simply rest. And this really often helps at the beginning of the process.

But we must remember that such symptoms cannot be neglected if they are observed for two weeks or longer, otherwise, as the condition progresses, a severe neuropsychic illness may develop - deep depression. It will no longer be possible to cope with it at home.

Officially, according to statistics, depression occurs in 15% of women and 10% of men, but most often, even in moderate severity, people do not consult a doctor with this symptom. Although if you conduct a survey, you will rarely meet someone who has not experienced this condition.

The sooner you take action, the sooner you will cope with depressive moods, preventing the disease from developing. And traditional medicine has plenty of means for this.

Depression is a disease of the soul. It most often affects older people and women between 30 and 40 years of age. Depression usually manifests itself as states of deep depression. Signs of depression can appear in people of different ages and status. People strive for social status, want to be successful, respectable. If they experience failures and fail to achieve their goals, a person may fall into despair, experience failures hard, and as a result depression develops.

Severe psychological trauma can also lead to depression - the loss of a loved one, family breakdown, serious illness. Such shocks can cause various psychological disorders, but they have one physiological reason - a lack of endorphin in the body. This hormone is responsible for good mood, a sense of comfort and quality of life.

According to the latest research, depressive states can be caused by metabolic or hormonal disorders, deposits of heavy metals in the brain, as well as the influence of radiation (terrestrial, technical, cosmic).

But if you're just in a bad mood, don't rush to diagnose yourself with depression. Depression is not just a bad mood, but a whole series of negative emotional states that last more than two weeks: bad mood, melancholy and despair; lack of interest and pleasure in familiar things; anxiety and irritation, perhaps a feeling of guilt, a pessimistic view of the future, self-doubt, apathy, isolation, insomnia, changes in appetite, etc.

What happens in the body during depression?

What is this strange disease or condition - depression? What happens in the body? Why do headaches appear along with mood changes?

In fact, depression is a way of protecting the brain from overstimulation, a kind of response of the body to stress. But a negative state of mind deprives a person of initiative, and he simply does not have the strength to eliminate the causes of depression. The circle closes, the disease has to be seriously treated, without the help of strangers the patient cannot cope with the disease that paralyzes the will. The state of internal discomfort is often accompanied by a throbbing headache.

Changes in the brain.

The function of several brain neurotransmitters and their receptors is known to change during depression.

Previously, most researchers focused their attention on serotonin and norepinephrine. There was even a hypothesis that depression is a consequence of insufficient activity of these substances. It is now recognized that this assumption is very simplistic and that many other neurotransmitters are likely to be involved in the development of depression.

Who suffers from depression?

At any given period of time, approximately 10-15% of the population of any country suffers from moderate depression, and 2-3% suffer from a severe form of this condition. Each year, about 10% of the population experiences depressive disorder, although most cases remain undiagnosed.

Depression usually develops around the age of 30, and women suffer twice as often as men. Other important factors that contribute to the development of depression include living in large cities, poverty, poor education and loneliness.

Another group of people with an increased predisposition to depression are young mothers. In the first six weeks after childbirth, about 10-15% of women become depressed and require medical attention.

Causes of depression

This condition can develop gradually, under the influence of chronic stress, then it is easier to stop it in time, but it can also occur suddenly, with a strong shock: the loss of a loved one, unexpected dismissal from a favorite job, serious illness, breakup of family relationships, financial collapse , major failure in the professional sphere, etc.

Psychological causes of depression, in addition to stress, can be unforgotten childhood fears and experiences and psychological trauma. Atherosclerosis of blood vessels impairs blood supply to the brain, which is why signs of depression appear more often in the elderly. Depression is one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism, various forms of anemia, infectious diseases, a consequence of hormonal changes in the body after childbirth or as a result of menopause. Symptoms of depression also appear during long-term use of painkillers, drugs for the treatment of heart disease and hypertension.

The dark season also provokes depression - due to a lack of ultraviolet radiation and simply bright light.

Psychiatrists have tried many times to develop criteria that distinguish explainable bouts of depression that are caused by external factors, such as traumatic life events (reactive, or neurotic, depression), from those that occur spontaneously and are more dependent on the internal state of a particular person (endogenous depression). Although the idea of ​​classifying depression on this basis seems quite tempting, initial assumptions that reactive depression is less severe and forms a separate type of illness are not always confirmed.

There is reason to believe that in each individual case the development of depression is due to a certain combination of various internal and external factors.

Genetic factors play an important role (especially in the case of bipolar disorder), as well as hormonal changes such as increased cortisol levels and thyroid dysfunction.

Adverse events, especially those associated with the loss of loved ones or serious illness, can also serve as a trigger for an attack of depression. A person’s internal vulnerability to such events may increase under the influence of certain life circumstances. This could be, for example, a bad relationship between parents or their divorce, which a person saw in childhood, lack of work, poverty or low self-esteem.

Many factors that increase a person's vulnerability to depression include insufficient social support and an inability to maintain close relationships with others.

What is depression like?

Attacks of depression may be single or recurrent (with intermediate periods of normal mood).

In both of these cases we are talking about unipolar depression, since the change in mood occurs in only one direction. Some people, however, suffer from depression as part of a manic-depressive disorder; This type of illness is called bipolar affective disorder. It is characterized by alternating manic episodes and periods of depression. Although most of the symptoms of unipolar depression are also seen in bipolar depression, it is believed that there are certain differences between these diseases.

Classification of depression.

In addition to differentiating between unipolar and bipolar depression, the classification of this disease is based on its severity, the presence or absence of relapses and psychotic symptoms. Very rarely, depression occurs in such a severe form that a person loses his sense of reality and suffers from delusions and hallucinations.

Mild depression.

Anxiety, fear and obsessions are especially common in patients suffering from mild depression. In fact, mild depression is not just a less severe form of the disease, as its name suggests, but a completely special type of condition. Its other hallmarks are a tendency to develop initial insomnia (difficulty falling asleep followed by too much morning sleep), increased appetite and the presence of some somatic manifestations. The pattern of mood changes during the day may vary among patients, typically worsening in the evening.

Psychotic depression.

Timely identification of symptoms of psychotic depression is extremely important, since it is a very severe form of the disease in which a person begins to lose his sense of reality. Symptoms of this type of depression are usually related to the patient's mood: delusions, often associated with illness, death, punishment, guilt, or persecution; less often - hallucinations, usually auditory. The latter are usually extremely unpleasant and alarming - for example, the patient hears a voice that accuses him of something, calls for suicide, or confirms a person’s low self-esteem.

A common symptom of mild and psychotic depression is insomnia. Chronic lack of sleep can lead to worsening symptoms of chronic fatigue.

Symptoms of depression.

Before starting medical care, it is necessary to find out what form of depression the patient is suffering from, and only then try to get rid of it. Depending on the type of disease, you can choose the appropriate treatment method.

Diagnosing depression seems at first glance to be a very simple task, but in practice, making a diagnosis can cause significant difficulties.

The main symptoms of depression are a persistent depressed mood, anhedonia (loss of pleasure from previously enjoyable activities), and loss of interest and motivation in life. Depression also causes noticeable changes in physical functioning, thinking and behavior.

It is important to distinguish between depression and ordinary sadness, which is a normal reaction in response to bad news or serious life challenges, such as the loss of loved ones or a serious illness. To confirm the diagnosis of depression, in addition to depression, other characteristic symptoms of this disorder must also be observed to varying degrees. The severity and duration of periods of depression are also of great importance in the diagnosis of depression.

General stress or anxiety often leaves a person in a bad mood. However, this does not automatically mean depression.

Often accompanying signs of depression are digestive difficulties, diarrhea or constipation, breathing complications, palpitations, and poor circulation.

Somatic manifestations.

Somatic and somatovegetative disorders are especially pronounced during severe depression.

These include: sleep disturbances, usually accompanied by early awakening, loss of appetite, weight loss, decreased sex drive, constant fatigue, headaches and muscle pain, as well as psychomotor disorders - slowness of movements, speech, thoughts or, in rare cases, agitation (excitement). ).

The mood is often depressed in the morning and rises during the day. With very severe, life-threatening depression, a person completely refuses to eat or even drink.

Mental manifestations.

People with depression have difficulty envisioning the future and often suffer from intrusive thoughts of suicide or self-harm.

Difficulty concentrating and memory impairment may occur; in some cases, especially in older people, these disorders are so severe that depression can hardly be distinguished from senile dementia. Other symptoms of depression include irrational fear, anxiety, phobias, obsessions, irritability, agitation, and dysphoria.

Behavioral symptoms.

Depression reduces a person's ability to function normally in daily life, both socially and at work. A person may begin to avoid leaving the house, isolate himself, and neglect himself. People suffering from severe depression can be easily recognized by their facial expressions and the way they move.

Depression should be distinguished from the coping reaction (the psychological response to life events such as layoffs, divorce, or moving), which often results in a person experiencing mixed feelings of anxiety and depression. However, none of these signs are severe enough to warrant a clear diagnosis of anxiety disorder or depression. In addition, there is no adaptive reaction! somatic manifestations accompanying depression.

Personality disorder.

Borderline personality disorder is a type of mental disorder characterized by

throughout life, inappropriate patterns of behavior, relationships and knowledge that cause suffering to the patient himself or others.

Its hallmark is emotional instability. People with borderline personality disorder typically complain of a lack of joy in life and also experience depression and suicidal thoughts.

It is very difficult to distinguish a person whose bad mood is a consequence of abnormal personal qualities from a patient suffering from fanatic disorder, which is superimposed by depression. In fact, even attempting to make such a distinction would only oversimplify an extremely complex issue. In practice, a person who meets the criteria for borderline personality disorder and is clearly depressed is prescribed antidepressants.

Perhaps some other disease has symptoms very similar to depression.

Other disorders that are clinically very difficult to distinguish from depression include: generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, chronic schizophrenia (the main symptom of this disease is the smoothing and dulling of emotions), hormonal disorders (Cushing's syndrome and underactive thyroid gland), cancer , malnutrition and post-viral asthenia syndrome.

Symptoms of depression should be distinguished from manifestations that may be a consequence of thyroid dysfunction.

How to avoid depression?

Depression is a mental illness. It dictates behavior, paints the world black, and deprives you of the desire to live. This is why psychological support and prevention methods are so important in the fight against depression. This could be just a conversation with a psychologist, the beginning of any activity, even the simplest housework, communication with nature, with animals, with art - everything that can awaken love and joy. The road out of depression is not easy. Let's talk a little about what can really help get rid of it.

What causes depression? What distorted attitudes of life allow consciousness to fall into this terrible state? Knowing the causes will help many people avoid the disease.

In order not to have to treat depression, as well as to prevent it, it is important to realize that an adult does not need to work beyond his strength to be respected by his superiors, this is just a consequence of the psychological transfer of a child’s way of earning the love of his parents.

It is necessary to learn to refuse a task if it is obvious that there is not enough strength to complete it.

As a defense against this illness, you need to have a source of joy in life that will keep you from heavy thoughts and bring you out of a state of melancholy.

Get a pet at home, but one that you love. Some people are closer to cats, some to dogs, and some to fish. Do handicrafts, grow flowers, or any hobby. In other words - animal therapy, art therapy, nature therapy - and the like.

Do yoga, jogging—any physical activity that releases endorphins. And your mood will be high. All this will create protection against depression.

Learn to breathe with a smile!

A smile, even a mechanical one, can fight depression. It has been noted that even simply raising the corners of the mouth has the effect of relieving depression. Well, when a smile comes from within, then complete harmony comes in the soul.

A breathing exercise with a smile looks like this:

1) close your eyes, imagine a flower of amazing beauty and aroma, rejoice and smile at it;

2) inhale this aroma deeply, filling your breath with an involuntarily arising smile of bliss. Hold this smile and feelings within yourself;

3) now exhale and direct the smiling flow first to the heart, then to the head, then through all the vessels, then to the thyroid gland, because they are the first to suffer under any stress;

4) with each inhalation, try to make your smile widen, and with each exhalation, imagine how all the unsmiling particles leave the organs, cleansing them and filling them with energy, making them smile back;

5) open your eyes and try to maintain the state of smiling for as long as possible.

Perform this breathing every morning and evening for 10 minutes - and you will not be afraid of depression, and your sleep will be healthy and sound.”

We have already talked about the benefits of breathing exercises for the nerves. You can use all the remedies against depression that are recommended for neuroses: gymnastics, massage, acupressure, water treatments, spa treatments - all this is an excellent counteract to depression. Just support your nervous system and everything will be fine!

Treatment of depression

During periods of depression, you need to consult a specialist, but you should not get too carried away with various antidepressants.

You can only get rid of depression through comprehensive measures: lead a healthy lifestyle, find new interests, and stop watching heavy movies.

All types of water procedures are very effective: shower, sauna, bath, dousing and wiping with cold water. Before going to bed, it is advisable to take warm baths, adding pine needle extract or essential oils to the water. Acupuncture, massage (including acupressure), aromatherapy using tonic essential oils, soothing and tonic herbs, and some foods help relieve depression. There are many folk methods of combating depression, and we will talk about some in more detail.

The first and most important step in helping patients with depression is to assess the severity of the illness and the patient's risks for self-neglect and suicidal thoughts.

Most people with depression are treated with antidepressants under the supervision of their GP. However, in some cases, specialized mental health care, including psychotherapy and behavioral therapy, may be needed to overcome depression.

Referral to a psychiatrist is necessary when there is uncertainty about the severity of the illness, poor response to commonly used medications, or recurrent episodes of depression.

It is very important for the doctor to collect information about all sudden improvements in mood, as well as attacks of depression. All predisposing factors, as well as the mechanisms and events that cause, intensify and maintain this disease should also be taken into account. All this helps determine the correct treatment path to prevent worsening of the condition and subsequent relapses.

Drug treatment

In recent years, in the history of the development of medical science, a step forward has been made in understanding the essence of depression. New antidepressant medications have been developed, the effectiveness of which has been documented. Antidepressants are a specific, unique group of drugs. They are not tranquilizers, although they are often unduly classified in the same category as Valium or Librium, that is, mild tranquilizers. Antidepressants differ in their chemical composition and purpose from tranquilizers. Antidepressant medications do not contain narcotic drugs and are not addictive. Antidepressants are not “overstimulants” or “happy pills.” But they relieve emotional pain and relieve many of the biological symptoms of depression, such as sleep disturbances and anhedonia.

Some people are categorically against antidepressants. There is a belief that you can't rely on a chemical product when it comes to emotional pain. Alcohol and some tranquilizers provide temporary relief, euphoria, or decreased sensitivity. This takes a person away from everyday difficulties for a short time. However, when a little later the effect of the glass or pill disappears, you are back to square one. With medications - antidepressants, the situation is different. Treatment with antidepressants produces lasting changes, returning your brain to a state of natural and normal functioning.

Although different types of antidepressants have different mechanisms of action on the brain, their overall effect is the same: they balance the functioning of neurotransmitters in the human brain, restoring harmony in its functioning. Antidepressants do not work quickly. In most cases, ten to twenty days pass before the patient's condition shows some improvement. This is precisely the period necessary to begin to restore the biological function of the brain. Patience and perseverance are required during this time.

Antidepressants are used to treat attacks of depression of all levels of severity. In general, the effectiveness of these drugs is quite high (60-70%). Taking antidepressants for 6 months after the first episode of depression is cured can significantly reduce the risk of relapse.

The most commonly used medications are those belonging to the group of tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (the latter group includes, for example, fluoxetine). These drugs are thought to exert their pharmacological effects by affecting the synthesis of neurotransmitters and their receptors, although the exact mechanism of their action is still unclear.

Tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have side effects, but neither usually causes discomfort or intolerance. It is very important that the patient knows that although side effects may be felt soon after starting treatment, the clinical effect of the drug does not appear until much later (2-6 weeks), so some persistence is required when taking it.

Combined treatment

Antidepressants can be used to treat depression either alone or in combination with other medications: either with other antidepressants or with other types of medications.

An example of a combination treatment for depression is the use of lithium to enhance the effects of antidepressants. This type of therapy can be used to treat depression that does not respond to treatment with antidepressants alone. Lithium can be used for long-term treatment to prevent relapse in unipolar depression and to prevent both depression and mania in bipolar disorder.

Patients suffering from recurrent attacks (especially if they have a family history of severe depression or the disease develops at an early age) are indicated for long-term preventive treatment to reduce the risk of subsequent relapse.

Medicines belonging to the group of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are widely used to treat depression. One of the most famous drugs in this group is fluoxetine.

Other types of therapy, cognitive therapy

In some cases, especially with a mild form of the disease, psychological counseling may be enough to overcome depression without the need for psychotherapy or medications.

The use of psychotherapy in the treatment of depression has a significant positive effect. The most studied method of this type is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This type of therapy was originally used to treat depression only, but over time it has found wider use.

In the short term, cognitive therapy is as effective as medication for treating depression. Moreover, it may be even more effective as a preventive measure for relapse of the disease. In practice, it is often used in combination with drug treatment.

It is important to emphasize that you can use cognitive therapy methods for treating depression completely independently at home - this will not reduce their effect at all.

Read more in our special material.

Treatment of severe forms of depression

Electroconvulsive (electroconvulsive) therapy is used to treat the most severe forms of depression, especially when emergency treatment is required (for example, if the person refuses to drink or eat) or medications do not work or cannot be used.

In the case of psychotic depression, antipsychotic drugs can be used in the same doses as in the treatment of other psychotic diseases (for example, schizophrenia).

Herbs can help you get rid of depression

Herbal infusions and tinctures are the most common folk remedies for depression. There are herbs in nature with very strong antidepressant properties. The most famous of them are St. John's wort, passionflower, and Chinese lemongrass, but there are others.

Many synthetic drugs are created as chemical imitation of the active substances of these herbs.

Therefore, before rushing to medications at the first signs of a decadent mood, you should turn to Mother Nature for help. We will now tell you about the herbs that traditional medicine uses with great success to get rid of depression.

St. John's wort

The people gave this plant the terrible name “St. John’s wort”. Indeed, some animals that ate this grass often got sick and died. But not all, but mostly albinos. It turned out that the cause of this phenomenon was a substance - hypericin, contained in St. John's wort. It increases the sensitivity of the white, non-pigmented areas of animal skin to sunlight. It is especially dangerous for countries where the sun's rays are especially aggressive.

But thanks to hypericin, St. John's wort affects the level of serotonin in the central nervous system, which is responsible for a good mood. At the beginning of its use, patients experience a slight calming effect, which then leads to improved mood and inner comfort.

In Rus', St. John's wort has been called a herb for a hundred diseases since ancient times; this plant was included in almost all herbs.

St. John's wort has many healing properties for somatic diseases, but later scientists discovered and confirmed through research that this plant can also treat mental illnesses. It is a powerful natural antidepressant.

Research has determined that the effects of St. John's wort extract were comparable to those of the antidepressants imipramine and amitriptyline, and there were far fewer side effects.

It was found that those who used St. John's wort experienced a 63% reduction in depression, while those who used a conventional antidepressant experienced a 58% reduction in depression.

Nowadays, most doctors believe that St. John's robes should not be used for severe depression, but studies refute this opinion.

When patients with severe forms of depression were given high doses of St. John's wort, it had the same effect as standard antidepressants.

The patients were divided into two groups: one group received approximately double the dose of St. John's wort, and the other received a high dose of the antidepressant Elavil. As a result, both drugs gave the same effect, only in the group where St. John's wort was taken, there were no side effects. However, the results were not widely published.

Regular use of St. John's wort relieves feelings of anxiety, fear, irritability, loneliness, and fatigue.

In addition, St. John's wort has a general strengthening, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anthelmintic, diuretic, and antispasmodic effect.

St. John's wort also improves lipid (fat) metabolism and serves as an excellent antioxidant, and therefore is indicated for the prevention of atherosclerosis, coronary heart and brain disease, heart attack and stroke, hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

Apart from increased sensitivity to sunlight, there are no known side effects of this plant. Even with long-term use, St. John's wort is well tolerated.

St. John's wort infusion recipe:

Parts of the plant such as leaves and flowers are used for cooking. It is necessary to pour 1 teaspoon of dried flowers and St. John's wort herb with boiling water in a volume of 200 ml and let it brew for 10 minutes. It is necessary to drink healing tea 2-3 times a day for several months. For each dose, you should brew a fresh portion. The manifestation of the effect begins approximately a month after the start of taking the herbal decoction.

But remember that the plant is strong and you must strictly and accurately follow the dosage and time of taking this natural cure for depression.

St. John's wort tea: pour 2 teaspoons of the herb into 1/4 liter of water and heat to a boil. After a few minutes, strain. You should drink 2-3 cups of tea a day.

Treatment with this tea should be carried out systematically over several weeks.

St. John's wort tincture: 10 g of dried herb is poured with 50 g of 70% alcohol and infused for 10 days. After pressing, the tincture is ready for use.

Infusions and solutions using this plant have contraindications and require maximum caution when taken, so it is better to consult a doctor.

St. John's wort should not be used in combination with synthetic antidepressants, otherwise you may get the opposite effect.

Chinese lemongrass.

Another powerful herb for depression is Schisandra chinensis.

Chinese lemongrass copes well with emotions, torments of the soul, uncertainty, and also improves the mood of life.

Pharmacies sell an alcoholic tincture of schisandra berries, which is recommended for use in case of decreased performance, loss of strength, lethargic mood and other depressive disorders. The dosage is 20-30 drops 2 times a day. In especially severe cases, with very high workloads, increased emotionality, the permissible rate can be increased to 40 drops at a time.

"Dimkov's Cap."

This method of treating depression was proposed by the Bulgarian healer Peter Dimkov (Dynov), and this recipe is popularly known as “Dimkov’s caps.”

“Cap” has anti-stress properties, normalizes the functioning of the autonomic nervous system and metabolism, and is used for vegetative-vascular dystonia, palpitations, stress, neuroses, and depression.

The compress recipe is as follows: take 1-1.5 kg of raw potatoes, wash them, peel them and grate them on a fine grater, you can grind them in a blender or through a meat grinder. Add 50-75 g of raw milk to the resulting mass and leave for 30 minutes. After this, squeeze out the mass a little and apply a 1 cm layer on cotton fabric, and then wrap your head. A fur hat is put on top, with the fur turned inside out, which can be tied with a woolen scarf.

The “cap” is done 1-1.5 hours before bedtime. You need to do 10 such procedures, every other day. Subsequently, depending on how you feel. The “cap” can also be used to prevent the above diseases. In this case, a 4-time cycle of procedures is recommended, each course of which is carried out during the off-season. If desired, treatment can be carried out monthly.

How the product works is anyone's guess. The point here is in the psychological mood, but also in the fact that for some time the head appears to be isolated from the outside world and heavy thoughts.

Dimkov's cap is a remedy that allows you to relieve stress, normalize heart rate and even save a person from causeless melancholy and neuroses.

Why potatoes? Because potatoes are generally unique. If you apply the paste to the sore spot during swelling, the swelling goes away. Potato starch for diarrhea acts instantly and reliably. The chemistry of the action is, of course, unknown, but the effectiveness is unambiguous.

Passionflower, or passion flower.

There is such a healing plant - passionflower, which is popularly called passion flower. And all because he is able to return passion to a person - the ability to feel, rejoice, love. In a state of depression, a person’s feelings become dulled; it is as if he is in a shell of inaction and insensibility. And this amazing herb frees you from such a shell, returning the colors of emotional experiences, the ability to rejoice and feel happiness.

In the ranking of sedatives, passionflower takes only third place, since it does not have a very pronounced effect, but it perfectly helps to cope with the feeling of increasing anxiety. Anxiety is usually treated with medicinal antidepressants, but passionflower can treat this problem just as well, if not better.

Although the chemical composition of medicinal raw materials has not yet been fully studied, the healing properties of the plant were noticed and appreciated in ancient times. The Incas, for example, brewed a soothing tea from it. Ready-made passionflower preparations are very popular in Latin America, the USA and Western Europe. The antidepressant properties of this plant are primarily used. Passionflower preparations are included in many pharmacopoeias around the world as a natural tranquilizer.

The plant is used in the form of infusions, decoctions, teas, alcoholic extracts, biologically active food additives, and even in the form of soothing chewing gums. Passionflower is included in tinctures and preparations for the nervous system: against neuroses and depression. It has a therapeutic effect in cases of nervous disorders, and especially in cases of excitement and exhaustion. It is also an effective anticonvulsant.

Unfortunately, it is not very easy to find the plant itself or an extract from it in pharmacies. More often it is found with chemical additives, which, perhaps, increases the strength of the effect, but reduces safety.

It is problematic to buy this plant in pharmacies in its pure form, but if possible, then prepare the medicine as follows: pour 1 teaspoon of herbal mixture into 200 ml of boiling water. After 10 minutes of infusion, the solution must be filtered and can be consumed.

Passionflower is contraindicated for angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis of the blood vessels of the brain and heart. The effectiveness of passionflower tincture depends on its quantity. Doses should be selected individually, depending on the degree of nervous disorder.

Myrtle.

If you begin to feel a feeling of melancholy and loneliness, if you feel depressed, then try taking a bath with myrtle leaves and flowers. You can also add flowers to tea, and rub the myrrh leaves with your hands.

It is useful to inhale the smell of myrtle; it not only perfectly balances the psyche, but also enlightens the consciousness and improves performance.

To calm your nerves, try pouring dried myrtle into small bags and hanging several of them in your bedroom, car, or wherever you work.

Myrtle bath recipe. Mix 3-5 drops of myrrh essential oil with 1 tbsp. spoon of sea salt, yogurt or cream and add to a bath with a water temperature of +36-39°C.

It is also very effective to massage with myrtle oil - a wonderful remedy for getting rid of depression and neuroses. This procedure is carried out by preparing a mixture consisting of 15 g of base fatty oil (olive, jojoba, peach or avocado) and 4-6 drops of myrtle oil.

Depression is a common mental disorder that causes people to feel depressed for long periods of time (sometimes a year or more), lose interest and pleasure, feel guilty, experience low self-esteem, sleep or appetite problems, lack of energy and difficulty concentrating.

It is different from simple sadness. Every person at one time or another in life feels unhappy due to a specific reason. With deep depression, strong emotions of anxiety, hopelessness, helplessness and negativity do not go away, resulting in a period of crisis.

This can happen to anyone. Many successful and famous people of all ages have encountered the condition. It is believed that the disorder occurs more often in women than in men.

For half of people, depression occurs only once; for others it happens repeatedly. The length of the period required for treatment and recovery ranges from 6 months to a year or more. What to do to overcome a permanent psychological disorder, how to cope with it is not always immediately clear.

The condition greatly ruins the lives of those who suffer from it and their families, friends, and colleagues. The problem is that it is difficult to determine the onset of the disease, its signs that you are depressed, and understand how to get rid of it.

Quiz of four signs and symptoms of depression from a list

1. Fatigue, apathy and loss of strength.
2. Persistent sadness.
3. Loss of self-esteem and self-confidence.
4. Difficulty concentrating.
5. Things that are usually pleasant and interesting do not bring pleasure.
6. Constant anxiety.
7. Reluctance to see other people, even close friends.
8. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
9. Trouble sleeping - falling asleep or waking up much earlier than usual.
10. Very strong feeling of guilt, uselessness.
11. Difficulty studying or working.
12. Loss of appetite.
13. Decreased libido and/or sexual problems.
14. Physical pain.
15. Irritability.
16. Thoughts about suicide and death, self-harm.

If you have 4 or more of these symptoms for most of the day every day for more than two weeks, seek help from your doctor. This is a positive test result for depression. We need to fight, don’t delay treatment. The faster you get rid of it, the shorter the period of development of the crisis and its consequences. Speaking about treatment, it should be noted that therapy does not always involve the use of pills.

Causes - what causes depression

Examples of chronic illnesses associated with depression include heart disease, back pain, and cancer. It can also result from damage to the pituitary gland (a treatable condition), which occurs when a head injury occurs.

In some cases the reason is not clear. However, determining the likely underlying cause is an important initial step in treatment and will influence how quickly you can recover from the crisis and begin to feel normal.

Forms of depression and their manifestations:

Lightweight

The condition is characterized as moderate. It has limited negative impact on daily life. For example, difficulties concentrating at work or having to motivate yourself to do something that you usually like to do anyway.

Classic depression

Signs: loss of appetite, apathy, difficulty sleeping and other daily activities. Often there is only one episode, but more often there are several of them in life. If a person is so unwell that they are at risk of harming themselves, this leads to hospitalization.

Bipolar disorder

Mood swings in bipolar disorder from a high of feeling elated to a low of despair, lethargy and suicidal thoughts. Very serious symptoms are not uncommon. A person’s inner world is filled with feelings that he cannot cope with, and he does what seems strange and illogical.

Postpartum depression in women

Many new mothers experience it a few days after giving birth. The feeling of anxiety and uncertainty is very upsetting, but in most cases it only lasts for a couple of weeks. Postpartum depression is more intense, lasts longer, and requires the help of a medical professional to get out of it. The disorder causes young mothers to feel completely overwhelmed and causes inadequacy. Coping with the condition is not easy. Sleep problems, panic attacks and intense fear of death occur.

Negative feelings towards your child also arise. This happens to every tenth mother and begins in the second or third week after birth.

Seasonal affective disorder

Winter and autumn depression is associated with the beginning of the season, during a period when there is not enough daylight. This stress causes anxiety, worsens mood and causes sleep problems, which can be difficult to overcome.

How to cope with persistent depression on your own - advice from a psychologist

What to do when you feel helpless? Soothing music is not always relevant. Take action, do what makes you feel better. Control will have a positive effect. Go to the gym, go for daily walks, practice your interests, what you are good at. Ask a friend to accompany you.

There are many things available that you can do to manage symptoms and a wide range of medical and non-medical treatments available.

Who do you see yourself as?

The way you think about yourself affects your mood and feelings. Feelings of worthlessness or guilt are common. How to deal with this on your own? Banish all negative thoughts about yourself. Try to analyze how realistic they are and how you could change them into something positive. Talk to your doctor about counseling or cognitive therapy.

Social media

If you're feeling down, it's not easy to be social. Loneliness, meanwhile, worsens the condition. Therefore, it is important to keep in touch with friends and family. People around you or a support group will help you get out of deep depression and reduce the feeling of isolation.

Worries about work, money or legal situation

If you are extremely stressed with work pressure, talk to your doctor. It will help you reconsider your obligations and solve specific problems that affect it.

If you lose your job, contact your local employment center to help you find it.

Fight, try to keep your job if possible. The moment is important because for people suffering from deep depression, the reason to get up in the morning and go about their business is of particular importance. This helps get rid of the disorder. Connecting with coworkers, staying busy, and the satisfaction of achieving work goals is good for mental health.

Physical activity

Exercise improves your mood because it takes your mind off depression and also stimulates the release of endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are neurotransmitters produced in the pituitary gland of the brain and give a feeling of happiness.

A particularly good therapeutic effect is observed for mild to moderate depression. Ideally, exercise for 50 minutes three to five times a week. To fit activities into your daily routine, this time can be broken up into shorter periods.

Diet

A link between what you eat and depression has been suggested, but lacks conclusive evidence. The condition is thought to be relieved by foods rich in essential fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines and fresh tuna).

Whether there is a direct connection or not, eating healthy will help you feel better overall and give you more energy. This is especially true if you are exercising.

Quitting alcohol

Alcohol acts as a depressant on the brain. If you drink too much or too often, it becomes extremely stressful and increases your likelihood of falling into long-term depression. If you already suffer from it, drinking alcohol will only make you feel worse. With such a vicious circle, if you do drink, it is better to drink in moderation. You should also avoid taking recreational drugs.

Alarm management

In addition to persistent depression, half of the patients also experience anxiety. Taking steps to manage your anxiety gives you the mental space to begin fighting depression. Talking about what's bothering you, as well as eating healthy and exercising, promotes control.

In cases of moderate severity, relaxation methods, massage and yoga are effective for treatment. All this allows you to cope with the disorder on your own.

Treatments for deep protracted depression

What to do, how to get rid of it? The first step is to see a doctor. The doctor will ask a series of questions about how the condition affects you mentally and physically.

Before going to your appointment, it is helpful to write down what you were experiencing. It is important that you and your doctor agree on how best to manage and treat your type of depression.

It is important to be open with your professional about your symptoms and how they affect you. A recommendation may be given to see a psychiatrist or psychologist.

There are several types of it. Counseling makes it possible, through a survey, to find out the likely cause of the identified form of depression and develop a strategy to solve the problem.

Cognitive behavioral therapy addresses the way you think and how this can lead to deep depression. It teaches you to identify patterns of behavior and thinking that cause problems and change them.

Psychotherapy is more intensive than counseling, although the terms are used interchangeably. Past experiences influence life now, the connection is revealed if you delve deeply into the beginning of the experience and the key relationships. Interpersonal psychotherapy focuses on how you relate and behave towards others. This helps build better self-esteem and communicate more effectively with others.

To get rid of depression, antidepressants are recommended in many cases, either alone or in combination with talk therapy. Antidepressants help, but inevitably have side effects. Discuss this with your healthcare provider.

About medications

Medication may not always be the first choice, especially if the depression is mild. There are many drugs available. Your doctor will explain which ones he thinks are best for you and why. What will be prescribed depends on the form of the disease and the severity of the case. If you have problems with your medications, consult your doctor.

If one remedy doesn't work, there is a replacement. However, several weeks pass before the drug begins to work. Therefore, enough time must pass to understand whether there is an effect.

It is important to take your medications for as long as recommended by your doctor. Stopping the course early (even if you already feel better) increases the likelihood of relapse. The approximate course duration is 6-9 months and in many cases longer. If you decide to stop treatment, follow your doctor's advice. If you stop taking medications suddenly, there may be negative consequences.

It is not without reason that depression is considered one of the main ills of our century: for scientific and technological progress, the acceleration of the pace of life and the availability of information flows, we are forced to pay with constant stress and a weakening of the body’s defenses. As a result, conditions characterized by increased anxiety, lack of interest in life, and spiritual and physical discomfort are widespread.

However, pharmacology does not stand still, and today there are a number of medications that help get rid of the symptoms of depression. It may seem that the problem has been solved, but many drugs have very unpleasant side effects: they cause addiction, sleep disturbances, lethargy, etc. In addition, depression treated with medication tends to return. That is why experienced doctors advise using non-drug methods to combat it in the initial stages of depression. There are many such ways. We will talk about the most common of them in this article.

The essence of the method is that the patient, under the guidance of a specialist, learns to identify and analyze his own negative thoughts and emotions, and understand the reasons for their occurrence. This helps reduce anxiety and find real ways to solve life's problems. If depression is mild, 10–20 consultations can usually help you get rid of it completely. In the future, the patient can practice the method independently, using the acquired skills.

Source: depositphotos.com

Regular sports activate the body's defense system, help normalize appetite and sleep, and increase self-esteem. In addition, moderate physical activity produces serotonin, which is a natural remedy for fighting depression. Hiking in the fresh air, outdoor games, cross-country skiing and swimming have a particularly beneficial effect on the psyche.

Source: depositphotos.com

A relaxing massage stimulates the brain to release a special hormone - oxytocin. It evokes a feeling of calm and security, helping to cope with stressful situations more easily.

Active massage, on the contrary, invigorates and tones the body. At the same time, a large amount of endorphin, the “hormone of joy”, enters the blood, which improves mood.

When treating depression, different types of massage can be alternated; sessions are often combined with procedures such as stone therapy and aromatherapy.

Source: depositphotos.com

These traditional relaxation systems are among the most powerful tools in the fight against depression. It is believed that yoga helps to concentrate, calm down and develop an optimistic outlook on life. In addition, scientists have found that by practicing certain yoga poses, you can reduce the concentration of the “stress hormone” (cortisol) in the blood.

Source: depositphotos.com

Impact on biologically active points of the body with the help of massage or acupuncture relieves pain, soothes and relaxes. When treating depression, the effectiveness of this method is close to 80%. Recently, a more modern method of irritating active points is increasingly being used - using a laser. In terms of its effect on the body, it is similar to acupuncture, but is much less traumatic for the patient.

Source: depositphotos.com

Many plants have a calming and relaxing effect - their infusions and decoctions are used as antidepressants. The most effective are St. John's wort, lemon balm, mint, hops, rose hips, licorice, and hawthorn.

This treatment has a number of contraindications, the main one of which is the possibility of an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is advisable that herbal remedies be prescribed by a doctor.

Source: depositphotos.com

With the onset of autumn, the number of people susceptible to bouts of depression increases. Patients complain of lethargy, drowsiness, feelings of melancholy and hopelessness. The reason is the lack of sunlight needed for the body to produce melatonin. A deficiency of this hormone leads to a bad mood and loss of motivation to be active.

Such conditions can be successfully treated with light therapy. Several sessions of irradiation with bright light are similar in strength to taking a course of an antidepressant: they normalize sleep patterns and restore the joy of life, without giving any side effects. The method has virtually no contraindications and can be used to treat any type of depression (including seasonal).