We understand depression un psychological disorder characterized by the appearance of an emotional state dominated by sadness, pessimism and disinterest in everything that surrounds the individual. There are many people who at some point in their life suffer a depressive state. If it is prolonged or manifested with such intensity that it interferes with the normal activities of the affected person, it is considered pathological.
Although depression occurs in both sexes, is more common in women, especially if they do not work outside the home and are relegated to childcare and housework. These women spend most of the day without being able to speak to a valid confidante and cannot discuss with anyone the problems that arise throughout the day. Although this happened more years ago, when few women worked outside the home, even today more than we would like, also due to the serious unemployment situation suffered by many countries.
In general, depression is usually triggered by a specific problem, known to the sufferer, but in some cases it appears for no apparent or specific reason. Regarding the age of presentation, there are two periods of life in which there is a greater tendency to depression. One ranges from twenty to forty-five years of age, with a higher incidence around forty. At that age, the individual usually makes a review and assessment of what he has done during his life. On many occasions, not having reached the goals set in youth and not having been able to reach the desired socioeconomic level leads to a state of depression that usually disappears when the individual manages to set new goals.
The second period corresponds to the retirement age, a time when it coincides with the loss of physical and mental faculties of the individual and with the highest number of deaths of loved ones (generally speaking). The feeling of "social worthlessness" and the discomfort caused by typical aging disorders produce depression in most cases.
Causes and manifestations of depression
Causes of depression are the loss of a loved one, the lack of communication of financial problems, other family problems, aging and loss of work, although this is often also a consequence of the depressive state.
The Depression It can be manifested in the following ways:
- Sadness and crying frequent.
- Manifests lack of interest for normal and routine activities.
- Accentuated pessimism.
- Low performance and work absenteeism.
- Loss of appetite and weight loss.
- Inability to solve problems and the difficulties that arise.
- Insomnia.
- Variations in character. In general, the mood is very bad in the morning, because there is that fear and reluctance to face a new day. However, it gets better as the hours go by.
Consequences of depression
In many cases, the person affected by depression does not know how to recognize it as such and consults the doctor for the appearance of some organic disorder that is only a consequence of it. The organic translation of depression (its somatization process) gives rise to the following physical alterations:
- Continual feeling of tiredness.
- Difficulty getting to sleep.
- Headaches.
- Muscle pains.
- Low back pain and pain in the back.
- Dizziness and vertigo
- Digestive disorders.
- Abdominal pains
- Palpitations and crushing pain in the chest.
What advice can we follow if we have depression or if someone close to us suffers from it?
First of all, it must be taken into account that the depressed person has a special influence on their family environment. There have been cases in which the depression of a single member of the family has come to affect, with the passage of time, all or almost all of its members. On the other hand, it is precisely the family that can have a more favorable influence on the depressed, acting in the following way:
- Help him to recognize and analyze the problem that afflicts you, and jointly seek solutions to it.
- Encourage him to carry out his activities normally, without feeling them as an obligation, but rather, as entertainment.
- Do not let the person withdraw into himself, encouraging their outings and visits to your friends and relatives.
- In the case of a housewife, you should try to find time for yourself too.
Depression is an illness that we should not treat so lightly.