Cases
Ms. Wang, 30 years old, gradually became depressed due to high work pressure and poor relationship with her husband, and could not be happy all day; self-blame, thinking that she was sick and dragging down her parents; regretted getting married, and felt that it was her responsibility to have an unhappy marriage; denied her negative words and deeds; inattention, conscious memory decline; poor sleep, mainly due to difficulty falling asleep, only 3~4 hours per night, in severe cases, unable to sleep all night, poor morning spirit, poor appetite, weight loss of 2kg.
Ms. Wang may have suffered from depression, which can have adverse consequences if not intervened effectively. But don't be afraid if you suffer from depression, as long as you receive standardized treatment, people with depression can also live a good life.
What is depression
Depression, also known as depressive disorder, is a general term for a group of disorders characterized by depressed mood or mood, which often recur. The prevalence of depression is high, almost 1 in 7 adults suffer from depression, so it is also known as the "cold in psychiatry".
What are the clinical manifestations of depression
Depression is characterized by significant and persistent depression of mood, which is fundamentally different from the general "unhappiness". The main clinical manifestations are:
►Core symptoms: significant and persistent depressed mood, loss of interest, anhedonia, often manifested as a bad mood, unable to do anything, and unable to experience any pleasure from the things or work they liked before.
►Psychological symptoms: slow thinking, feeling like the brain is rusty, cognitive function is impaired, lack of concentration, learning and work efficiency decline, negative energy cognitive mode, no confidence in the future, often self-blame and self-guilt, suicidal thoughts, slow behavior, passive life, lazy, do not want to do things, unwilling to contact and socialize with people around them, sometimes the brain is overactive, repeatedly thinking about some meaningless and inorganized things, often anxiety symptoms, inexplicably feel upset, worried, Nervousness, and in severe cases, psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions may occur.
► Somatic symptoms: sleep disorders, including difficulty falling asleep and early awakening, as well as fatigue, lack of appetite, weight loss, constipation, pain in any part of the body, decreased energy, loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, amenorrhea, etc.
Who is susceptible to depression
√ Women, especially adolescent girls, mothers, and women with menopausal syndrome, may be associated with factors such as hormone levels and stress.
√ 21~50 years old, high incidence around 30 years old, in recent years there is a tendency to lower age.
√ Individuals with obvious traits such as anxiety, compulsion, and impulsivity.
√ People with more serious medical conditions such as cancer, etc.
√ Abuse and dependence on psychoactive substances such as opioids.
√ People who have taken medications that can cause depression (such as antipsychotics, etc.).
√ People who suffer from negative life events such as widowhood, marital disharmony, and unemployment.
What to do if you have depression
►Psychotherapy: includes education, reassurance and support, and is a way to help patients analyze the source of the problem, teach them how to cope with various events in their life that induce depression, and teach them how to increase and strengthen life satisfaction and reduce the occurrence of depressive events through their own actions. Commonly used psychotherapy methods include cognitive therapy, supportive psychotherapy, interpersonal therapy, marriage and family therapy, psychodynamic therapy, etc. A variety of psychotherapies can be effective in relieving depression, but for patients with major depression, especially those with recurrent episodes, antidepressant medication and psychotherapy are needed to achieve satisfactory results.
►Medication: It is the main treatment for depressive episodes above moderate, and patients should take medication under the guidance of a doctor.
► Other treatments
√ Electroconvulsive therapy: suitable for patients with psychotic depression (such as delusions and hallucinations), melancholic depression that does not respond to antidepressant therapy, significant suicide risk, severe psychomotor depression (refusal to eat and drink, stupor, severe self-neglect) and other patients.
√ Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy: is an investigational, relatively less invasive treatment that may be an alternative to electroconvulsive therapy.
√ Lifetime therapy: Patients with recurrent depression should be considered for lifelong therapy, with lithium as an option.
How individuals can prevent depression
√ Learn how to look at problems objectively and comprehensively.
√ Assess your abilities appropriately.
√ Transform your personality and cultivate hobbies.
√ Strengthen personal self-cultivation.
√ Do good deeds, be honest with others, and establish a positive social support system.
√ Regular life, combination of work and rest, and appropriate dietary adjustment.
ask
Is depression just a bad mood that doesn't need treatment?
answer
Wrong. Although the onset of depression is induced by psychosocial factors, the real cause is biological and genetic factors, so it is difficult to achieve general psychological comfort or persuasion, and antidepressants must be taken for treatment.
Content Sources:
People's Medical Publishing House published "Family Doctor by Your Side - Common Sense of Healthy Life"
Editor-in-Chief of the book:
Ren Jingjing, chief physician of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine
Author of this article:
Zhong Suya
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