Depression – when should you consider it?
Depression pushes you down into a dejected state. You increasingly lose faith that there is hope on the horizon. In despair you lose interest in your work, your surroundings, and even in your friends and family. You cannot find a way out of the low mood and you cannot muster the drive to solve problems. Depression is an illness in which certain processes in your brain become disturbed. The problems themselves could mostly be dealt with, yet you are unable to cope with them. You need help and treatment.
When should you think of depression?
Everyone goes through harder periods in life during which they feel unable to break out or move on without help. After a while, however, things usually "fall into place" and you overcome them.
It is depression when you cannot permanently "pull yourself out" of a low mood and your condition increasingly limits you both in performing everyday tasks and in managing your relationships.
Depression is indicated if the following do not improve, but rather worsen:
- lack of motivation, aimlessness
- inability to decide/extremely difficult decision-making
- poor concentration
- frustration, self-esteem problems, extremes
- sleep disturbances
- sexual problems, decreased libido (reduced sexual desire), erectile dysfunction
- low energy level, reduced work capacity
- loss of appetite or, conversely, overeating
- unexplained feelings of anxiety
- unwarranted guilt
- suicidal thoughts
The above may be accompanied by physical complaints as well, but most often examinations do not reveal any abnormalities:
- dizziness/feeling of unsteadiness
- digestive problems, abdominal pain
- headache
- intense palpitations, chest pressure (symptoms resembling a heart attack)
- joint pains
How does depression develop?
Depression can be traced back to many causes. Most often it is caused by a disruption in the production and regulation of brain neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine). Disturbances in the physiological daily rhythm (circadian rhythm, biorhythm) and increased activity of the stress system can also lead to this.
Your mood and emotions are fundamentally generated by electrochemical processes during the coordinated functioning of different areas of your brain. It is an established fact that 98% of signal transmission between certain areas of the brain occurs via electromagnetic impulses. These electrical signals can also be recorded using an EEG (electroencephalograph) device.
In depression the electrical transmission of information in your brain becomes "confused", which upsets the balance between regulatory hormones and neurotransmitters.
Common treatment
Today the prevailing view is that depression is caused by problems with neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine). Therefore, as treatment, patients are given chemical compounds known as antidepressant medications. However, their long-term use can lead to tolerance (and even dependence), and they can cause numerous side effects.
It may also be worth trying vagus nerve stimulation. Search for the term and read my related articles.
