How to recognize depression in yourself. The reasons. Medications and emotional disturbances. Video - What is depression and how it manifests itself

Depression can be short, it can last a couple of weeks, or it can drag on and last for years. It's normal to feel sad, lonely, or hopeless at times, especially if you've been through a loss and also during a period of time when you're looking at yourself. The problem occurs if these sensations do not go away, if they begin to appear physical symptoms if it starts to interfere with your usual life. If you think you have depression, it's important to see your doctor as soon as possible. Without treatment, depression can last for months or years and can poison your entire life.

Steps

Part 1

Pay attention to your emotions and mood. Depression is a disease that causes our brain to stop managing emotions. Each of us feels depressed from time to time, but people who suffer from depression experience these emotions (or a combination of them) much more often. If you experience the same emotions, if they prevent you from living your usual life, it is important to seek help. Below are some of the emotions that may come up when depressed:

Watch for the desire to isolate yourself from loved ones and friends. Depressed people often stop spending time with friends, they lose interest in things that usually gave them pleasure. This is because they feel an unbearable desire to withdraw from their ordinary life. Therefore, it is worth paying attention, if you have such a desire, and also think about how your life and your daily activities have changed in the last few months or in the last year.

• Make a list of the activities you used to do (before you started to feel worse), think about how often you took part in different events. On the stretch next weeks make a note in your diary every time you do these things. Evaluate whether you have become less likely to do them.

1. Pay attention to various suicidal thoughts in time. If you constantly have thoughts about how to hurt yourself or even kill yourself, you should immediately contact a specialist. Seek help as soon as possible (dial 112). There are other indicators of suicidal tendencies. These include:

   • fantasies of self-harm and suicide;
   • the desire to give away their belongings and / or put all their affairs in order;
   • farewell to people;
   • feeling as if you are in a dead end, and there is no hope;
   • phrases such as: “It would be better if I died” or “People would be better off without me”;
   • a very rapid change in mood from hopelessness and depression to feeling happy and calm.

2. Take into account any risky behavior. Risky behavior can also be seen as a symptom. This is especially true for men with depression. If you are addicted to drugs or alcohol, unprotected sex, inadequate driving, dangerous species sports - this can be a sign of depression.

   Think about how often you recent times wept how easy it is to bring you to tears. Frequent tears can be associated with other symptoms and indicate depression, especially if you don't even know why you're crying. Think about how often you cry, which brings you to tears.

   Think of any strange painful sensations that you experienced. If you have frequent unexplained headaches or other pains, this is a good reason to see a doctor. These pains can be both a symptom of a disease and a consequence of depression.

Part 3

Consider if you can postpartum depression. If you've recently had a baby, consider when your supposed depression started. After the birth of a child, mothers often experience strong and abrupt mood swings, irritability and other symptoms (from minor to really serious). If you notice signs of depression immediately after giving birth or over the next few months, it could be postpartum depression.

• Most mothers experience symptoms of postpartum depression for a few days after giving birth and then recover on their own. Most likely this is due to hormonal changes in your body and with stress after having a baby.
• If you have suicidal thoughts, if depression is preventing you from caring for your child, if your symptoms continue longer than a week or two - see a doctor immediately.
• Postpartum psychosis - rare disease, which can begin within two weeks after delivery. If the symptoms of depression are severe and accompanied by sudden mood swings, if you have thoughts of harming your child, if you have hallucinations, see a doctor immediately.

1. Consider whether your depression may be due to the onset of autumn or winter. If symptoms begin to appear as the days get shorter and it gets dark outside, it can be assumed that your depression is a seasonal affective disorder caused by a lack of sunlight.

   • Not all temporary depression is seasonal affective disorder. Many people have depressive episodes that recur every few weeks, months, or years.
   • If you're acting particularly manic and energetic when you don't notice symptoms of depression, it's worth talking to your doctor about this as well, because it could be bipolar disorder.

2. Even if none of the above reasons suits you, you still cannot rule out the possibility of depression. In many episodes of depression, the first hormonal cause(or a reason that is difficult to detect). But it does not make the condition less serious or less worthy of attention. Depression is a real illness, but it's not something to be ashamed of, even if you think you have no reason to be sad.

Part 4

Ask for help. Seeking help is the first step to healing. Feeling helpless is part of depression, not normal feeling your loneliness fuels this feeling. Friends and family can help you, they will listen to your problems, help you solve them and support you in difficult times.

• If you are having problems with physical activity and you don't want to leave the house, tell your loved ones about your depression, invite them over and do something together that brings you both pleasure, even if you don't normally do it.

1. Find out your diagnosis. It is very important to see a doctor if you suspect depression. This is due to the fact that there are other diseases that mimic depression, so the doctor needs to understand this. Keep in mind that it's okay to give your opinion twice or even thrice, especially if your doctor doesn't seem to be listening to you or focusing on what you think is most important.

   • The doctor may give a referral to a psychotherapist or psychiatrist.
   • Your doctor will not necessarily prescribe medication for you. Depending on the cause your doctor suspects is causing your depression, your doctor may recommend specific lifestyle changes.
   • If you notice that depression lasts only a few weeks and then gives way to periods of "frantic" energy, ask your doctor if it could be bipolar disorder before taking medication.

2. Visit a psychotherapist. Now there are many psychotherapists and psychologists who can help you recover. Consider group therapy or a support group. Ask your doctor for a referral.

   • For example, you can find a support group for people with depression, or you can find a group like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous - this is very helpful if you are addicted to alcohol or drugs to cope with depression.

3. Take antidepressants. After confirming your diagnosis and starting to take steps to combat depression, ask your doctor if you should take medication. Your doctor may prescribe you antidepressants if he thinks the underlying problem is anxiety disorder because in this case, antidepressants will be effective.

4. Find out the reason. elimination main reason depression is very effective method treatment. But this is best done under the supervision of a psychotherapist.

   • If you are grieving, share your grief with friends, family, or spiritual guide. Find a psychologist to help you figure it out. You can buy literature that discusses the feeling of grief and how to deal with it.
   • If you've had a major change in your life recently, try to figure out what it was about those changes that made you so unhappy. If you've moved to a city where you don't know anyone, go out and get to know your area well, find interesting places, join an interest club, find a new hobby that you can share with others. You might consider volunteering, because helping other people makes us feel better ourselves. If you think you want to change something, but don't know what caused your depression, talk to a psychologist.
   • If you suspect that depression may be related to your menstrual cycle or menopause, see a health care professional. women's health(to a gynecologist).
   • Consult a doctor or psychologist, join a support group if you have any chronic illness or you abuse alcohol or drugs.

5. Try to maintain good friendships. Remember your friends and try to communicate with them regularly. It's especially important to reach out to your friends and family when you need someone to talk to. A simple heart-to-heart talk "about the boil" will help you feel better.

   • If you want to make new friends, try joining a hobby club (or start doing something new that you haven't even thought about before). Regular meetings in such communities (for example, weekly dances or a book club) will help develop the habit of participating in social life.
   • If you are too shy to talk to strangers at such events, smile and look the person in the eye - this may be enough to start a conversation. Find a small group or people you feel more comfortable with if you're feeling this way.

6. Make changes to your lifestyle. Good dream regular exercise and healthy eating are all vital for reducing stress levels and maintaining a healthy emotional state. Consider meditation, massage, and other ways to relax.

   • Take advantage of the support of those around you. Ask for advice on sports from professionals, drop by the gym and discuss relaxation techniques (including meditation) there. You can search the internet for information on the subject, or ask a friend or neighbor to help you create a schedule and stick to it.
   • Exercise is especially beneficial because it is thanks to them that the body produces endorphins that lift our spirits.

• Be prepared for the fact that improvements will not come immediately. Don't expect to feel much better once you figure out what causes depression. But be sure to notice even small victories on the road to recovery.
• Depression is not so simple thing. it real disease that needs to be cured. Despite the fact that depression does not affect a person's physical health as much, it cannot be overcome by willpower alone. Be sure to contact medical care and treatment.
• If you need help, talk to someone you can trust. They will help you, because sometimes even a simple conversation with a person you trust can help you feel better.

Depressive disorder is one of the most common psycho-emotional disorders in the world. According to various sources, from 10 to 12% of the world's population suffers from depression. All more people, in particular, residents of megacities, are wondering - " Do I have depression? Every year, "the lady in black," as C.G. Jung, is visited by about 250 million people. In addition to the direct impact on the quality of life, depression carries a host of other dangers. Thus, it is a factor that increases the risk of anxiety and neurotic disorders, somatic diseases, as well as various kinds dependencies.

Depression is a fairly common psycho-emotional disorder.

Detecting depression is not always possible right away. She does not have obvious symptoms like other diseases. Having become infected with the flu, a person determines its presence without difficulty. The person experiencing serious mental suffering looks physically healthy. How to withdraw to clean water this uninvited guest? One of the most reliable ways to answer the question "Do I have depression" is an online test.. The Internet has a large number of techniques to identify it even without visiting a psychologist. After evaluating the results, you can understand the severity of the disease, develop a strategy to improve your condition.

It should be borne in mind that when working with any technique, the main condition for effectiveness is honest answers to questions. Only then can it be determined with certainty that depression is the cause of mood or well-being problems. The online identification test is the first step you can take to improve your condition. In its principle, the procedure will not differ from filling out the methodology in the psychologist's office.

The reasons. Medications and emotional disturbances

AT this moment researchers believe that the problem may be related to a common genetic predisposition. Depending on the environment, it is implemented in different options. Depressive disorders can occur when taking anticonvulsant drugs, corticosteroids, neuroleptics. Given these factors, it is logical to ask the question: how to recognize depression using a test online? The fact is that modern tests reveal not only psychological disorders, but also aimed at identifying malfunctions in the body that are caused by depression. That's why psychological diagnostics necessary even when taking many medicines, directly with activity nervous system unrelated. This will help to correct side effects in time.

Depression can even be caused by a genetic predisposition.

The role of neurotransmitters in the functioning of the nervous system

It is known that with an illness, the production of substances important for the coordinated work of the nervous system and the body as a whole - neurotransmitters (neurotransmitters) - is disrupted. Since depression can be recognized by identifying symptoms of a deficiency or excess of these substances, you should pay close attention to the signals that the body gives.

Symptoms of insufficient serotonin production

Serotonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland and digestive tract . It is he who ensures the optimal interaction of neurons in the nervous system. High concentration This neurotransmitter provokes an experience of elation and euphoria. It also affects the ability to remember information, concentration. Often, violations in the production of serotonin appear due to a lack of sunlight in the autumn-winter period. This results in a seasonal depression. Definition test serotonin is carried in medical practice only in case of suspicion malignant formations. Therefore, it is possible to identify a lack of this hormone in oneself only by the following symptoms:

• Increased anxiety
• Sweating, tachycardia, dry mucous membranes
• Reduced performance
• Confusion, constant forgetfulness
• Decreased libido
• Digestive disorders

How to understand that you have depression associated precisely with the lack of this hormone? First of all, you should pay attention to well-being and mood swings in autumn period. If these symptoms become urgent with shortening daylight hours, to solve a question it is possible at the address to the psychiatrist. The specialist will prescribe the necessary doses of antidepressants that will help correct the emotional background.

Norepinephrine deficiency

Another neurotransmitter whose production has a significant impact on psycho emotional sphere human is norepinephrine. He, like serotonin, is important for remembering information and concentration. Norepinephrine is responsible for the body's response to stressful situation- promotes pressure increase, accelerates metabolic processes increases heart rate. The body can have both increased and insufficient amounts of this hormone, which can significantly affect the level of depression. .

Lack of norepinephrine in the body can also cause depression

Symptoms of norepinephrine deficiency:

• decreased performance and motivation;
• motor retardation;
• memory and attention disorders;
• increased fatigue;
• low speed of thought processes.

An excess of norepinephrine is indicated by:

• hyperactivity;
• high blood pressure;
• Feelings of fear and anxiety;
• Irritability;
• Alertness, increased reaction to the signals of the outside world;
• Sleep problems.

Disorders associated with the production of noradrenaline often manifest with prolonged or repeated stress. Being in a tense situation, the body begins to produce increased amount this neurotransmitter, which manifests itself in the form of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances. How to understand that you have depression caused by excess norepinephrine? In addition to the listed symptoms, this hormone causes excessive emotional reactions to traumatic events.

Therefore, if a person is thrown into tears from any trifle, this is serious symptom requiring immediate psychotherapeutic intervention.

Signs of a lack of dopamine

Dopamine is a hormone responsible for good mood and positive reinforcement system.. This neurotransmitter is produced when delicious food, having sex - that is, with any activity that brings pleasure. With a lack of dopamine, it can be difficult for a person to control their emotions. Substances such as nicotine, alcohol, heroin and other drugs have been shown to cause increased output dopamine. When forming various types addictions, the body loses the ability to produce dopamine on its own. Since it is also important to identify depression for the prevention of addictive behavior, it is especially worth paying attention to the following signs of dopamine deficiency:

• Low achievement motivation, lack of interest in activities that previously seemed exciting;
• Rapid fatigue, chronic fatigue;
• Poor ability to concentrate, memory impairment;
• Constant self-blame;
• Auto-aggression (self-destruction);
• Tendency to procrastinate;
• Inability to enjoy.

You can increase dopamine levels with exercise

You can increase the level of dopamine with the help of regular exercise, dietary restrictions (it is necessary to reduce the consumption of sugar and caffeine, make up for the lack of magnesium), and give up addictions, if any. How to define depression that occurs due to a lack of dopamine in ordinary people who do not burden their body with alcohol or smoking?

Symptoms reduced level of this hormone will be the same as for those prone to addiction.

As a solution, you can try to engage in motivating activities, if possible, reward yourself even for small achievements. So the brain can learn to produce this hormone again in required quantities and symptoms of depression will be reduced.

You can determine the presence and level of depression using special tests.

Definition of the disease - methods of domestic scientists

Of the developments of domestic scientists in the field of diagnosing a disease, the following tests are popular.

• « Methodology for determining the level of depression”, developed in 1988 by V.A. Zhmurov. The test consists of 44 items, each of which is aimed at diagnosing certain symptoms. The technique is successfully used in the work of many Russian psychologists and is characterized by ease of data processing - to recognize depression level with its help everyone can;
• « Depression Questionnaire”, or ODS, was developed at the Research Institute. Bekhterev under the guidance of researcher I. G. Bespalko in 1995. The technique is intended for timely detection one of the types - endogenous or neurotic. It must be remembered that the treatment endogenous depression, as well as other disorders of this kind, are within the competence of psychiatrists. Unlike neurotic, this type requires drug treatment assigned by a specialist. Therefore, this depression test most commonly used in clinical and medical psychologists. The ODS includes 67 statements that require a positive or negative answer.
• In diagnostics psycho-emotional state also special place takes the test Neuropsychic stability” or NPU, which allows you to determine both the level of psychological endurance and the degree of physiological health of the body. The technique was developed in military medical academy St. Petersburg. How to understand that you have depression? The NPU test, despite the fact that it is not directly aimed at diagnostics, can effectively complement other methods. This questionnaire was developed for the selection of employees for work in emergencies, and today it is successfully used both by many psychotherapists and for independent psychodiagnostics of psychological resistance to stressful circumstances.

Foreign questionnaires to determine

Methods of European and American specialists are also effective in diagnosis. The most famous of them are:

• Test " Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale”, developed by foreign scientists A.S. Zigmond and R. P. Snaith. The advantage of the technique is ease of use and processing of results. The scale is often used in medical hospitals to identify signs = in somatic patients who do not even ask the question “Do I have depression?”. Meanwhile, those who are prone to the disease visit a cardiologist 6 times more often than ordinary people. 2 times more often they become patients of a neurologist, ENT and urologist.
• « Tsung scale” is a test that has proven reliability and is most suitable for self-diagnosis of depression. The test was created by researcher William Tsung and adapted by T.N. Balashova at the Bekhterev Research Institute. How to understand that you have depression using the Zung scale? To do this, you need to answer twenty questions of the test. They measure several indicators. For example, a change in mood, the presence or absence of a feeling of spiritual emptiness, irritability or indecision - in a word, those signs that allow you to accurately identify depression. The state of the tested person is considered normal if he scores up to 49 points on this scale.
• « Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale”, or ESHPD. The phenomenon of postpartum depression has long been known. Is it possible to quickly determine depression in parturient women? The ESHPD test, developed in 1987 by researchers Edinburgh and Livingston, is designed specifically for new parents. The technique can be used not only by women in labor, but also to determine emotional disorders in fathers. From the convenience of the test - relatively little time passing (the test takes about 5 minutes), high level reliability of indicators.
• « Beck depression scale”was developed back in 1961 by US researcher Aaron Beck. How to recognize psycho-emotional disorders in time, how to early stage define depression? The Beck Depression Scale test will be useful even for those who consider themselves psychologically healthy. Test questions involve assessment psychological characteristics, as well as physiological indicators- sleep, appetite. Aaron Beck is known for his developments in the field of cognitive psychotherapy, but in most he was interested in depression. The online test for this disorder, like many other methods, is now in the public domain. Per for a long time its application, it has been repeatedly revised and adapted to modern conditions. Therefore, the Beck scale is one of the most effective tests for self diagnosis. The definition of depression on the Beck scale today consists of 21 statements - this is a simplified version that measures the most important indicators.
• « Hamilton Depression Rating Scale". This technique is recommended for those who chronic depression. The test helps to determine the dynamics of treatment. With its help, you can determine how effective this or that method turned out to be. The questions of this test are aimed at identifying symptoms of psycho-emotional disorders not only at the current moment, but also a few days before testing.

Don't underestimate the danger of depression!

You need to remember: depression is not as harmless as it might seem at first glance. There is an opinion that about 80% of visitors to a regular clinic suffer from it in one form or another. In order to learn how to work with your condition and improve it, radical measures are sometimes necessary - visiting a psychiatrist or psychotherapist, changing the conditions of your life. And sometimes you just need to take a test to get started. "Do I have depression or not?" Everyone must answer for themselves. After all, not only his health and well-being depend on the state of an adult, but also emotional condition loved ones.

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders. AT modern world many people are susceptible to this disease. Constant stress, anxiety and worry about the future in an unstable political and economic environment, family troubles, problems at work, bad habits and sleep disturbances can cause depression. However, this ailment is often confused with a bad mood, and then a person may wonder: do I have depression? Let's see how to distinguish real depression from simple melancholy.

The term "depression" comes from Latin word"deprimo", which means "pressure", "suppress". This name quite accurately characterizes this disease. A person suffering from depression feels overwhelmed, oppressed. He has a reduced mood, the ability to rejoice and enjoy a variety of things is lost, and motor inhibition occurs - his movements become sluggish and slow.

Everyone experiences a bad mood and a feeling of apathy from time to time. But after a while, these sensations disappear, and he returns to normal condition. In the case of depression, this condition does not go away for a long time - several weeks, months and even years. And especially severe patients suffer from depression throughout their lives.

Causes of depression

There are several reasons why depressive disorder. The main reasons can be divided into three groups: biological, psychological and sociocultural.

1. biological reasons. Depression often arises under the influence of biological factors, such as heredity or genetic predisposition. As a rule, relatives of depressed patients also often suffer from this disease. Another cause of the disease is a metabolic disorder in the body. A striking example is postpartum depression, which occurs under the influence of hormonal failure in a woman's body after the birth of a child. Clinical Tests indicate that in depressed patients the level of activity of serotonin, noradrenaline, melatonin is reduced.
2. psychological reasons. In most cases, the trigger for the development of depression is the stress experienced by a person. A particularly heavy blow is the death of a loved one or another tragedy. Divorce, dismissal from work, ruin can lead to an oppressed mood, turning into a real depression. Chronic stress factors (failures at work, in the family, financial difficulties, loneliness, dissatisfaction with life) can also give impetus to the development of the disease.
3. sociocultural reasons. Such reasons are low social status in society, causing a person to be dissatisfied with himself, or an unexpected transition from high social status to the lower one. In addition, different cultures have their own traditions and rules, inconsistency with which can cause condemnation of society and lead a person to a depressive state.

How to understand that you have depression?

In order to diagnose depression, you need to contact a psychologist or psychotherapist. The specialist offers patients special clinical tests, which allow to identify depressive disorder. Tests are a set of questions that the patient must answer as honestly as possible. Such questionnaires can be found in the literature on psychology or on websites psychological help. It is very convenient to take tests online. No need to write down the answers on paper and then count them. You only need to choose from the proposed options answers and click on them. After passing the test, the result will appear.

• Beck depression test;
• Zung depression test;
• Sheehan Anxiety Scale;
• The Depression Scale of the Research Institute. Bekhterev;
• Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale;
• Spielberger Anxiety Scale;
• DEPS Depression Scale;
• SCL-90 Depression Scale.

In addition to tests for depression, the disease can be recognized by a number of signs. Let's consider them.

Signs of depression

Depression is characterized not only by low mood and depression, but also by many other symptoms by which it can be diagnosed. This disease affects not only the emotional sphere, but also the whole organism as a whole, including the physical plane.

Emotional manifestations

A depressed person experiences constant longing, suffering, oppression and despair. It seems to him that life has lost its meaning, he feels miserable and useless. The patient begins to experience anxiety and anxiety, he is often haunted by a feeling of impending trouble. He cannot relax, his body and brain are in constant tension.

During depression, a person becomes very irritable: any little thing can piss him off or bring him to tears. A sense of guilt grows in him, he begins to blame himself for all the troubles that happen to him or his loved ones.

Depression causes constant dissatisfaction with life. A person's self-esteem is significantly reduced. It begins to seem to him that he is completely incapable of anything either in the family or at work. He suffers from self-doubt. Lost motivation and desire to work and generally do any business.

Things that used to give a person pleasure (hobbies, hobbies) become uninteresting. He loses the joy of those activities that he used to love. Patients with severe depression lose the ability to experience any emotions (positive and negative).

Physiological manifestations

One of common symptoms depression is a sleep disorder. The patient cannot sleep for a long time, often wakes up, and in the morning gets up sleepy and broken. In some people, on the contrary, there is constant sleepiness. A person can sleep for many hours a day, but sleep does not bring him satisfaction. The desire to sleep all the time indicates that the human mind is trying to distance itself from reality, run away from problems, go to sleep.

The disease is also reflected in the patient's appetite. Often patients complain of a decrease or lack of appetite, food seems tasteless to them. In some patients, on the contrary, the appetite increases significantly, and they begin to eat everything. Sometimes hunger wakes them up even in the middle of the night and drives them to the refrigerator. Often, patients with depression experience constipation.

The disease often causes discomfort in the body - rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, pain in the abdomen, back, muscles, joints, dizziness and headaches. These symptoms are easy to confuse with other illnesses, but an experienced psychotherapist will quickly recognize depression from them.

During depression, a person experiences a breakdown, quickly gets tired even from ordinary, everyday activities. What used to be easy to do now requires a lot of effort. The feeling of fatigue does not go away even after sleep. Movements become slow and sluggish. The patient has a decrease sexual attraction. In some cases, depression can cause a complete indifference to sex.

Behavioral manifestations

Depression makes a person passive, takes away his motivation to work. The patient is hardly involved in any business, it is difficult for him to concentrate on anything.

A person can close in on himself and not leave the house. He is not interested in meeting friends, parties, vacation trips. He does not want to see anyone, it is difficult for him to communicate with people. Due to low self-esteem, the patient feels uncomfortable in society, it seems to him that others perceive him as a loser or laugh at him, so he tries to avoid people. Communication becomes uninteresting for him.

A depressed person may sit or lie on the couch for long periods of time doing nothing. He does not want to get up, he has no strength and desire. Often, a painful, dreary state leads to the fact that the patient begins to get involved in alcohol, narcotic or psychoactive substances. By this he tries to alleviate his condition, but such methods give a temporary effect, after which depression only intensifies.

Thought Manifestations

Depression impairs memory and the ability to concentrate. The patient cannot concentrate on anything, any mental activity is given to him with difficulty. He becomes forgetful and absent-minded, there is inhibition of thought processes.

It is difficult for a person to make decisions: he thinks for a long time, hesitates, delaying this moment. He is constantly plagued by gloomy thoughts about himself, his life and the world in general. It seems to him that the colors of life have faded and there will be nothing good ahead. Even if the patient understands that negative thoughts are caused by illness, he cannot get rid of them.

The most severe symptom of depression is suicidal thoughts. In particular severe cases a person makes attempts to take his own life. That is why when severe forms depression, doctors insist on hospitalization, and also recommend that the patient's relatives carefully monitor him and not leave him unattended until he passes acute stage diseases.

Types of depression

Doctors allocate different types this disease. Consider the most common.

• Endogenous. This type of depression is caused by biological factors or various disorders in the functioning of the nervous system and may not be associated with any unpleasant situations in a person's life. The patient becomes apathetic, withdrawn, loses interest in life.
• Reactive. It occurs as a reaction to some traumatic event. If a tragedy has occurred in a person's life - the loss of a relative, divorce, parting with a loved one - he can get depressed. Reactive depression is very easy to diagnose, because the patient knows about its causes.
• masked (hidden). This type of disease is not in vain received such a name. The fact is that such depression has the peculiarity of disguising itself as other diseases. Patients often complain of heart problems, pain in the stomach and intestines, headaches, menstrual cycle among women, sexual disorders and other problems. All of these can be symptoms of depression. Sometimes the disease is masked so cunningly that not every doctor can recognize it.
• Seasonal. This type of disease is directly related to the change of seasons. Many people suffer seasonal depression, sometimes not even attaching importance to this and thinking that they are just in a bad mood. The disease manifests itself in the autumn-winter period and is characterized by drowsiness, apathy, loss of strength and a decrease in mood.
• Anxious. This disease causes the patient a feeling of fear, anxiety and anxiety. He becomes aggressive and unbalanced. anxiety depression dangerous because patients suffering from it are prone to suicidal behavior.
• Dysthymia. Dysthymia is chronic depression. Her symptoms are similar to acute form diseases, but they are observed for a long time (from two years). The patient experiences constant feeling longing and oppression, his outlook becomes pessimistic.
• Bipolar. This type of disease is characterized by transitions from a state of excessive excitement, mania to melancholy and depression. In addition to mood swings, such patients experience confusion and impaired perception. This disease requires treatment under medical supervision.
• Depressive stupor. This type of disease is considered one of the most severe. Patients always lie in one position, aimlessly looking into the void, refuse food and do not make contact with others. This condition requires hospital treatment.

Depression is a serious disease that requires timely, competent treatment. Untreated depression can lead to sad consequences, therefore, having discovered its symptoms in yourself, you should seek help from a psychologist or psychotherapist.

Sadness and slight sadness is not a reason to seek help from a specialist. Negative emotions are experienced by all people from time to time. But, if depression for a long time prevents you from living normally, working, enjoying simple things, then a real illness can be the cause. In this article, you will learn how to self-diagnose depression. Also on this page you will find a useful test that will help make a preliminary diagnosis.

Attention! For accurate identification ailment is not enough self-passing tests. Be sure to contact a professional psychologist.

Women are more emotional and prone to sharp drops mood, so you should not immediately mistake any weekly blues for a mental disorder. When apathy and a feeling of sadness are pronounced, not leaving you for more than two weeks, this may already be a sign of depression.

Main symptoms:

1. Depressed mood, melancholy.
2. Feeling of despair, loss of taste and meaning of life.
3. Significant exacerbation of fears, feelings of shame.
4. Anxiety, apprehension, tension.
5. Irritability, abrupt change emotions, for example, from despondency to aggression.
6. Self-flagellation, continuous guilt.
7. Uncertainty, low self-esteem, dissatisfaction with oneself. Constant search for flaws in yourself. Fear of making mistakes.
8. Hobbies, favorite food, series or music - everything that previously brought pleasure ceases to please.
9. Dullness of feelings, periodic apathy.

Physiological manifestations

An important sign of depression is the presence of the following health problems:

1. Sleep disturbance. Excessive sleepiness or insomnia.
2. Failure in work digestive system. Most often it is constipation.
3. excessive increased appetite either his complete absence.
4. Problems with libido: complete lack of interest in sex.
5. Increased fatigue. Habitual loads cause impotence.
6. There are discomfort or even pain in the muscles of the skeleton, stomach, heart.

behavioral signs

Usually a woman tries to eliminate physical discomfort, but the disease continues to develop. Even physiological symptoms disappear, depression can be identified by the following behavioral features:

1. Apathy, lack of initiative, unwillingness to set goals and actively achieve them.
2. A woman loses interest in communicating with friends, prefers solitude, avoids contact with society.
3. Conscious rejection of entertainment.
4. Tendency to use intoxicating substances: alcohol, drugs, various stimulants.
5. Sloppiness appears, a woman ceases to strive to look attractive, even neglects to comply with general rules hygiene.

Several symptoms relate to the peculiarities of thinking. The following cognitive signs indicate that the patient is suffering from depression:

• often have suicidal thoughts;
• awareness of one's own uselessness, insignificance, impotence;
• thinking slows down, there is a lack of attention;
• negative perception of oneself and others prevails.

Types of depression

If you are wondering what forms this disease can take, check out this table:

The main causes of depression in women

The development of the disease is usually preceded by tragic events. This may be the death of loved ones or problems in personal life, followed by whole complex unfortunate circumstances.

Attention! There are people whose personality has already developed with a predisposition to depression due to the received in childhood psychological trauma. In such individuals, one small amount of stress can trigger the disease mechanism.

Most often, the appearance of depression in a woman is caused by the presence of one of the following factors:

Don't forget about old age: in old age, women have to experience the death of close friends, acquaintances, often - husbands. Loneliness is followed by a feeling of helplessness, uselessness, abandonment.

Video - What is depression and how it manifests itself

Test for determining depression in women

Try to take a questionnaire created by the famous American psychotherapist Aaron Beck. The test consists of 21 items, below them are several statements. You must choose for each item one statement with which you agree.

For each selected first statement, you get 0 points. The second - 1 point, the third and fourth - 2 and 3 points, respectively.

Attention! The test results should not be interpreted as an axiom. They can only serve as a hint in deciding whether to visit a specialist.