Autumn depression
With the arrival of autumn, a difficult time of the year begins for 17-20% of people. There is a depressed mood, a loss of interest in favorite activities, a breakdown.
This mood is a sign of autumn depression, a type of seasonal depressive disorder. Autumn depression often occurs in women aged 20-59, single people, residents of northern latitudes. During this period of time, the mood is influenced by a waning day, cloudy weather, precipitation. But one should not think that depression occurs only in autumn and is associated with the weather. Natural factors trigger depression, but seasonal depressive disorder has many molecular and genetic causes. There is a hereditary predisposition to depression, which consists in dysregulation of the stress axis – the hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal glands. Imbalance of neurotransmitters – serotonin, dopamine, glutamate , gamma- amino oilacid leads to disruption of the processes of excitation-inhibition, neuroplasticity in the brain. And ultimately depression is the result.
Childhood trauma is also a cause of depression.
Autumn depression. Symptoms
The main signs of an autumn depression are as follows:
- long-term bad mood;
- yearning;
- fear ;
- anxiety;
- passivity;
- fatigue;
- insomnia;
- sudden mood swings.
- the appearance of thoughts of hopelessness, uselessness of existence;
- violation of concentration of attention;
- difficulties in making decisions;
- decreased memory;
- violation of appetite;
- decreased sex drive;
- inability to perform work and necessary affairs;
- overeating;
- the desire for loneliness;
- irritability.
If you find symptoms of autumn depression in yourself or your loved ones, then you need to contact a specialist, since depression can end with a suicide attempt. Remember autumn depression is not only a bad mood due to the weather, troubles, stress, but a disease that has biological causes. Autumn depression can be mild or severe, and the treatment and prevention of the disease, the choice of the form of therapy, prognosis and prospects depend on it. healing.
How to get rid of autumn depression
Autumn depression does not go away on its own and causes a lot of problems for a person and others. Lifestyle and nutritional changes can help reduce symptoms. Upot reblyayte to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, foods contributing to the production of serotonin – bananas, citrus fruits, dates. We must not forget about meat and dairy products that serve as a source of nonessential and irreplaceable amino acids that are part of neurotransmitters . Adding turmeric to your meals is effective in treating autumn depression. Natural chocolate is a remedy against depression. And grapefruit helps to alleviate symptoms of depression, improves mood and ability to work. It is necessary to replace tea or coffee with decoctions of thyme, mint, linden. The medicinal plant Kalanchoe helps to get rid of depression, as it affects the balance of serotonin, norepinephrine.
For depression, jogging, walking, playing sports, swimming in the pool, and a contrast shower are effective. If possible, you should spend time outdoors and in the sun. Lighting at home and at work needs to be intensified. In order to prevent insomnia, limit yourself to the use of computers, cell phones.
2 hours before bed, do not watch TV, do not use the Internet, and turn off your cell phone. Classical music, reading books on paper, communicating with nice people, contribute to a good mood. And humor and laughter reduce the production of stress hormones – adrenaline and cortisol. Autumn depression can go away when the reaction to certain negative events and stresses changes.
But, we repeat, the symptoms of autumn depression are still signs of the disease, so it is necessary to consult a specialist if a change in lifestyle and nutrition does not lead to an improvement in the condition.
Depression. Medication treatment
Treatment with pharmacological drugs is used for moderate to severe autumn depression. Before prescribing the drug, a thorough examination of all organs is carried out to select the minimum active dosage in order to avoid the toxic effect of the drug. Usually one drug is prescribed, which makes it easier to tolerate.
For the treatment of depression are used:
- selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors;
- dual-acting antidepressants;
- monoamine oxidase inhibitors ;
- tricyclic, tetracyclic antidepressants;
- antipsychotics;
- normotimics ;
- antihypoxants .
Depression. Psychotherapy treatment
Psychotherapy is an indispensable element of fall depression therapy. It allows you to reduce the duration of drug treatment, to acquire the skills of self-control over emotions, behavior, reactions. The following types of psychotherapy are used to treat depression:
- cognitive -behavioral, based on the analysis of human behavior, the formation of skills to assess the situation, the acquisition of the ability to self-control, emotion management;
- existential, allowing you to understand the life meaning of a depressive state, build a new attitude to your own problems;
- interpersonal – the basis of which is work with the state of “here and now,” which makes it possible to build a constructive model of communication with people, to acquire skills in problem solving.
Depression Non-drug treatment.
The drug-free treatment of depression has several advantages over pharmacotherapy in that it simulates the natural physical mechanisms that promote recovery. These treatments are:
- transcranial magnetic stimulation is the effect of a magnetic field on the brain in order to activate or suppress neurons involved in the development of depression;
- biofeedback – contributes to the acquisition of self-regulation skills and control of their reactions;
- phototherapy in blue and near infrared – regulates the cycles of sleep and wakefulness;
- intravenous laser irradiation – increases sensitivity to drugs, has a beneficial effect on the blood;
- focused ultrasound – activates neurons, and promotes the penetration of the drug into the brain.
Autumn depression is a condition that can be corrected and treated. Just pay attention to your bad mood, do not think that it will go away by itself when the situation changes, it can be a manifestation of seasonal depressive disorder and require specialist intervention.