Many people from time to time experience depression, gloom, melancholy and other conditions that are often called depressive. What is the difference between seasonal blues, depressive state and depression?
What indicates a depressed state?
It should be borne in mind that depression and depressive state are not the same thing. Depression, or blues, can occur as a result of unpleasant events, or as a reaction to the change of seasons. This usually occurs in the fall and winter when there is a lack of natural warmth, natural vitamins found in fresh fruits and vegetables, and natural sunlight. Depression is a disease, mental disorder, sometimes quite severe, requiring treatment.
A depressive state is characterized by such signs as:
- Decreased level of vitality, loss of strength, loss of interest in work or habitual hobbies, difficulties with personal self-organization of life and work, loss of self-control over current affairs, unwillingness to do something, passivity.
- Constant chronic fatigue, drowsiness in situations where mental stress is required, inability to concentrate.
- General physical lethargy, unreasonable bad mood, dissatisfaction with the surrounding space, irritation due to people and annoying little things.
- Emotional degradation, apathy, indifference, lack of joy, dull sensations when receiving ordinary everyday pleasures.
As a rule, depressive states always have not only internal, but also external causes. They appear as a result of unpleasant events in life, emotional overload, life disasters, everyday discomfort, depressing environment, difficult personal relationships with loved ones and other uncomfortable factors. Sometimes it is not so easy to get out of this state, but it is always possible. You just need to take care of yourself, your soul. There are many opportunities here - from shifting attention to exciting hobbies, renewing wardrobe, making new acquaintances, interesting trips to exotic places - to visiting a psychologist or going to church, where many people find the opportunity to put things in order in their souls.
While depression can declare itself regardless of external situations - a person begins to yearn for no reason, he has a chronic bad mood, a negative attitude towards everything that surrounds him, hostility or complete detachment from society. Negative manifestations can reach physical violence or suicide attempts. The disease drives a person to a dead end, forcing him to commit ridiculous, unmotivated destructive actions that bring destructive consequences to his life and the life of his loved ones. Self-medication in such cases can end disastrously. Depression always requires urgent treatment and supervision of a specialist, psychiatrist.
