In the modern world, various forms of depression affect an increasing number of people. Experts note that recently a latent form of a depressive state, unconsciously masked by something, has become especially widespread. Such depression is called masked or latent. On what grounds can you suspect this disorder in yourself or in a loved one?
Signs and Symptoms of Disguised Depression
The first thing to understand and remember in the context of latent depression is that, as a rule, a sick person is completely unaware of his current state. He does not even admit the thought that something might be wrong with his psyche. For a person in his picture of his world, there is no such thing as depression. He will look for other reasons and grounds, because of which certain symptoms appear, or he will not pay attention to any changes in his condition at all until it becomes very difficult.
Recognizing the latent form of depression can be difficult even for doctors; data from family, friends, and immediate environment can play an important role in making a diagnosis. Often from the outside, it is not difficult to suspect a masked depression in a person if you know what points to pay attention to.
Somatic, physiological symptoms of masked depression
In many cases, a person's appetite changes in this state. The patient can consume many times more food than before, while taste preferences also change. Depression is characterized by a craving for sweet, spicy, for any bright and rich tastes, exotic dishes. The desire to consume coffee or hot chocolate, cocoa more often, and regularly drink any alcoholic beverages also dominates. A person who previously hated sushi, but now constantly ordering them for himself, may himself wonder why he has such a craving for seafood. However, the patient cannot admit the thought that unconscious depression is to blame for everything. Another option is an almost complete or complete rejection of food. A person has to be fed literally by force.
Now the head splits, the heel hurts, then it presses on the neck, then it is hard and painful to breathe. For a patient with masked depression, algias are typical - these are certain painful sensations that can occur simultaneously in different parts of the body, while not having an organic cause. For a depressed patient, it becomes a habit to constantly feel pain, which in stressful or crisis situations, under the influence of nerves and experiences, can be very aggravated. The pain, as a rule, is different, from stabbing to dull and aching, while soreness is usually present in several parts of the body or organs at once. Psychogenic pain can “walk” the body in waves, disturb the stomach, then switch to muscles and joints, then affect the throat, etc.
Against the background of masked depression, the hormonal background changes, internal organs and systems begin to work differently, and libido decreases. A person eating a lot of food can lose weight. Often, against the background of latent depression, the patient has symptoms of gastrointestinal or heart disease. Depending on which organ (or system) is the weakest, imaginary violations will occur. The second reason: the physiological symptomatology will be equal to what disease (or what diseases) the person is very afraid of. If a patient with latent depression is very afraid that he will have liver problems, latent depression will begin to come out through this organ - typical symptoms of liver inflammation or cirrhosis will appear.
Despite the fact that latent (masked) depression often shows itself atypically, non-standard symptoms of the disorder come to the fore, it is characterized by a decrease in motor activity, fatigue, and drowsiness. However, periods of decline can quickly be replaced by activity, insomnia, vigor. Against the background of such changes, the patient's mood changes very sharply.
Psycho-emotional symptoms
- Mood swings, sometimes several times a day. Often, sweet foods or favorite activities, pleasant music have a positive effect on the patient's mood.
- Periodic affective outbursts. At certain points, the patient with latent depression may cease to control himself. This manifests itself in increased aggressiveness, hostility and irritability, or a person may, seemingly, burst into tears in a public place without any reason. After such episodes, a person usually feels very depressed, trying to find an excuse for himself.
- Increased suspiciousness. Dominant abnormal hypochondria.
- The onset of symptoms of anxiety disorders. Among the symptoms of latent depression, panic attacks may be present. Aggravation of phobias and fears. In general, emotions seem to become brighter.
- For a patient with masked depression, the presence of various obsessions is typical.
Other manifestations of depression under the mask
It is also possible to suspect the development of a depressive state in a person due to the following reasons:
- desire to attract attention by any means, seeking help, support, approval;
- fear of criticism;
- tendency to generalize; a depressed patient avoids specifics in his speech; for example, if his serious condition persists for only a couple of weeks, he will insist that he has lived like this all his life;
- tendency to existentialism and philosophizing; for a patient with latent (masked) depression, strange searches for meaning or hidden meanings of everything around become typical;
- a constant desire to take any medications or herbs, in some cases even a simple placebo relieves the patient's condition;
- in the context of latent depression, the standard symptoms of major depressive disorder rarely dominate; as a rule, the patient's speech is normal, not confused and understandable, not delayed; physical activity is usually present; consciousness is not confused, thoughts often have clear boundaries;
- a person who is often sick with depression tries to hide his state of mind under the guise of positive, he tries to help everyone and everyone, an incredible altruist wakes up in him; at the same time, a person is very afraid to cause anxiety and upset people who are next to him, therefore he tries to avoid complaints and demonstration of his condition;
- people with depression successfully and almost constantly look for excuses, only to be alone with themselves again and again, not to go on dates or parties; however, study or work can become those beacons that will support a person, since heightened responsibility may dominate in him during a period of depression;
- refusing to think that he is sick with depression, a person tries to independently find a way out of the situation, cope with his condition, come up with something that could improve his health and mood; this is dangerous in that at some point a depressed patient, whose instinct for self-preservation may be reduced, will engage in risky affairs, acquire dangerous habits, for example, narcotic;
- in moments of depression, a person begins to look at the world differently; in the context of the patient's condition, he may suddenly engage in creativity or his progress in creativity will be amazing.
