What is depression?
Depression is a mental disorder characterized by a low mood and feelings of sadness , associated with alterations in behavior, level of activity and thinking.
This mental illness is one of the most frequent in Primary Care, and one of the first causes in Psychiatric Care and of disability derived from mental problems.
While depression is true, when recognized early and treated appropriately, it generally responds well to treatment.
Types of depression
There are different types of depression, and the most common are:
- Major depression: This is characterized by having a more biological origin, and the genetic component influences with a greater percentage, with less influence from external factors. It may appear more recurrent and has a certain relationship with the year’s season.
- Reactive depression: This is characterized by having an origin in the influence of external factors, that is, by poor adaptation to stressful environmental circumstances.
Other more common forms of depression are:
- Postpartum depression.
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
- Seasonal affective disorder.
- Depression with psychotic features.
How do I know if I have depression? Symptoms of depression
Depression can occur in people of all ages, from older adults to adolescents and children.
Although some cases of depression are associated with organic diseases (such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s), this mental illness is generally generated by the interaction of certain biological factors (from hormonal changes to alterations in neurotransmitters). ) together with external psychosocial factors (a stressful work or emotional life) and personality factors.
How do I know if I have depression? Below, we detail the most common symptoms of depression:
- Having difficulty falling asleep.
- Having a recurring low mood.
- Tiredness and lack of energy or excess sleep.
- Feelings of hopelessness.
- Big change in appetite: either eat a lot or nothing.
- Self-hatred, feelings of worthlessness.
- Continually postpone activities.
- Repetitive thoughts of death or suicide.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Irritable mood.
It is important that, if you feel identified with the majority of the symptoms, and after two weeks they persist, we recommend that you see your primary care doctor so that he or she can help you and refer you, if necessary, to a specialist.
If we talk about a younger profile, this may present other types of symptoms, such as poor school performance, sleep problems and different behavior.
Difference between depression and anxiety
Both depression and anxiety are the two most common mental disorders in the world and although in some Sometimes they may be related, these disorders have differences from each other.
| Anxiety | Depression | |
| Interpretation | If the external or internal situation is seen as a threat, our alert system is triggered and a feeling of fear appears. | If we perceive the external or internal situation as a loss or failure, a feeling of sadness appears. |
| Appearance of symptoms | It manifests itself in such a way that imbalances appear at a cognitive and physiological level: such as abdominal pain, dizziness, headaches, rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, fatigue, tremors, insomnia problems or muscle tension, among others. | A feeling of guilt or lack of self-esteem, lack of concentration, drastic change in appetite, frequent feeling of tiredness, etc. are manifested. |
| Relationship with time | This is related to the fear that the patient may have regarding the future, and fear of unpleasant consequences that the patient assumes will happen. | This is related to the contempt of the patient himself and a deep sadness in the present moment. |
| Mood swings | There are no variations throughout the day. | It varies depending on the time of day (they usually feel worse when they get up) or depending on the season. |
| Ability to enjoy | This disorder, as a general rule, does not affect the loss of enjoyment. | It affects the loss of enjoyment. |
| Type of factors | They are affected by external factors such as alcohol, drugs or poor diets. | Psychological factors affect. |
How to treat depression
This mental illness, depression, is one of the most treatable medical illnesses, since around 80% of people who suffer from it improve with professional help; although obviously everything depends on the circumstances of each person, and the severity with which this pathology has been detected.
“Antidepressants serve to regulate natural brain chemicals such as serotonin or norepinephrine.”
As the main treatment, taking antidepressants is the best-known solution, and these must be prescribed by the family doctor or psychiatrist.
5 Tips to prevent depression
Next we are going to talk about 5 tips that can help prevent depression, they can even be good allies to treat it naturally and by making small changes in habits.
Healthy diet
It has always been said that food plays a fundamental role in our mood, and this is because if we lack protein, for example, it will be more difficult for us to secrete endorphins.
Some different fresh fruits and vegetables function as antioxidants, and that help protect the body from cell damage and oxidative stress. In short, a healthy diet can help avoid depression and improve mental well-being.
Get adequate rest: Sleep hygiene
Every day we give more importance to sleep hygiene, and there is a strong relationship between depression and insomnia. Lack of sleep exponentially increases the symptoms of depression, and this, together with the fact that it is one of the main symptoms, should be given the importance it deserves. Here are some tips to improve sleep naturally:
Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and large meals before going to sleep.
- Follow a healthy diet.
- Limit exposure to bright lights.
- Remove electrical equipment from the space where you sleep.
Sport to prevent depression
There is countless research that shows that physical activity can act as a natural antidepressant treatment, and this considerably improves physical and mental well-being.
Manage stress
Stress has a close relationship with depression or anxiety. People who have chronic stress are more susceptible to depression. This feeling of physical or emotional tension can significantly affect mental and physical health. While it is true that stress cannot always be avoided, small actions can be taken to prevent us from reaching this state, such as:
- Say no to additional demands.
- Take breaks from work.
- Practice meditation exercises.
- Practice exercise regularly.
Psychological assistance
Psychological counseling from a mental health professional can be very beneficial for patients suffering from depression.
These types of practices help identify underlying concerns that may add to depression. In this counseling, tools can be offered to learn specific strategies to overcome depression; In fact, there are countless types of therapy, so it is important to be patient to find which one brings us the most benefits to solve our depressive problem.
Sport helps treat depression
We have already mentioned that sport is a great ally to combat depression.
Playing sports is not only about running or going to the gym, on the contrary, exercise offers a wide range of activities that increase your level of activity so that we feel better.
Doing weight lifting exercises, playing soccer or running are activities that increase heart rate. But also doing small physical activities of daily life, such as walking around the block, walking to work, or doing other less intense activities, also have positive effects on your mood.
Especially when it comes to the principle of detecting pathology, apathy is going to make it more difficult to do more intense physical exercises, which is why we have to start with small day-to-day changes that help us improve. For example, doing small activities of just 10 to 15 minutes can make a difference. This will gradually lead to the ideal state of exercising 30 minutes or more a day, 3 to 5 times a week.
But we also have to have a realistic mentality, and the benefits of maintaining an active life can only last if the habit of doing sports is maintained in the long term, which is why we must seek a physical activity that suits us, we enjoy it and helps us combat depression.
Electrostimulation as an ally to treat depression
Electrostimulation as an ally to your sports activities can be a fundamental tool to treat depression, and there are numerous benefits that EMS (Electro Muscular Stimulation) provides.
Wiemspro electrostimulation bases its operation on involuntary muscle contractions produced by electrodes located in the electrostimulation suits. This system offers unique benefits such as:
- Reduces muscle tension: When training with electrostimulation is performed, blood circulation through the muscles is promoted, which can help release muscle tension.
- Relieves stress: The muscle contractions offered by electrostimulation increase the production of endorphins, which helps block pain detectors in the brain. It also reduces blood pressure.
- Enhances rest: After training, the level of adrenaline decreases considerably, this promotes a state of relaxation, both physically and mentally.
- Muscle relaxation: The Wiemspro system is designed so that at the end of each workout, each user is treated with a muscle relaxation program in the form of a massage.
These are some of the benefits that the Wiemspro system offers.
Conclusion
If you think you may suffer from depression, we recommend that you contact your family doctor and try to follow the natural advice that we have offered you in this post with the aim of improving your mood and trying to improve mental and physical health.
In general having healthy habits will give you natural tools to avoid suffering from this mental disorder that is depression, and even help treat it.
