Depression is a disease of modern man. Almost every person has suffered from depression at least once in their life. It has specific symptoms that cannot be confused with other conditions. Depression is also divided into types, among which autumn depression is distinguished as the most frequent and widespread. In severe cases, autumn depression must be subjected to special treatment. In mild cases, the person himself can get rid of the depressed state.
Features of autumn depression are:
- Prostration.
- Depressed mood.
- Apathy.
It is in the fall that a sharp change in emotional state occurs, which is not so obvious at other times of the year. What is this connected with?
Psychologists from the online magazine psytheater.com identify many causes of autumn depression. Among them you can consider:
- Nostalgia for the bygone warmth, summer vacation.
- Reluctance to return to hard everyday life and work.
- A sharp change in appetite and physical condition, which depends on changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure.
- Rainy weather, cloudy days, sudden changes in the amount of daytime sun.
- Rapid decrease in daylight hours as nights become longer.
In fact, depression can be caused not so much by changes in the seasons, but by life circumstances. It just so happened that it appeared in the autumn, when a person feels an increased desire to eat a lot of food, dress warmly, accumulate fat, etc.
Life circumstances arise at any time of the year. However, they are much easier to correct when the body receives all the necessary nutrients. This only happens in the summer. In autumn, the body begins to experience various deficiencies of vitamins and nutrients, sun and air baths. All this affects the amount of strength and energy.
What are the signs and symptoms of depression?
Emotional:
melancholy, depressed mood, anxiety, irritability, despair, guilt, dissatisfaction with oneself, low self-esteem, loss of interest in what is happening.
Physiological:
sleep disturbances (insomnia, drowsiness), changes in appetite (loss or overeating), intestinal dysfunction (constipation), decreased sexual needs, increased fatigue.
Mental:
difficulty concentrating, concentrating; the predominance of gloomy, negative thoughts about yourself, about your life, about the world as a whole; a pessimistic view of the future, thoughts of suicide, a feeling of uselessness and helplessness.
Behavioral:
avoidance of contact with other people, refusal of entertainment, passivity, lack of desire to do anything.
What are the causes of depression? What types of depression are there?
Very often, depression is caused by various difficult events in life: dismissal, divorce, illness, loss of a loved one, retirement, etc.
The traumatic impact of this event is so great that, as a defense mechanism, the psyche reacts with inhibition and a decline in mental activity.
Apathy, melancholy, and lack of interest in what is happening appear. And to begin with, depression plays a positive role, it kind of relieves pain and helps a person survive and cope with a stressful situation.
But if this state drags on, then the person ceases to feel the taste of life, becomes a shadow, suffering internally and bringing suffering to others. Depression of this kind is called reactive .
There are other types of causes of depression They are not events in a person’s personal life, and I’m talking about more global processes associated with economic crises, instability in society, wars, unrest, unemployment, etc.
All this is not so obvious and bright, but it very significantly determines our mental well-being: how confidently we look into the future, how strong is the feeling of our safety and security.
Therefore, in turbulent times, during periods of economic downturn, a person’s level of anxiety increases, and at the same time, the number of people susceptible to deep depression also increases.
Another type of depression is endogenous depression. It is believed that in this case the causes of depression are in the biochemical imbalance of the body.
It differs from reactive in that there may be no external causes or they are insignificant (for example, someone stepped on their feet in transport). But the person experiences all the same manifestations of depression as in the first case.
Hereditary factors are important here. Scientists have found that the risk of its occurrence increases 2-3 times if a person’s direct relatives also suffered from this disease.
Postpartum also occurs . This is a special topic that requires a separate approach, and we will not touch on it today.
Another type of depression is very common - seasonal . With the onset of autumn, many people experience bouts of blues. And the reasons for such depression for some are associated with a lack of warmth, for others with a lack of vitamins, and for others with too much clothing. But the main thing is the lack of sunlight and heat.
Methods of disposal
How to get rid of autumn depression? One of the most pressing questions in the autumn period, to which almost every fifth representative of the fair sex will receive an answer. The main desire. If it is present, then everything will be fine. Thus, ways to combat autumn depression can be divided into several types.
You should start with proper nutrition, which should be balanced and not too high in calories. It is good to eat foods that are rich in protein, as this will help maintain physical strength. Experts do not recommend going on a diet at this time, but as a last resort, you should opt for a more gentle one.
If a person greets a new day in a bad mood, then the following products will help lift it:
- White bread;
- bananas;
- chocolate;
- cheese;
- milk;
- meat;
- fish;
- dry wine.
Of course, this is not a complete list, but the most common. You should also consume more vitamins, especially A and C. They can be found in fresh vegetables and fruits or bought at the pharmacy as special preparations. You need to eat what you love. But you need to stick to small portions if the food you choose is high in calories.
Strong tea and coffee are good tonic drinks in autumn weather. But you shouldn't abuse them. It is better to drink more fluids, such as freshly squeezed juices and still water. After all, dehydration of the body has an extremely negative impact on well-being.
Playing sports will help you avoid falling into autumn depression. This could be regular training with a professional at the gym or at least ten minutes of exercise in the morning. And it will really help you cheer up and put your feelings in order. You can also start visiting the pool, because swimming is a great thing that will make you cheer up. Fitness and aerobics classes will help you get positive emotions. In addition to sports, depression can be treated with yoga. To relax and direct your thoughts in the right direction, it is good to practice meditation.
For many people, the question of how to survive autumn depression needs to be answered in the right attitude towards themselves, and first of all, towards their appearance. Under no circumstances should you give up on yourself. You can visit a beauty salon and immediately get yourself in order. Or get a manicure, pedicure and banal styling, or even better, decide on a radical change in your image: a fashionable haircut or change of hair color. It would be nice to pamper yourself with a professional massage, which will help you relax and forget about all the troubles. True, everything should be in moderation.
What to do?
Reactive depression is well treated with psychotherapy. The goal is to unearth what was the root cause of depression and deal with the situation correctly.
Deep depression of an endogenous nature at the first stage is often treated with antidepressants. At the same time, it is also important to undergo psychotherapy so that there is no return to the previous state.
Today, new methods have been developed to determine the mechanisms of occurrence of such “unreasonable” depressions, and there are work methods that give very good results in a non-drug way.
Autumn depression
Today I would like to dwell in more detail on autumn depression (seasonal depression). There are some differences in the symptoms of this depression: along with low mood, feelings of anxiety and decreased activity, people experience sleepiness during the day and increased appetite .
During this period, there is a greater consumption of foods rich in carbohydrates, and accordingly, weight gain occurs. As a rule, general tone decreases, weakness, weakness and general malaise appear.
Mental performance decreases, memory and attention deteriorate. It is characteristic that the manifestation of these symptoms practically does not depend on external stress and they are often more pronounced in the morning after waking up.
Symptoms
This type of depression, although named after the time of year, can actually cause a mental breakdown at any time. The symptoms of the disease are as follows:
- Complete refusal of the patient from active actions, apathy.
- Chronic fatigue. It is not relieved by rest or prolonged sleep.
- Longing for no reason.
- Bad dream.
- Reluctance to communicate with anyone.
- Unreasonable anger, high irritability.
- Increased sensitivity.
- The occurrence of frequent headaches.
- Problems with the digestive organs.
- Very poor appetite.
- Soreness and muscle cramps for no apparent reason.
In most cases, these symptoms go away for many with the end of the autumn season. Most often, a person does not require any drug treatment.
But in some patients, autumn depression continues for quite a long period. Therefore, such people need to be shown to specialists. Such patients have a tendency to talk about death, they refuse to eat, and go into a fictitious reality.
This is a clear symptom of a mental disorder that cannot be cured on its own.
The patient's relatives should immediately take him to the doctor and have him examined.
Where does autumn depression come from, why does it happen?
Its appearance is associated with disturbances in the metabolism of serotonin, a biologically active substance that has an effect on mood.
Experimental studies have shown that serotonin levels in the brain are lower in autumn and winter than in summer. An important regulator of serotonin metabolism is melatonin, an active substance whose production depends on the amount of light.
Accordingly, one of the main treatment methods is light therapy. That is, special attention should be paid to the presence of light, both natural and artificial, in your daily life.
We offer a number of general recommendations that will help smooth out and possibly prevent these protracted negative conditions.
Prevention
How not to fall into autumn depression, and how to avoid autumn depression - these are eternal questions. The arrival of autumn is always accompanied by cold weather and rain. Well, how can you not be sad here? Even the most cheerful and optimistic person can fall into the blues.
In order to prevent this from happening, you need to know not only how to deal with the autumn blues, but also several ways to prevent this condition.
In some cases, people specifically take medications, such as antidepressants. But under no circumstances should you prescribe medications on your own. Before using them, you must consult your doctor. Even if you take them every fall.
Very often, doctors prescribe thymostabilizers as a preventative measure. These are special substances that help reduce mood swings. These include:
- lithium carbonate;
- carbamazepine and others.
You can also simply follow these tips:
- Nutrition should be varied and balanced. In addition, you need to eat regularly so that the body constantly receives the necessary dose of energy and nutrients.
- Systematic exercise also helps prevent autumn depression. Physical activity should be selected based on the capabilities of your body.
- It is necessary to give up bad habits, such as smoking and drinking alcohol. Only a small sip of good red wine is allowed. And systematic consumption of beer or strong alcoholic drinks contributes to the development of depression.
- Regular sleep and rest are especially necessary for the body in the fall. Don't overload yourself with work. This will negatively affect your health.
By taking these tips into account, you can easily cope with autumn depression.
Summer is gone, and with it the warmth and bright sun. They are replaced by the autumn wind, fallen leaves, and drizzling rain. Here, like it or not, you’ll feel sad just by looking out of the window onto the street. How to get rid of the autumn blues?
How to get out of autumn depression?
Psychologist's advice:
- Since at the moment of depression all processes are inhibited, including at the physical level, one of the first steps to a successful exit can be any physical activity: walking, exercise, swimming pool, gym, dancing, etc.
The key word here is intensity and fast rhythm. The easiest way to start building up is from the physical plane. You can also add a solarium, massage and, for women, any cosmetic procedures.
- Autumn depression is associated with a lack of light and color. Accordingly, it is recommended to pay attention to evening lighting. It shouldn't be dull. Scientists have found that the presence of sufficient artificial light in the autumn-winter period leads to an increase in tone and a positive attitude towards life.
You can also add a few bright accessories to the interior (preferably in warm colors - for example, yellow or orange) and to clothes. This will bring greater positivity and improve your mood.
- Depression can be accompanied by monotony in life. If your life is too predictable, too monotonous, then the subconscious perceives this as a dead end, stagnation, everything stops, and the person begins to feel as if in a cage, unfree and unhappy.
Lack of emotions in life leads to sensory deprivation. Accordingly, filling life with emotional events will satisfy sensory hunger and help get out of depression .
This is why entertainment shows, theatrical performances, musical evenings and rock concerts are so in demand in society. That is why people on weekends tend to go to shopping and entertainment venues of lower quality, but still, for some time, it reduces the person’s strongest need for impressions.
- Creative people know that the best way to get out of depression is creativity itself. Therefore, if you have any idea about creativity, implement it now and, paradoxically, it will quite quickly get you out of a painful state and bring a lot of energy and positivity.
- Another piece of advice is not to isolate yourself, but to make contact with other people by any means possible. At the same time, it is very important to “turn on” a positive attitude. And even if at first it looks artificial, don’t stop. After a while, the inner game can become a pleasant reality.
I wish you to get out of depression as soon as possible and start enjoying life!
If you have any questions about the article
Autumn as a subtotal
Autumn is perceived as a period of summing up interim results not only by older people, but also by many young men and women. Remember, do you think about this in the fall? The end of the calendar year is approaching, there is still a lot to do, but what have you managed to do already?
And it's good if you can answer this question satisfactorily. And many are beginning to understand that the year is coming to an end, but what was planned has not yet been fulfilled. This also makes me sad. The main thing is not to give up.
If you miss the moment, then sad thoughts will begin to accumulate like a snowball and it will become very difficult. So what is it? Do the vast majority of people experience autumn depression? But depression is not a mood, it’s already a diagnosis. Or is it just a blues that you can deal with on your own? Let's figure it out.
