Look the enemy in the face and don’t turn away. Depression: symptoms, how to fight

Medical information is reliable Checked by Shaidullin Renat Flyurovich

Depression is a disease of our time, as the disorder is called at the everyday level. Every day the number of recorded cases is growing; according to statistics, about 20% of the population of countries with a good standard of living suffers from it. The disease is serious; when the first signs appear, you should contact a specialist. Treatment of depression will help you return to normal life, get rid of apathy and bad mood, and increase your ability to work.

The difficulty of therapy is that patients are very little aware of the causes of the disorder and its consequences. Prolonged mental and physical illness is often mistaken for bad character, whims, and constant dissatisfaction, so they do not pay attention to it. The condition does not go away on its own; you need the help of a specialist. At Dr. Isaev’s Clinic, the patient is not only prescribed a therapeutic course, but also relapse prevention is carried out, information is provided about the preconditions for the disorder and ways to avoid them.

Signs of Depression

Under certain circumstances, this condition can occur in every person, regardless of gender, age and social status. Depression is a type of mental illness accompanied by a persistent decrease in mood. A person remains in this state for more than two weeks continuously; he experiences a decrease in memory and concentration, loss of interest in life, and retardation of movements. In the absence of timely treatment, the patient loses the ability to live and work fully for many months and even years, and the possibility of attempting to commit suicide cannot be ruled out.

How can experts help?

Chronic depression is easily treatable if diagnosed early. Typically, therapy is carried out in several directions at once:

• medical assistance. Various antidepressants are successfully used to combat depression in any of its manifestations. The choice of a specific drug is made by the doctor based on the patient’s condition, since these drugs have a fairly large number of side effects. Antidepressants are taken for a long time, the course of treatment is six months or more. Stopping taking this type of medication is done gradually, over two to three weeks, and this must also be done under the supervision of a doctor;
• psychotherapy is aimed at improving the psycho-emotional state of the patient. The doctor can use various techniques, for example, cognitive psychotherapy, family therapy, etc. The patient, under the guidance of a psychotherapist, learns to control his thoughts and behavior, forms adequate self-esteem, and also acquires skills to combat depression in the future;
• assistive methods include therapy aimed at obtaining positive emotions. Music, fine arts, communication with animals - all this has a positive effect on the mental and emotional state of a person for any type of mental disorder.

In addition, the patient will be advised to engage in active sports, adhere to healthy eating principles and give up bad habits, for example, quit smoking or stop drinking alcohol.

Depression causes

According to statistics, about 90% of diagnoses are made to people who are in a state of chronic stress or experiencing acute psychological trauma. The body cannot cope with this influence of external factors on its own, the psyche fails, depressive episodes are a kind of defensive reaction.

Conditions arising due to severe psychological trauma are considered reactive. They can be triggered by the following events in the patient’s life:

• disability due to health and absence of serious illnesses;
• detection of a malignant tumor;
• conflicts at work, constant tension in relationships with colleagues;
• serious illness of a close relative;
• death of a loved one;
• divorce from your beloved spouse;
• retirement;
• rapid decline in financial levels;
• moving to another city and other factors that can be a real shock for a person.

Depression is not always formed on the basis of negative events. Sometimes the disease occurs when an important life goal is achieved, when a person experiences great success. The patient gets what he wanted. He suddenly loses the meaning of life, he no longer needs to make every effort for a specific result. The situation is aggravated if there are no other life goals at this moment.

A separate category includes depressive neurosis, which develops against a background of constant stress. In this case, it is not always possible to establish the specific cause that became the trigger for the pathology. The patient describes his life as a chain of constantly recurring failures that haunt him every day.

A depressive state of the psychogenic type is more typical for women, while older people suffer from the disease more often than young people. In our society, there are two extreme poles of financial well-being - poverty and wealth. This social scale causes a person to feel dissatisfied with himself if he constantly approaches the first category.

Additional provoking factors will be:

• pessimistic outlook on life;
• low self-esteem, constant self-flagellation;
• loss of parents, loved ones, friends;
• emotional violence against a person;
• physical aggression that the child experienced at an early age;
• predisposition to drug addiction and alcoholism;
• lack of support from others, their indifference towards the person.

Each of these factors in itself is not dangerous; if desired, a person can easily ignore it or seek help from a psychotherapist. If there are several of them, the situation becomes more complicated, the experiences become more intense and acute. In this case, drug treatment may be required.

For example, in a teenager, the period of growing up is associated with intensive growth of all organs and systems; pregnancy and menopause in women are accompanied by hormonal storms. This is fertile ground for the development of a melancholic mood and ever-increasing dissatisfaction with oneself. During these periods, experiences take on a negative connotation; the world around often seems hostile and indifferent.

Organic brain lesions, as well as physical diseases, are classified into a separate category. Cerebrovascular accidents, strokes and heart attacks, traumatic brain injuries, coronary heart disease, and stomach ulcers are also among the sources of depression listed by experts. Against the backdrop of the development of such diseases, depression manifests itself clearly and clearly.

Antidepressants

Amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant with a pronounced sedative (calming) effect, remains a powerful and fast-acting drug for depression. It is convenient in that it can also be used by injection in the form of droppers and injections.

Also included in the group of tricyclic antidepressants are imipramine, doxepin, mianserin, trazodone and lofepramine. They are usually well tolerated, have a pronounced therapeutic effect, and doctors have accumulated experience in their use for various mental conditions.

There is a separate class of tetracyclic antidepressants. They differ somewhat in action. Thus, lerivon has a longer duration of action and a good hypnotic effect.

The second popular group of antidepressants are MAO inhibitors (monoamine oxidase). This large group of drugs, unfortunately, has become less widespread due to more pronounced side effects, elimination through the liver in almost 100% form, unwanted interactions with other medications and a special diet that excludes the consumption of cheese, liver and alcohol. But moclobemide can be prescribed as the medicine of choice, imipramine can be prescribed for senile (senile) depression, selegiline is used for Parkinson’s disease. They have a good stimulating effect and can activate an elderly patient. Iprazide is a selective representative of this group with a powerful antidepressant effect. But now it is rarely used due to possible undesirable effects and long-term presence in the patient’s body.

SSRIs for depression

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the latest generation antidepressants. They have good anti-anxiety properties, stabilize mood and almost do not cause drowsiness. Most drugs in this group are well tolerated, there is a large selection of drugs - you can choose a drug for each patient: fluoxetine, escitalopram, paroxetine, sertraline and many others. The mechanism of antidepressant action is based on blocking the uptake of serotonin in the chain of transmission from the nerve to the blood. Thus, it is preserved in a free form and replenishes the deficiency of serotonin in the body. Some representatives of this class have the same effect in relation to dopamine and norepinephrine, which also has a beneficial effect on maintaining mental balance under stress, when the amount of these mediators rapidly decreases.

Antidepressants are now the most popular medications for a wide variety of mental and physical illnesses. They are able to relieve certain types of pain (for example, migraine). They are often prescribed for psychosomatic diseases: hypertension, gastric ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome. Treatment of fears, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anorexia/bulimia and many other diseases occurs with the addition of an antidepressant to the drug regimen.

In view of this, people taking antidepressants have many questions about their use. Let's try to answer at least some of them.

Depression symptoms

For each person, signs of depression can manifest themselves differently, it all depends on the stage and form of the pathology. Symptoms occur at different levels, affecting all aspects of the emotional sphere and behavioral reactions of the patient.

Emotional manifestation:

• deep depression is accompanied by a loss of the ability to experience simple human feelings (anger, joy, surprise, fear);
• there is no interest in surrounding events and people;
• those activities that previously evoked pleasant emotions are of no interest to the patient at all;
• a person is dissatisfied with himself, his appearance;
• lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem;
• constant feeling of guilt, even if the objective reason for this is not determined;
• the patient often blames himself for everything, without necessarily saying it out loud;
• increased irritability, nervousness;
• depressed and depressed mood;
• often falls into despair;
• the patient is characterized by melancholy and suffering;
• the feeling of internal tension increases;
• a subconscious expectation of trouble arises;
• increased anxiety even in the absence of any reason.

Fears about the health of loved ones are constantly present in depressed patients. They understand that they cannot do or change anything in this situation. Anxiety is also associated with fears of appearing stupid or ineffective in the eyes of the public. Going to a psychiatric clinic is the first step on the path to recovery.

The manifestation of the disease at the physical level is expressed in the following:

• sleep disturbance (constant daytime sleepiness or insomnia);
• complete loss of appetite or uncontrolled eating;
• decreased libido, sexual needs cease to interest the patient;
• disruption of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract (constipation or diarrhea);
• increased fatigue and chronic fatigue;
• decreased energy level, exhaustion, feeling of lack of strength.

Even with ordinary physical or intellectual stress, general weakness of the body, unpleasant sensations in the body and pain of varying intensity occur.

Behavioral symptoms of depression:

• it is impossible to involve a person in any activity that involves the implementation of a certain algorithm of actions;
• he refuses entertainment;
• There is a tendency towards solitude and avoidance of social contacts.

A depressed state can change the intensity of cognitive processes:

• there are difficulties when trying to concentrate on any subject;
• concentration suffers;
• the patient experiences problems if he needs to make some decision and cannot rationally “weigh” the risks;
• he constantly doubts whether he is doing the right thing, turning over the situation in his head, and in the end he never comes to a definite opinion;
• constantly thinks about his own helplessness, insignificance for others;
• thinking is slow, which is very noticeable to others;
• in severe cases, thoughts of suicide occur, and the likelihood of committing it is high.

If there are two or more symptoms from this list, and they are observed in the patient for 2 weeks or more, the doctor may diagnose depression. The selection of effective treatment depends on which type of disorder the patient has:

• Dysthymia.

This is a mild variant of the disease, which begins in adolescence and is formed against the background of intrapersonal conflicts, problems with parents, and constantly changing hormonal levels. People around him believe that this is a manifestation of a difficult character; such a person is called a melancholic or a pessimist.

• Depressive episode.

This condition arose in the patient for the first time in his life; it did not have time to develop into a severe form. A short-term but memorable case of total sadness, exhaustion, lack of interest in everything that was happening.

• Bipolar affective disorder.

Characterized by alternating moments of bad mood and pathological joy, the patient’s life is constantly between these two poles. He seems to float on the waves of mood, constantly moving from one peak of emotions to another.

• Recurrent depressive disorder.

These episodes recur every few years, after which they may go away on their own. The pathology must be treated in a psychiatric center for a long time with the help of psychotherapy and periodic courses of medications.

Depression in the context of bipolar disorder

Depression often manifests itself as part of bipolar affective disorder (manic-depressive psychosis).

Most often, with this disorder, people end up in a psychiatric hospital at the time of a manic state, and depression either goes unnoticed or, with the first subtle depressive episode, goes under a different name. And only then, when the stages are repeated, a full and more accurate diagnosis is made.

The manifestation of depression in bipolar disorder has its own characteristics. Firstly, depressive periods here are much longer than manic episodes. Secondly, a decrease in mood after mania is more difficult for patients, because the decline of strength against the backdrop of recovery subjectively seems more depressing. And, thirdly, in its characteristics it resembles endogenous, but it can also have hypomanic inclusions: increased appetite, agitation (excitement with elements of anxiety and motor restlessness) and inadequate fun.

Depression scale

If a patient has doubts about the state of his health, and he is sufficiently informed in matters of mental disorders, it will not be difficult during self-diagnosis to determine the presence of a depressive episode.

The 21-item Beck Depression Inventory is used for this purpose. It contains several statements, in each of them you need to select only one option. This phrase should reflect the thoughts and feelings of a person at the current moment as accurately as possible.

You need to answer questions as truthfully as possible and be sincere with yourself. As a result, it is necessary to calculate the total number of points; the lower their number, the lower the likelihood of depression.

If you have alarming results on the Beck scale, you should contact a specialist; you can make an appointment at Dr. Isaev’s Clinic any day. This should be done immediately if you are experiencing panic attacks due to nervous exhaustion.

Depression in men

Constitutional differences between the male and female body lead to the fact that mental disorders have different manifestations. This condition in a man is often unnoticeable to those around him; the patient tries to appear joyful and cheerful, telling everyone about the absence of problems.

The depressive triad, characteristic of men, is expressed as follows:

• anhedonia – the ability to experience pleasure and joy is reduced or absent;
• changes in thinking processes - new, sometimes absurd, judgments arise, negativism and pessimism predominate;
• motor retardation, slowness.

One of the reasons for the development of the disease in the stronger sex is erectile dysfunction. Decreased libido, lack of attraction to the opposite sex, fear of being ridiculed by a partner causes a feeling of slight dissatisfaction with oneself, and then turns into a severe form, accompanied by a feeling of one’s own helplessness and insignificance, the man does not feel strong and self-confident.

Depression in women

There are several factors that lead to the development of depression in women. Among them are the following categories:

• Biological

The disorder develops slowly and gradually under the influence of changes in the body. Increased nervous excitability, decreased levels of norepinephrine or serotonin, and hormonal imbalance lead to pathology. The situation is aggravated if the body lacks vitamins, microelements and other useful substances.

• Social

This group of factors is associated with frequent stress, bad habits, polluted environment, increased physical and emotional activity. The female body is weaker than the male; it is not able to withstand such loads for a long time. The psyche is depleted, various unfavorable states arise, including depressive ones.

• Interpersonal relationships

Psychotraumatic events that occur in a woman's life can cause this disorder. Among them are:

• death of a loved one;
• long-term separation or complete breakup of relationships;
• lack of understanding on the part of relatives;
• constant dissatisfaction with your appearance, excess weight or physical characteristics;
• professional dissatisfaction.

The combination of these factors threatens an increase in symptoms and a gradual deterioration in a woman’s health.

The lack of joy in life radically changes the patient’s character; he becomes melancholic, constantly dissatisfied with himself and his loved ones, and makes complaints about everyone, even if there is no reason for this.

Varieties

The disease, collectively referred to as “depression,” has several different types. Currently, the following varieties are distinguished:

• Psychogenic. Characterized by slow but steady development in people with a weak personality type.
• Neurotic. The main factor in the development of this type of depression is constant stressful situations.
• Somatogenic. Occurs under the influence of severe chronic diseases.
• Postpartum. It develops after the birth of a child and in overly impressionable mothers, as well as in women deprived of moral support from loved ones.

Postpartum depression

After the pregnancy period has been successfully overcome and a woman gives birth to a child, she may experience a different range of feelings and sensations on the physical level. Postpartum depression is an atypical mental disorder that can be dangerous for the new mother and her environment.

It is important to understand that childbirth represents enormous stress for the psyche and a great test for the body. Psychological assistance is necessary for the patient in case of serious deviations from the norm. This condition occurs during the first 3 months after birth and can be mild or severe.

Among the provoking factors, experts identify:

• excessive physical exertion associated with caring for a newborn;
• the pregnancy was difficult or unwanted;
• inability to breastfeed;
• financial difficulties;
• dysfunction of the nervous system, which began even before birth;
• conflicts with a partner (separation, quarrels, infidelity);
• moral exhaustion of the body;
• unjustified expectations of a young mother;
• lack of help at home from close relatives.

This disorder can be distinguished from others by a number of specific signs. The doctor diagnoses and prescribes medications; self-medication in this case threatens to worsen the condition. Among the symptoms characteristic of women are:

• Regular complaints of excessive fatigue, lack of energy, loneliness. This is accompanied by mood swings, euphoria is often replaced by causeless sadness, and outbursts of anger occur that the woman is unable to control. She often cries, becomes hysterical, and does not respond to attempts to calm her down.
• Panic fear. Usually it concerns the health of the newborn, the mother has fears that he may suddenly die or something will happen to him. A gloomy vision of the future becomes dominant, the imagination draws terrible pictures of events that could happen in a few hours or days. Articles about accidents and illnesses read on the Internet are automatically “tried on” to oneself.
• The feeling of guilt does not leave a woman; even the smallest failure plunges her into a world of fear and self-flagellation.
• Provoking conflict. Often a young mother throws tantrums every day for any reason, she becomes grumpy, and she herself looks for reasons to quarrel with her husband or loved ones. People around them attribute these symptoms to whims and bad character, so they do not respond to them in a timely manner.

Types and forms of depression

Depressive episode

– perhaps the most common variant of the disease. It lasts from 2 weeks to a year, and about a third of patients encounter it only once in their entire lives. It is absolutely necessary to treat it, because otherwise it may develop again.

Recurrent depression, or periodic depressive disorder:

As a rule, it begins to develop in adolescence, and appears as alternating phases of severe, severe depression and normal mood, each of which can last from months to several years. Actually, it is precisely this that is understood as “classical” or “clinical” depression. This is severe depression, the symptoms of which are very noticeable and affect all areas of life.

Chronic depression

, also known as dysthymia: its symptoms are much milder, but last much longer - from 2 years - than in the case of a periodic course of the disease.

Bipolar type 1

: This type of depression occurs in people with bipolar personality disorder (BD), and consists of changing phases - manic, depressive and normal mood. With mania, a person is in an excellent mood, he is active, sleeps little, is not reasonable, loves unjustified risks, and his social behavior, to put it mildly, is not entirely normal. After this, the patient becomes literally “squeezed out” emotionally and often experiences depression. With proper treatment, the condition will normalize, but if everything is left to chance, the mania will return and everything will go in a circle.

Bipolar depression type 2

: more similar to periodic than to bipolar disorder, and a person with a similar diagnosis may even look like a completely normal person, since his manic and depressive phases are not as pronounced as in the previous case.

Atypical depression

: Looks like noticeable but not severe mood swings, overeating, panic attacks and drowsiness.

Anxiety-depressive disorder

: similar to depression, but its symptoms are more related to anxiety - a feeling of tightness in the chest, dizziness, weakness, headaches, increased heart rate and difficulty breathing.

Seasonal depression

similar to atypical with its eating disorders, drowsiness and mood disturbances, and occurs with the change of seasons, most often in autumn or winter.

Depressive psychotic episode, or delusional depression

. The essence of this type of depression is that patients experience hallucinations - it seems to them that they hear, see and feel something that is not really there, they often become fixated on some idea - for example, that they are to blame for something, or that the end of the world is coming soon.

Depression test

The psychological tools that psychiatrists, psychologists and psychotherapists use in their work have certain specifics. These can be tests, questionnaires, questionnaires, projective techniques. The difficulty lies in the correct interpretation of the material received from the patient.

It is strictly not recommended for patients to use their own intuition and information on the Internet. The patient may misdiagnose himself and prescribe medications that are not required in his case.

Moreover, most tranquilizers, antidepressants and other strong drugs are available only with a doctor's prescription. The use of dubious remedies will not only not help, but will also aggravate the situation and increase the level of intensity of symptoms.

In addition to tests, Dr. Isaev’s clinic performs diagnostics using modern equipment, which can be used to determine the presence of concomitant diseases. In some cases, treatment must begin with them, since such pathologies complicate the clinical picture.

How to get out of depression

Psychologists advise to be attentive to your body, at the first signs of depressive episodes, try to help yourself before visiting a doctor. It is important to follow these rules:

1. There is no need to avoid a bad state and mood and hate yourself for it. The patient must accept himself as he is at a particular moment. This is a normal phenomenon that occurs under the influence of external and internal factors. Depression must be fought, but this must be done gently, without putting strong pressure on the psyche.
2. Redirecting focus to another activity. Reading books, riding a bike, going to the gym, swimming, and changing the environment helps a lot. If finances and time allow, you can go on a trip, see many interesting and new places, in this case the apathy often goes away on its own. Perhaps the person simply lacked impressions.
3. You need to get rid of the fear of losing your positive emotions. Manifestations of joy, euphoria, and pleasure should be enjoyed at the moment they appear, and not constantly replay bygone times in your thoughts.
4. Communication with new people, interesting contacts. You can go to an exhibition, cinema or theater, meet interesting interlocutors, let others help. There is no need to be afraid of being rejected or not needed; in most cases, such experiments end successfully.
5. The psychotherapist will recommend meditations that can be used when the first symptoms of depression approach. Such techniques help develop a sense of inner integrity.
6. Normalization of sleep and rest patterns. An exhausted body needs help first. A full eight-hour sleep helps restore its reserves and promotes inner peace.

What to do if a loved one is depressed

Create a safe, comfortable place

With depression, a person may feel like they don't feel safe. Try to make your home a comfortable place to stay. Change the decor a little: hang new curtains, decorate the room with decorative elements and textiles.

Do not forget to take care of the microclimate in the room of a patient with depression. Elevated levels of carbon dioxide (i.e. feeling stuffy) reduce concentration, cause fatigue, low mood and restless sleep. The CO₂ concentration begins to exceed the norm by 2 times after half an hour to an hour of staying indoors.

To ensure a constant flow of fresh air, you can open the window - but dust, dirt, allergens, and noise will enter through the window from the street. It is possible to ventilate the room even with the windows closed - using a breather.

Breezer is a compact supply ventilation with air purification. The device takes air from the street using a fan and passes it through three filters - from large contaminants, from the smallest particles of dust and allergens, and from harmful gases and unpleasant odors. In cold weather, the breather heats the supply air to a comfortable temperature.

Don't devalue

Even if a person's problems seem to be minor, this does not mean that he is not experiencing serious difficulties. Don’t hint at a lack of effort, don’t call on you to pull yourself together and pull yourself together - a person may really not have the strength to get out of this state on his own.

Stop phrases that should not be used when a person is depressed:

• Don't be sad
• You're making it all up
• Nothing terrible is happening to you, but children in Africa...
• Stop whining, pull yourself together
• Get your act together!
• You could get rid of depression if you wanted
• You are to blame for your mood

If a person wants to speak out and trust, try not to interrupt, not to ignore complaints, not to take them for nothing, and not to reproach them. Show your involvement in what is happening: ask clarifying questions, you can give similar examples from your life, tell how you dealt with similar situations.

Don't give harsh advice

This partly relates to depreciation, but we decided to highlight this point separately. Depression is a serious illness that cannot be cured by motherwort or herbal tea. Even if you sincerely want to help and support, monosyllabic and harsh advice like “just go in for sports” or “drink valerian” can cause irritation and thoughts that you do not take depression seriously.

If there is anything to advise, then contact a psychologist or psychotherapist, and then a psychiatrist, if necessary. Sometimes a person does not feel the strength to go to a specialist. If so, then unobtrusively offer help: choose a suitable specialist together on the Internet and go to him for a consultation.

Avoid fake fun

When providing support, you should not use deliberate encouragement or feigned liveliness - you may be betrayed by falseness in your voice, which will be perceived as a frivolous attitude towards the disease.

With depression, people feel especially vulnerable and are able to overreact even to harmless words. Be careful when expressing irony, sarcasm and jokes in general. Check the reaction to certain statements - if the person seems more depressed or irritable than usual, discuss it.

Help with everyday difficulties

A depressed person puts enormous effort into simple everyday things. Help him: go to the store with him, offer to cook dinner, take on some of the household responsibilities.

Praise for small victories

With depression, any rise from the couch is already an act of heroism. Show that you see and appreciate all the efforts put in. Praise even for tiny achievements, the same way a child is praised for his first steps, for example: “Did you cook dinner yourself today? You're a big lad! I know how hard any activity is for you, and I’m glad that you managed to cook such a delicious dish.”

Do not break contact if it is “slipping”

It is easy to support when a person expresses sadness and helplessness. But depression is not always characterized by these feelings. People may be more irritable and depressed and often find it difficult to communicate with them. You can become disappointed, lose hope for your loved one’s recovery, and “catch” a response of irritation. The influence of a patient’s depressive behavior is described in D. Hell’s book “The Landscape of Depression”:

To provide support during depression, it is important to show that you remain close and are ready to support, despite the negative emotions shown in your direction. Or lack of emotions.

If it seems that a depressed person no longer loves you because he does not show the same feelings, this is not so. It’s just that a person doesn’t have the resource to express them yet.

Take care of yourself

Helping someone with depression is exhausting. Providing support, taking on new responsibilities, showing patience and tact is hard work that shakes one’s mental balance. Monitor your condition, do not take full responsibility for a person’s depressive state, allow yourself to rest. If necessary, consult a psychologist.

We hope that our article helped you learn how to deal with signs of depression. We wish you and your loved ones good health - and may the cold, sticky haze of depression pass by.

Author: Ekaterina Kiseleva

Treatment of depression

If a person cannot cope with his condition on his own, he needs the help of a psychotherapist. Treatment of depression involves the use of various techniques aimed at relaxing the nervous system, calming down, and increasing self-esteem.

If the patient does not realize what is happening to him, hypnosis sessions are recommended. Immersion in a trance and precise adherence to the doctor’s commands makes it possible to travel back to childhood or adolescence, to determine the place and time when the psychological trauma was inflicted. In some cases, the patient requires consultation with a neurologist or psychiatrist if he develops other pathologies against the background of a depressive disorder.

How to take antidepressants

Typically, antidepressants are prescribed for at least 4-6 months. There are some acute conditions (for example, post-traumatic stress disorder, reactive states) when they can be prescribed in a shorter course, along with other longer-term medications. For some depressions, they can be taken for years or even a lifetime. But this does not mean that once prescribed treatment does not require correction. If you take an antidepressant for a long time, you need to undergo regular examinations with your treating psychiatrist, therapist and endocrinologist to assess the effect of therapy and prevent side effects of the drug.

Why antidepressants don't help

Antidepressants are medications that do not work immediately. It takes at least 2-4 weeks for the drug to reach its full potential. If there is no improvement in the condition within 1.5 - 2 months of taking the medication, then you need to change the tactics of therapy. The arsenal of antidepressant drugs is very wide and you can find an approach to almost any patient. Keep in touch with your psychiatrist and let him know how you are feeling. Then the treatment will be more successful.

They prescribed me an antidepressant, I can’t tolerate it well

An antidepressant, like any other medicine, changes the chemical structure of your body. Therefore, the body needs time to get used to the drug. Usually these phenomena disappear by the end of 2-3 weeks of use. If after this time you continue to feel unwell, contact a psychiatrist in person.

While taking an antidepressant, anxiety increased and sleep was disturbed

An antidepressant is a drug with a stimulating effect on the central nervous system. Therefore, such an effect may well exist. If these phenomena are very pronounced, then you need to take the medicine under the cover of another group of drugs for the first time. Most antidepressants are taken in the morning and afternoon. Evening and nighttime intake may cause anxiety and insomnia. Follow your doctor's recommendations strictly.

In addition, some patients are prescribed antidepressants with a pronounced calming effect. Such drugs, on the contrary, are taken half an hour before bedtime and promote calm and sleep.

Is it possible to take 2 antidepressants at the same time?

Yes, sometimes doctors prescribe two antidepressants from different groups at once to create a combined effect. In this case, the doctor monitors your condition more clearly and the possible occurrence of side effects; at the same time, you cannot combine antidepressants from the group of MAO inhibitors.

How to Avoid Withdrawal Syndrome

Antidepressants from any chemical group do not have withdrawal symptoms. These are not drugs, sleeping pills or tranquilizers, the uncontrolled use of which can cause such a phenomenon. The antidepressant can be discontinued immediately, but it is better to do this gradually so as not to provoke a return of the previous symptoms. They go off the antidepressant according to the regimen suggested by the treating psychiatrist. And only on the recommendation of a doctor.

I'm getting tested by a narcologist. Will the antidepressant I am taking be detected? How long does it take for the body to clear the antidepressant?

Typically, narcologists determine the presence of alcohol, major drugs and sleeping pills in the body. But in some cases, testing for other groups of drugs can be carried out. The medicine may also give a false positive reaction to rapid tests. Therefore, you need to warn your narcologist that you are taking medications. And it’s better to bring prescriptions from a doctor or an extract from an outpatient card. Then there will be no problems at the appointment with the narcologist.

Questions and answers

Is it possible to get rid of a bad mood on your own with the help of antidepressants?

We categorically do not recommend prescribing medications yourself. This is done by the doctor based on examination of the patient. Many medications have a number of contraindications, which the patient himself may not be aware of.

How long does it take to treat depression?

This is an individual indicator, it all depends on the form of the disease and its stage.