As a rule, that a person suffers from mild depression, sub-depression, he himself does not know. For several years he has been suffering from a bad mood, he perceives everything in a dark light, he is not happy with the things that made him happy before. This is subdepression, which is otherwise called psychasthenia, dysthymia.
Differences
This ailment manifests itself in a special condition that does not meet the ICD-10 criteria for the diagnosis of "major depression". As a rule, the signs are not sufficiently expressed, or social functioning is not disturbed.
Depending on the symptoms, subdepression is divided into reactive and neurotic. However, there are not many distinguishing features. During the diagnosis, low mood is taken into account for at least 14 days, as well as any 2 of the 9 criteria for depression. In the diagnosis of the disease, V. Zung's scale of reduced mood of subdepression is also actively used. It allows you to identify mild, moderate or severe disease.
How to detect?
Diagnosis of such a disease is usually difficult. Changes in appetite, sleep patterns, levelsenergies are sometimes observed in any person. In various life circumstances, everyone experiences anxiety, indecision, self-doubt and guilt.
But if all this accompanies a person for at least two years, this is already a reason for making a diagnosis of depression, subdepression. The main manifestation of the disease is its chronic form, when during all this time a person does not see at least one reason to experience joy in life.
Reasons
Given what it is - subdepression, treatment is carried out, after identifying the causes of this condition. As a rule, it is based on a traumatic situation. We are talking about a mental trauma received at a young age and not treated. Persons with a tendency to seasonal sadness are more likely to suffer from the disease. It's all about the lack of serotonin. When it is not enough, the fight against stress becomes more difficult.
The second cause of subdepression is a hereditary factor. In cases where ancestors suffered from it, a person is prone to depressive states. Under the influence of stress, symptoms begin to appear.
Another reason for subdepression is the wrong upbringing. If in the early years of life the patient suffered greatly from uncomfortable sensations, it would not be surprising that he would develop mental illness. When a child is not given enough love, brought up excessively strictly, does not encourage a good mood, considering it frivolous, he will surelywill face a similar diagnosis.
Degree of danger
The disease is made more dangerous by the fact that people tend to underestimate both minor and major degrees of low mood in subdepression. Someone, on the contrary, extols such manifestations, seeing this as proof of their own chosenness. People sometimes try on the image of tragic heroes.
According to psychiatric practice, it is dangerous to underestimate such conditions. In cases where the patient does not take special measures to get rid of subdepression, this leads to the development of depression.
Ways to deal with subdepression
First of all, it is worth remembering that people who are nearby make you think about yourself, even if they are not interesting to a person. Dysthymic disorder often develops in those who are surrounded by pessimists. In such an environment, unspoken rules are established - do not stand out, live like everyone else, complain. For this reason, it is worth conducting an audit in your social circle. It is worth getting rid of bores and losers, from aggressive personalities. In cases where close people are like this, it is necessary to develop resistance to their words.
Unpromising and painful relationships must be abandoned.
The second way to deal with subdepression is to eliminate the desire to do everything perfectly. When a person becomes a workaholic, doing something that is not very interesting to him, not noticing anything around him, he gets tired one day. If herefuses positive emotions and pleasure for a long time, chaos begins in his soul. It is best to look at your hobbies, lifestyle. Probably, with depression, the body rebels against incorrectly set priorities, the wrong path.
It is also worth creating a list of priorities, asking yourself what you want more. It is recommended to make goals for the year, and it would be better if they are not related to material values. The acquisition of a car, furniture, and an increase in income are important in order to assert oneself, but not for happiness and he alth. It is better to identify more important goals. For example, physical or spiritual self-improvement, improvement of personal life.
In addition, with reactive subdepression, full communication helps. It is better to look at your current relationships with others and what prevails in them (whining, requests for help or mutual understanding, altruism). If there is a bias here, it is best to achieve harmony in this area. Personality should not be a source or receiver of negative information. A competent selection of interlocutors is needed.
Often a feeling of inner emptiness fills a person when he has solved a difficult task in life. At first there is joy from the results, and then he begins to rest on his laurels. And then bright emotions are often replaced by negative ones. For this reason, it is necessary to periodically kindle the soul with fire. For example, being inspired by new goals, meeting old friends, getting out into nature.
Doctors advice
Usuallymild depression is treated during psychotherapy sessions. The doctor explains how to learn to control your emotions. Understanding whether antidepressants are needed in this case, experts do not agree on a definite answer. Many are cautious due to the fact that there is always a risk of developing addiction to such drugs. And this is a competent position: it is best to solve the problem, and not try to drown it out with medications in case of subdepression.
If you are going to use medicines, you should definitely contact a professional. It is important to see a doctor on a regular basis. Alternative methods - electroshock, novocaine therapy. It is necessary to ensure that the diet is balanced, and there are enough positive emotions in the lifestyle.
Signs
Subdepression is often associated with the fact that a person loses his own guidelines. His main goals in life may disappear, and new ones may not yet be identified. Then pessimism manifests itself in a person, the vitality decreases. He himself realizes that something is wrong with him. He is not tired of life, but he clearly lacks positive emotions.
Subdepression differs from its full-fledged counterpart in that a person continues his activity. He works, does everything he did before, but without enthusiasm, zest for life.
At risk are he althy intellectually developed people who have achievements in life, but who have encountered an obstacle. Histhey can't overcome, bypass in any way.
In such cases, not a single list of pleasant things that previously caused positive emotions works. So, a person can have a prestigious job, family, material we alth. In theory, he should be happy. But it is for such people at the peak of development that the problem arises, which lies in the fact that nothing pleases. Someone gets used to such a state, because the human psyche adapts to everything. He begins to think that this is an adult life, and only children are happy.
Patient behavior
As a rule, subdepression does not cause suicidal thoughts. The person is adequate, but rather indifferent to life. He can chase strong emotions by engaging in extreme sports. He digs a lot into the past, justifying his own mistakes. He may feel a strong urge to complain. At the same time, complaints will be simple excuses; he will not want to discuss the way out of the situation. As a result, a person falls into a vicious circle, and everything repeats again and again. He doesn't get better.
False friends
Some things when sub-depressed will actually be "false friends". These include medications. Although they relieve the condition for a while, the problem does not go away. And a specialist should select them.
Alcoholic drinks can aggravate a person's situation. He risks going on a drinking binge, losing his job and family.
It's he althier to have sex. But in cases where subdepression was provoked by sexual problems, the effectwill turn out to be the opposite. Often, in an effort to cure his soul, a person begins to stumble into carnal pleasures, subsequently encountering conflicts and the destruction of the family.
Despite the fact that a person is in a special state, suffers from low mood, he does not completely withdraw from life when he is sub-depressed. He is able to understand what is happening to him, and therefore, to find a way out. Subdepression itself is not a mental illness. But if the symptoms are ignored for a long time, a complication may well develop.
