- What causes depression
- 1. Notable events in life
- 2. Bullying or emotional blackmail
- 3. Serious illnesses
- 4. Hormonal changes
- 5. Use of medicines
- When to see a psychologist
Depression is usually caused by some disturbing or stressful situation that occurs in life, such as the death of a family member, financial problems or divorce. However, it can also be caused by the use of some medicines, such as Prolopa, or in case of serious illnesses, such as cancer or HIV, for example.
People who have depression usually feel tired most of the time, have trouble sleeping, gaining or losing weight, and experience deep sadness. It is important to seek help from a psychiatrist or psychologist so that you can identify the cause of depression and start treatment. Here's how to identify symptoms of depression.
What causes depression
Depression can arise in men and women of all ages, but it can also affect teenagers or the elderly, and the top 5 reasons for depression include:
1. Notable events in life
Marking events like divorce, unemployment and the end of a romantic relationship are frequent causes of depression, but situations that favor prolonged stress, such as frequent discussions at work or at home can also lead to depression because it makes the person start to doubt of herself and her abilities.
How to win: Find the strength and move on, sometimes a new job is much better than the old one, which, despite paying well, was not pleasant. Look for the positive side, if you are unemployed, think that now you can find a new place to work, you have the possibility to change branches or to open your own business, for example.
2. Bullying or emotional blackmail
The emotional traumas that can arise when you are bullied or emotionally blackmailed can also lead to depression, because when a person often hears insults over time, he can really believe that they are true, lowering his self-esteem. which consequently favors depression.
How to win: Tell a trusted family member or friend about what is happening to you and try together to find a plausible solution. Imposing limits to defend yourself should be your first defense weapon.
3. Serious illnesses
The diagnosis of serious diseases such as stroke, dementia, heart attack or HIV, for example, can also cause depression because it is necessary to deal with prejudice, face painful treatments or have to live daily with the fear of dying. And when it comes to chronic illnesses like diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome or lupus, there is a greater chance of getting depressed because you need to change your diet, leaving behind foods that you like but are now harmful.
In addition, family members who live with a person with cancer or who treat people who are totally dependent on a daily basis may also become depressed due to physical or mental fatigue, constantly suffering from the fear of losing their loved one.
How to win: In addition to learning to deal with the needs and care imposed by the disease, it is necessary to strive to find well-being even in its limitations. Short walks in the open air, watching a movie you like or going for ice cream can be useful to bring a little more joy. A very interesting tip is to have some time weekly to do something you really enjoy.
4. Hormonal changes
Hormonal changes, especially the decrease in estrogens, which occurs during pregnancy, postpartum and menopause can potentiate depression. In addition, the lack of omega 3 can also lead to depression because it decreases a person's ability to control their emotions and mood.
How to win: Normalizing hormone levels is the secret to feeling better, during pregnancy and postpartum it is not possible to resort to medications but strategies such as increasing the consumption of foods rich in tryptophan and serotonin can be very useful to feel better.
5. Use of medicines
The frequent use of medicines like Prolopa, Xanax, Zocor and Zovirax, can cause depression due to the decrease in the production of serotonin, which is a hormone responsible for the feeling of well-being. But that does not mean that all people who take these drugs get depressed. See more drugs that cause depression.
How to win: The ideal is to replace the medication with one that does not have this side effect but the doctor may prescribe antidepressants if replacement is not possible.
When to see a psychologist
It is advisable to make an appointment with a psychologist when symptoms of depression, such as constant crying, excessive tiredness or pessimism are present for more than 2 weeks and the person cannot overcome this phase alone.
The psychologist will do an evaluation and will indicate some strategies that can be useful to get through this phase faster. The sessions must be weekly and can last from 6 months to 1 year. However, only the psychiatrist can indicate antidepressant medications and therefore this doctor can also be consulted.
