Melancholy – symptoms, causes, methods of prevention [EXPLAINED]

In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.

Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.

Bad moods happen to all of us. We are susceptible to such a state especially in the autumn and winter season, when the day is short and the weather often does not spoil us. We usually get melancholy when we least expect it.

Melancholy is commonly referred to as a state of sadness and depression, which often appears for no specific reason. The PWN Dictionary of the Polish Language states that melancholy is:

Read: Depression, how to quickly get rid of it and cheer yourself up?

Melancholy – a short story

In 400 BC, the Greek philosopher Hippocrates put forward the theory that the human body contains four major fluids: blood, black bile, yellow bile, and phlegm. Man fell ill when these fluids were unbalanced in the body. An excess of black bile would make someone depressed and scared. The Greeks call this condition melancholy. It became the first term used to describe depression and the first way depression was studied.

During the Renaissance, Europeans saw melancholy as a manifestation of creative genius. They loved it through art, fashion and written works. But in the eighteenth century, the term reverted to its clinical roots.

Around the XNUMXth century, people used the term depression synonymous with melancholy. Sigmund Freud’s writings in On Murder, Mourning and Melancholia helped to modernize the concept of melancholy to its present definition.

Melancholy is apparently fairly easy to recognize. If we are often sad and depressed, do not feel like interacting with people, and get into a bad mood, we are probably suffering from melancholy. This phenomenon may also be accompanied by symptoms such as:

Melancholy is most often a temporary phenomenon. After a melancholy episode, most people return to their natural emotional state – emotional stability. Nevertheless, it is sometimes the case that this condition persists for a long period of time. Then we are talking, not about melancholy, but about dysthymia.

According to the International Classification of Diseases ICD – 10, dysthymia is “a chronic depressed mood lasting at least 2 years, not severe enough or in which individual episodes are not long enough to make it possible to recognize severe, moderate or recurrent depressive disorders. gentle. » The characteristic symptoms of dysthymia are:

  1. loss of interest in everyday activities,
  2. constant sadness, emptiness or depression,
  3. a sense of hopelessness,
  4. fatigue and lack of energy,
  5. low self-esteem, self-criticism,
  6. trouble concentrating and making decisions,
  7. irritability or excessive anger
  8. reduced activity, effectiveness and efficiency,
  9. avoiding meetings,
  10. feeling guilty,
  11. problems with sleeping,
  12. a pessimistic view of the future or excessive reflection on the past,
  13. no interest in sex.

In children, symptoms of dysthymia can include depressed mood and irritability. The first symptoms often begin to appear in childhood or adolescence. Children and teens may appear irritable, moody, or pessimistic for long periods of time. They may also show behavior problems, have poor school performance, and have difficulty interacting with other children in social situations. Their symptoms can come and go over several years, and their severity may change over time.

Read Depression – Who Is Most At Risk and Why?

Melancholy can be prevented. First of all, it is worth remembering that it affects us mainly in autumn and winter, so it is good to start defending against it just before that time. A good idea for preventing melancholy is having friends and family around.

Thanks to our relatives, we feel loved and needed, which reduces the risk of falling into a state of melancholy. It is worth allocating some time for yourself, which will be a moment when we relax or devote ourselves to our passions.

All states of low mood are fostered by fatigue, so let’s focus on the right amount of rest and a sufficiently long sleep, which will help the body regenerate.

What else do you need to remember? Having physical activity that is enjoyable does not overload our body, but helps to keep in shape. We can reach for aerobics, attend a gym, swim or go to yoga classes, which will additionally have a positive effect on the mind. Various forms of meditation, working with the mind and emotions are also recommended.

See: Physical Activity Promotes Good Learning Outcomes

The sun is important!

There is a reason why melancholy hits us, especially in the autumn and winter season. This is the time when the least sunlight reaches us throughout the year. The days are short, the nights are long, which unfortunately favors low moods. To survive the autumn or winter melancholy more easily, let’s try to use sunlight as long as possible.

Let’s not forget about letting sunlight into the rooms where we stay during the day, and let’s also make sure that we spend at least an hour a day outdoors. Fall or winter walks are the perfect way to get bluff.

Melancholy and depression

Many people use the terms melancholy and depression interchangeably. However, they should not be understood as a single ailment. Depression is a mental problem that often requires treatment. Meanwhile, melancholy today is a rather short-term mood disorder that disappears relatively quickly.

Something else, however, is the so-called melancholic depression. It is a type of depressive disorder that is often considered one of the most serious. As a result, patients may lose their appetite completely, suffer from severe sleep disorders or develop other serious symptoms. Melancholic depression has its origins in internal factors, while ordinary melancholy is often caused by external factors, such as a depressing aura.

Read: What to eat to improve your mood?

Melancholy is a phenomenon that, despite its clearly negative association, can be put to good use. Melancholy favors, for example, reflection, and thanks to it we can introduce significant changes in our lives that will help us be more satisfied with our actions, make better use of our time or improve our relationships with people. Thanks to the experience of melancholy, we have a chance to appreciate the happy moments in our lives and understand that even after the most terrible storm, the sun comes out.

See also: People can get bitterness

Melancholic is the name of one of the types of temperament. He is characterized by a pessimistic attitude towards the world and a tendency to reflect. People with a melancholy temperament tend to be perfectionists. They are sensitive people who are empathetic and often quiet.

What other features characterize the melancholic:

  1. naturally lean towards analytics and intelligence,
  2. are often perfectionists,
  3. people with a melancholy temperament are introverted, often task-oriented rather than people-oriented. People with this temperament love to have a list of tasks to be performed,
  4. melancholic temperament tends to be strong loyalty to friends, family members, colleagues and employers,
  5. they usually analyze given situations and problems,
  6. he is usually very calm and quiet despite his powerful inner emotions. These people often hide their feelings, preferring to remain calm and quiet, even during events that usually cause extreme joy or joy in others. anger,
  7. is very patient and socially well-organized,
  8. a melancholy person is almost always deep in thought. They are serious people who are not known to be joking. They tend to dwell on past events and interactions.

The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website.

Leave a Reply