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Many specialists (psychiatrists, psychotherapists) talk about seasonal depression, meaning autumn. But as clinical practice shows, there are cases of spring depression. How to prepare for the arrival of spring so that a sudden depression does not happen?
Dealing with spring depression
The period from March to April is often the period in which a depressive disorder manifests itself. At this time, a person feels discomfort. The body lacks energy and strength, the desire to work disappears, and everything that previously gave pleasure is no longer relevant.
According to the World Health Organization, among the main reasons for absenteeism, depression ranks first, but it is the second among diseases that can make you unable to work. In addition, WHO predicts that in the very near future, depression will be in first place among the most dangerous ailments that will overtake infectious and cardiovascular pathologies.
In other words, you can’t joke with depression, but you shouldn’t panic too much either.
There are many examples when people lived in depression all their lives, and it did not prevent them from becoming full-fledged citizens of society. For example, Winston Churchill suffered from chronic depression, while calling her “black dog”.
There are various drugs that will help to cope with this pathology, used in combination with psychotherapy in patients with severe and moderate forms of depression. If you pay attention to the symptoms in time, when the disease is still in a mild form, you can only get by with psychotherapy and self-help.
The main signs of depression that have arisen
The most important thing is to recognize depression in time in order to start timely treatment.
It is manifested by such symptoms:
- sudden mood swings, irritability;
- feelings of fear, anxiety, or panic;
- decrease in working capacity;
- pain in the back and neck;
- dizziness and feeling of general weakness;
- numbness of the fingers and toes;
- nightmares in dreams and insomnia.
In addition to these signs, depression also causes other conditions, for example, decreased concentration, low self-esteem and self-doubt, refusal to eat, as well as from intimate life.
However, a depressive state and a bad mood should be separated, because they are different states.
Sometimes the state of sadness is even useful for the body, but not very pronounced. If most of the listed symptoms are present for a crescent, then you should seek help from a leading specialist. After all, depression is not a disease that can exist today, go away tomorrow, and reappear the day after tomorrow. It is considered to be the most successfully treatable of all mental illnesses. If you notice some manifestations of depression for a short time, then this is not a disease yet, and you can prevent the disease.
Effective rules for the prevention of depression
There are seven basic rules that will help you avoid a depressive episode:
- The use of vitamin and mineral complexes. To improve mood, make up for winter beriberi, you should take vitamins and minerals.
- Whenever possible, take walks in the fresh air, especially when the sun shines brightly outside. After all, ultraviolet light helps the production of happiness hormones (endorphins, serotonin) and stimulates activity – both mental and physical. But this does not mean that you should stay at home in gloomy, cloudy weather. It is necessary to go outside in any weather.
- You need more time to rest and sleep. If this is not possible on weekdays, then you can sleep on weekends. Sleep is a good remedy for various diseases, and depression is no exception. But, if you can’t fall asleep in any way, then you shouldn’t just lie in bed and indulge in sadness. You need to get up and occupy yourself with something useful.
- It is recommended to visit guests more often and be in public. However, during this period of life, you should not go to those who also suffer from depression. After all, a bad mood is transmitted – it is “contagious”. According to studies, approximately 20% of the relatives of people suffering from depression also get it. In healthy relatives suffer from this pathology only in 7% of cases.
- Depression does not tolerate good mood. Therefore, experts advise people with depressive symptoms to smile more, watch comedy films more often and read jokes. If possible, you can change the situation, go on an excursion or simply rearrange the furniture in the apartment.
- You can take care of yourself or even change your appearance. In other words, dye your hair, change your hairstyle and wardrobe. In addition, you can take care of your figure: do physical exercises, go to the pool or bath. However, do not overwork – depression can occur even due to fatigue.
- You should review your daily menu. Only properly selected products will help get rid of the spring depressive state. It is necessary to abandon low-calorie diets, fatty and sweet. Also, you can not overload the stomach with heavy food. Do not drink strong tea and coffee. The abuse of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
However, there are foods that, on the contrary, should be included in your diet, because they will cheer you up, stabilize your overall health and help you cope with depression. These include: food containing iodine, fresh vegetables and herbs, nuts, dark chocolate, dried apricots, fruits (preferably citrus fruits), oriental spices.
Other Important Tips
There are other tips to help deal with spring depression.
The body needs protein food, so you can eat protein. According to a 2007 Austrian study, the amino acids released during the digestion of protein foods reduce depressive symptoms and help brain function. It is recommended to add one egg, a glass of full-fat yogurt or cottage cheese to the daily menu. In addition, after such food, you will not want anything sweet, because, as you know, it affects a person’s mood. Thus, a sufficient amount of proteins in the diet will help to cope with spring depression.
In addition to eating, you should pay attention to breathing. Periodically, it is recommended to do special breathing exercises. A deep breath supplies the body with a large amount of oxygen, which, with the help of muscle contraction, is distributed throughout the body. The exhalation should be shorter and more intense. At the same time, the cells are fully saturated and begin to release enough energy. Do not think that now you have to do such exercises throughout the day. Classes will take only five minutes of time, and this will be quite enough. You can jump rope, lift small weights, and after class get some fresh air on the balcony or in front of the open window. But at the same time, the breaths should be deep.
You should also pay attention to your habits. An adult person spends the day according to the same schedule. Getting up in the morning at the same time every day, commuting to work on the same route, lunch break at the same time every day. According to psychologists, regular monotony contributes to the development of depression. Therefore, experts recommend a few changes in their habits. A small change will help improve the overall condition of the body. For example, you can slightly change the way to work or take a different route. As a dessert, it is recommended to purchase some exotic fruit or just listen to other music. However, do not get carried away with cardinal changes that you are not ready for.
Massage will help to cope with fatigue and drowsiness, but if you don’t have time to go to a massage therapist, you can do it yourself. To do this, for five minutes, you need to massage the area where the thumb and forefinger connect. After a while, you may feel more energized. Acupuncture experts claim that this method has a tonic effect.
As shown by a recent study by the British Psychological Society, mobile phone and email are a constant source of stress. Moreover, a direct relationship was shown between the level of stress and the number of picking up a smartphone to check incoming email messages. But a person, as a rule, does not notice this. The thing is that when the phone signal turns on or a new email arrives in the mail, there is a slight release of adrenaline into the blood. There are many such adrenaline surges throughout the day. Because of them, the body is slowly depleted, and women suffer from this, for the most part, scientists say. Therefore, at the end of the working day, it is better to turn off all the equipment so that depression does not “capture” an already tired body.
Some recommendations
If, after the measures taken, the state of health has not improved, you should not self-medicate, you should consult with a specialist.
Complex drug therapy and psychotherapy, even with severe manifestations of depression, help to effectively improve the condition and prevent recurring episodes. With untimely access to a specialist, irregular treatment, and in some variants of the course of the disease (very rarely observed forms that are difficult to treat), depression becomes chronic.
Do not forget that the phenomenon can be not only in humans, but also in animals. Therefore, during this period, you do not need to punish your pets once again, they also need vitamins and fresh herbs in their diet.