They feel lost and anxious, they can't sleep all night, and sometimes their symptoms get better intermittently, only to fall to rock bottom again in the ensuing pessimism.
Depression afflicts more than 300 million people in the world
Depression afflicts more than 300 million people in the world, but in many people's cognition, depression is just thinking too much, feeling bad and weak...
Not being seen, not being heard, not being understood causes even more harm to the patient.
Some people say that when depression strikes, it is like a cloudy sky;
Some people say that when a depression occurs, it is like walking on a path where you can't see the light;
Some people say that when a depression episode occurs, it feels like being in a small space and it is difficult to breathe.
In particular, patients with major depressive disorder have a more severe onset.
How painful is it when a depression strikes?
Depression is like an invisible web, slowly extending from one point to another until it swallows the patient's physical perception as well as the mental world.
The first is the patient's awareness of sleep. The patient is pulled back from deep sleep, and the patient appears in a state where he wants to sleep but can't.
Nearly half of the patients have intractable sleep disorders, and the main symptoms include difficulty falling asleep, early awakening, sleep rhythm disorder, and light sleep.
At the same time, it is also accompanied by other "physical" torture, such as loss of appetite, weight loss, constipation, fatigue, unkemptness and other symptoms, and even in severe cases, self-harm will occur.
And most importantly, there are adverse reactions in the mental world of depressed patients.
Many people with depression say that they are very uncomfortable and painful, but they can't say the specific pain and discomfort in that part. This phenomenon seems to outsiders to be "pretending", but people with depression can really feel this pain.
The body has more sense of touch than the mind, so when a body part is injured by the outside world, the speed is transmitted to the brain, and then the brain responds.
It's the same when the mind is hurt, but the mind lacks the sense of touch and can't perceive the specific pain area of oneself.
When both physically and mentally are devastated, everything becomes extremely difficult.
The work at work is delayed, the children's diet and daily life are often wrong, the favorite clothes have lost their attractiveness, and it is very difficult to eat, bathe, sleep and other small things in daily life.
Over time, life loses its attractiveness and gradually pushes the depressed person into a "desperate situation", leading to self-harm, suicidal thoughts and behaviors in the depressed person.
Why is depression so painful?
What does it do to the brain
There are three parts of the brain that are closely associated with the onset of depression: the hippocampus, the amygdala, and the prefrontal cortex.
The hippocampus, located near the center of the brain, is responsible for storing memories and making a hormone called cortisol.
Our bodies release cortisol during times of physical and mental stress (including depression).
If our body delivers too much cortisol to the brain due to a stressful event, disrupting the chemical balance in the body, this will pose a very big health risk to us.
In a healthy brain, a structure called the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus that continues to make brain cells (known as neurons) throughout our adult life.
And in the brain of a depressed person, a long-term excess of cortisol can reduce the rate at which neurons are made in the dentate gyrus, eventually leading to atrophy of neurons in the hippocampus, which can lead to memory problems.
The prefrontal cortex is located at the very front of the brain and is responsible for regulating emotions, making judgments and decisions, and generating memories. When the body produces excess cortisol, the prefrontal cortex also appears to shrink.
The amygdala is primarily responsible for promoting emotional responses (such as pleasure and fear) in the brain.
In the brains of people with depression, the amygdala becomes larger in size, and it becomes more active, sensitive due to long-term exposure to excess cortisol.
An oversized, overactive amygdala, combined with abnormal activity in other parts of the brain, can eventually disrupt a person's sleep and activity routine.
In addition, it can lead to hormone levels in the body, causing the body to release too much or too little hormones and other chemicals, eventually developing more complex symptoms and syndromes.
Many researchers believe that high cortisol levels are the most important factor in altering the physical structure and chemistry of the brain, triggering depression.
Usually throughout the day, a person's cortisol levels are highest in the morning and drop in the evening.
In the brain of people with depression, cortisol levels are elevated all the time, even at night.
How the means change the brain
Experts have found that by balancing levels of cortisol and other chemicals in the brain, hippocampal atrophy and the memory problems it can cause can be effectively reversed. At the same time, correcting chemical levels in the body can also help reduce the symptoms of depression.
Several medications can help combat the negative effects of depression by balancing levels of chemicals in the body:
Medications**
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRISs): These drugs reduce symptoms of depression by increasing the amount of a neurotransmitter called serotonin in the brain. Specific examples are fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine, citalopram, etc.
Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIS) and tricyclic antidepressants: When combined, medications can regulate the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the body, thereby reducing symptoms of depression.
These medications can help improve mood levels and energy levels. Specific examples include duloxetine, venlafaxine, imipramine, nortriptyline, trimipramine, etc.
Norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIS): These drugs improve mood by increasing levels of norepinephrine and dopamine in the body. Specific examples are bupropion.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIS): These drugs intervene by increasing levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the body. In addition, these drugs promote communication between brain cells.
Atypical antidepressants: These include tranquilizers, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, etc. These drugs can block communication between brain cells, allowing the body to relax.
Physics**
In addition to the above-mentioned medications, there are specific medical procedures that can also reduce the symptoms of depression by acting on the brain, including:
Electroconvulsive (ECTs): These are the electrical currents that pass through the brain, which promote communication between brain cells.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).: This type of ** reduces symptoms by sending electrical impulses to brain cells responsible for mood regulation.
Psychological**
Researchers also believe that psychological** can also help reduce symptoms of depression by altering the structure of the brain. In particular, psycho** has been found to strengthen the prefrontal cortex.
In addition, there are other ways to promote brain health and help patients recover from depression with a withdrawal from medication, including:
Eat a healthy diet and get enough activity. This helps to stimulate brain cells and enhance cell-to-cell communication.
Get enough sleep, which helps brain cells grow and repair.
Finally, be sure to discuss with your doctor and develop a targeted** plan that works best for you.