Depression

   In the last two decades, the incidence of this illness is so  increasing that clearly deserves at least a  briefly approach. 

It is very important to be very attentive to ourselves, because we and our entourage are the first to observe the changes in our behaviour .

   In the most cases this illness is misdiagnosed or the patient doesn't consider to pay a visit to a doctor. Not to mention that some of us consider we just have a bad time,  this is temporary and don't look for any medical advice. 

  I will resume for you some of the most important changes in our mental health .

     Firstly, we will be sad for a long period of time , more than  2 weeks,without reason or being under the drugs influence.       
    Secondly, we will lose all interest for any pleasurable activities which we loved before . No one  from these will make you happy again. 

    Thirdly, we feel guilty all the time , with /without reason, but in general is a fabricated guilt. 

We will lose the energy to do things and have an easy fatigability on minor activities. We lose our concentration, we cannot focus on things, we cannot learn, read, we can see that very easily when the patient is an academic. We lose the attention, which means we will be easily distracted. We can have an phsychomotor instability,being in general very agitated, sweating all the time. Sleeping is very disturbed, we cannot sleep or if we sleep, we wake up in the middle of the night and cannot fall asleep again. Irritability will be just a side effect of this involuntary sleep deprivation. Eating also is a problem, eating to much or less, losing or gaining weight as in the eating disorders.  

Some patients will contemplate suicide , some of them will make a plan, and others just contemplate the idea , but this will be in general in the major depression.

   The most important triad in depression is Worthlessness-Hopelessness-Helplessness, which make the patient think he is not worth to live, he is not useful to the society, he has no hope , he is desperate, a lost cause and he cannot be helped by other peers. Not to forget, this is a treatable illness in which you can see changes in minimum 2 weeks after you begin the treatment. The compliance to the treatment is mandatory. 

Did you remark these symptoms on you for a period longer than 2 weeks? Is it anything which can relieve these symptoms?

    Maybe is the time to pay a visit to your doctor, if you remark at least five from all these symptoms and for a period longer than 2 weeks.
 Definitely, depression should not be a life sentence.