Autumn depression is a condition that many are accustomed to taking too lightly. You never know what happens when autumn comes - nature itself changes. However, just a bad mood at a certain time of the year is not autumn depression; Healthy people are also susceptible to this mood, but for them it usually goes away within a few days. But autumn depression is a fairly serious mental illness.
Causes of autumn depression
The main reason why seasonal blues and depression begins is the restructuring of the body after a summer vacation in conditions of decreasing daylight hours. In healthy people, it occurs unnoticed within a short time.
However, in some cases the situation may become more complicated due to the following reasons:
- Unfavorable heredity. The risk of developing depression is higher in those people whose older relatives had similar problems.
- Chronic stress and inability to cope with it.
- Incorrect upbringing in childhood, when parents were overly protective or overly controlling of the child.
- Somatic disorders. Physical diseases associated with dysfunction of the nervous and hormonal systems.
The term “autumn depression” is rather commonplace, since such a diagnosis does not exist. Any chronic disease, as a rule, worsens in the autumn-spring period, so autumn depression can be a cause of exacerbation of chronic depression.
The time of year is also an important factor. Autumn is the period when traditionally the time of depression begins. Daylight hours decrease, the body receives less vitamin D, which adversely affects the condition of the body.
Causes
Although, in the understanding of most contemporaries, depression in the fall is directly related to the decrease in daylight hours and the predominance of cloudy and rainy weather, scientists have a different point of view about the causes of this endogenous disorder. Autumn depression can be triggered by a variety of negative external factors, but the soil for the disease is “cultivated” by the person himself. Seasonal depression can be a consequence of various factors, the main “culprits” of which are:
- unfavorable heredity - a tendency at the genetic level to mood swings and focusing on one’s bad feelings;
- a deficiency of neurotransmitters that regulate the emotional sphere that occurs during stressful conditions;
- some somatic pathologies that disregulate the functions of the central nervous system, thyroid gland or provoke metabolic disorders.
Often depression is a direct consequence of the problem of “growing up”: raising a child in conditions of excessive criticism and demandingness from parents, which led to the formation of an inferiority complex.
Depression often occurs as a result of excessive physical or mental stress, exposure to extreme situations for the body, after serious injuries (for example: acquired disability);
Depression is usually recorded in people with a “special” structure of mental organization: suspicious, impressionable, overly responsible, overly pedantic. It is for this reason that autumn depression is recorded more often in women than in men.
Symptoms of autumn blues
The manifested autumn blues are more characteristic of people with a weakened psyche, who constantly live in a state of stress, do not get enough sleep, and do not find understanding and support from relatives and friends. They often have problems at work and in their personal lives.
Signs of an upcoming autumn exacerbation are:
- constant apathy, loss of interest in everything that is happening;
- causeless melancholy;
- tearfulness;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- lack of appetite or, conversely, constant insatiable hunger;
- aggression and irritability;
- dissatisfaction with oneself and others, excessive demands, criticality;
- sleep disturbance, insomnia;
- decreased performance,
- increased fatigue;
- desire for solitude;
- loss of interest in intimate life, especially in men.
Autumn is a period of exacerbation of mental illness. What to do?
If we often have to deal with conflict situations in a short period of time, with people of increased emotionality, we exclaim, “Autumn has begun, the sick are experiencing an exacerbation.” Is this really the case? Yes, experts say with regret: these are not only words with which we often express indignation at the behavior and actions of others.
Mental illnesses worsen in people during certain periods of the year: there are two of them - autumn and spring. It is these periods that are characterized by an increased rate of visits to medical institutions by patients with psychological and mental disorders. Some people are already in such a state that they are taken to hospital by ambulance, in the acute phase of the disease. People with mental disorders are prone to depression and schizophrenia, and accordingly, the number of attempts to commit suicide especially increases among them. Most mental health disorders are subject to exacerbation, which require medical intervention in the form of consultations and medication.
In addition to internal problems, in the off-season, almost everyone has a hard time due to changes in the length of daylight hours, weather, and meteorological conditions that can change daily. Of course, autumn makes doctors busier, with pessimistic weather and pictures outside the window. Even a mentally healthy person can become depressed against this background, all it takes is a negative event in life. Even healthy people turn to appointments in the autumn with a request to prescribe a sedative to eliminate depression and bad mood. It is difficult to deal with a period of depression on your own in the gray, dank days of October and November; you should not be afraid to go to see a doctor or psychotherapist.
The main advice is to contact experts who practice the most modern approach to providing this type of assistance. So, for example, a paid clinic in Moscow provides support to people suffering from a variety of mental illnesses: from neuroses and depression to personality disorders and eating behavior.
The clinic receives qualified psychiatrists and psychotherapists, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists-narcologists, narcologists and neurologists. Many years of experience and constant improvement of skills and knowledge allow them to successfully treat patients of the following ages: gerontological profile (elderly), adult patients, as well as adolescents, say specialists from the Moscow private psychiatric clinic “Balance”.
The country's young population, working and studying people are more exposed to stress. Very young boys and girls experience suffering due to first love, conflicts in the family, and even internal conflict with themselves, due to rejection of themselves. Older young people are looking for themselves in this world, manage to combine study and work, and also make attempts to build relationships on a more serious level. Middle-aged people also experience stress at work, in the family, in transport, and in the presence of chronic diseases. Elderly people do not allow situations leading to stress, due to their age, experience and understanding that all diseases are caused by nerves. Not paying attention to little things and reacting more easily to conflict situations is a good skill that is useful to everyone.
It is common for men and women to experience depression equally. The signs will differ only in open or hidden manifestations of behavioral and mental disorders. Some people know how to hide the primary signs of disorders, which later threatens a bunch of symptoms, consequences and problems. There is a specific list of signs containing indications of diseases and problems that require correction. Take a closer look at the following telling moments, be able to notice changes in a person close to you in time:
• Strange behavior, withdrawal, frightened look. • Hallucinations, delusions. • Problems in studying, communicating with peers, colleagues. • Actions that cause harm to yourself and those around you. • Apathy towards everything that happens, a sloppy appearance. • Sleep disturbance.
First, contact a therapist to find out whether you need the help of a psychologist or psychotherapist. Don’t be afraid to see a specialist, even at a psychiatric clinic. No one will immediately enroll you in the ranks of the sick. Consulting and getting the help you need is better than doing nothing. You can wait for a situation where you have to call an ambulance to catch a person in a fit of schizophrenia.
Relatives or the patient himself are afraid when applying to receive a diagnosis, a certificate of abnormality, and complex treatment that will make a person dependent on pills and change consciousness. In reality, this is not the case; sometimes, to eliminate the problem, it is enough to undergo a preventive course of treatment and leave only the drugs that support the result. Some of them are used once a month, intramuscularly, and have a beneficial and gentle effect on the body. After treatment, the symptoms of the disease are relieved, the exacerbation is eliminated, and the person and those around him feel better. The problem is forgotten about until the next exacerbation quite often, because you are too lazy to go to the appointment again and take pills. Mental illnesses most often have a chronic form and require a long period of treatment and control.
In addition to medications, it is important to get help from consultations with psychologists, whose visits are required not often, but regularly. The tablets help improve sleep, memory, and suppress symptoms. Conversations with doctors heal the soul, provide an opportunity to discuss a problem, see the situation from all sides and find a solution. It is good when relatives understand the importance of complex therapy, participate in the course of treatment, keep in touch with the doctor and help follow his recommendations. One pill will not help relieve an exacerbation in one day, an injection will not solve the problem, because mental disorders are diseases not of the body, but of the soul. The soul needs to be treated with care, love, helping and paying attention to a loved one.
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Treatment
To prevent autumn depression from leading to serious consequences, you need to take action when the first symptoms appear.
If a person feels that he is unable to cope with the problem on his own, it is advisable to contact a qualified psychologist who will recommend effective ways to combat the blues. There is no need to be shy to contact specialists. Good advice will help you quickly overcome a negative state.
In most cases, you can try to solve the problem yourself.
Do you need to treat autumn depression and can you die from it?
Psychologists believe that autumn depression can be treated quite well and is the cause of death in isolated cases. If a person treats his condition correctly, strives to get out of depression, and finds the strength to overcome a bad mood, then the problem will definitely be eliminated.
At this time, the support and help of relatives and friends who can replace a psychologist is important. In some cases, simply talking to someone suffering from the blues is enough to help them get through a difficult time. By speaking out and realizing your feelings, a person can quickly get better.
Drug and psychotherapeutic treatment
According to experts, autumn depression is not a reason to take antipsychotics and psychotropic substances, which are often prescribed for mental illness. Moreover, they cannot be taken without a doctor’s prescription. You can drink soothing herbal infusions, Valerian or Motherwort tablets, and vitamin complexes for several days.
In severe cases, when the depressive state lasts for a long time, you can consult a psychotherapist. The doctor will conduct diagnostics, make a diagnosis, prescribe treatment, and suggest the best ways to combat the autumn blues. Specialists have enough tools in their arsenal to help a person get out of this state and teach him how not to succumb to it again. These are simple methods of autogenic training, methods of self-regulation, psychological conversations, hypnosis, art therapy, and in severe cases - drug therapy and hospitalization.
Is autumn a time to lose weight?
In autumn, a noticeable restructuring occurs in the body. For example, if in the summer we calmly satisfied our hunger with light food, now we want to eat something heavier and fattier, since the body needs warmth, which means it requires additional calories. You should not resist this, because if you commit violence against yourself and, contrary to your wishes, continue to make do with low-calorie food, nothing good will come of it: sooner or later you will definitely have a feeling of internal discomfort, against the background of which it will begin to develop autumn depression. Therefore, it is better to relax, forget about any diets, and eat what you want, but, of course, in reasonable quantities.
This was the traditional point of view, but paradoxically, there are many people whose successful weight loss began precisely in the dank, slushy November. With reduced daylight hours, when, as smart books convince us, losing weight is incredibly difficult! But the fact remains that there are quite a lot of people who took it upon themselves in the fall. Moreover, among them there is a considerable percentage of those who have achieved success. Maybe you will be one of them?
How to get rid of it yourself - means and methods of self-help
According to the advice of psychologists, the best way to avoid the autumn blues is not to be alone when negative thoughts can overcome you. At the first signs of depression, you need to start actively contacting other people. This could be social life at work, participation in the preparation of various holidays, volunteering, caring for animals in shelters. Helping others and realizing your importance will prevent you from falling into a depressed state.
The best cure for despondency and melancholy is physical activity and an active lifestyle.
When playing sports, the supply of oxygen to the brain and all organs improves, metabolism accelerates, and pleasure hormones - endorphins - are synthesized.
Therefore, despite the cloudy weather, you need to accustom yourself to walking, jogging in the park, and until the snow falls, it is recommended to ride a bicycle.
If you purchase a subscription to the nearest fitness center, you can get rid of depression much faster, since working out in a group of like-minded people will help you get rid of sad thoughts, and a slimmer figure will be an additional incentive to enjoy life.
It is necessary to create conditions for a good night's rest. You need to sleep at least 7-8 hours, the room should be dark, quiet and fairly fresh - no higher than +18...+20°C.
It is advisable to always go to bed and get up at the same time. This disciplines the body and promotes falling asleep quickly, sound sleep and a fresh, rested state in the morning.
Most psychologists recommend engaging in various types of creativity during periods of depression. On long autumn evenings you can learn to draw, embroider, make handicrafts, and play the guitar.
It’s easy to sign up for cutting and sewing courses, cooking classes, or a dance group. Thanks to the switching of attention, the psyche will quickly get rid of obsessive negative thoughts and allow you to again feel the pleasure of life.
Caring for pets or plants is of great benefit in depression. If possible, you can get a puppy or kitten. If this is not feasible, you can start breeding fish, parrots or hamsters. It is not difficult to care for indoor flowers, which will additionally color gray dull everyday life with bright colors, and also improve the health of the air in the room.
Treatment of a depressed state is facilitated by a change in environment. You can make cosmetic repairs at home, hang a bright picture, change your wardrobe. A short trip to a neighboring city will allow you to have fun and enrich your brain and psyche with new impressions. In addition, even small trips promote communication with other people, new acquaintances and relationships.
Treatment options
There are many treatments for autumn depression. They can be combined, supplemented, or better yet, used comprehensively. Because the degree of depression and other features may vary, then the methods of combating ML may also differ . Everything depends on the person himself, on external conditions, on opportunities.
Compensation for lack of light
You need to try to spend more time in the fresh air. At least take a walk during your lunch break, if it’s already dark outside at the end of the working day. After all, even in gloomy autumn there are sunny days, and clouds do not hang 100% of the time throughout the entire period. At home (or in the office) you can install additional lighting to create at least the illusion of a sunny day. Women can visit the solarium.
Physical activity, sports
Regular physical exercise accelerates blood flow in the body and speeds up metabolism. Thanks to them, the body begins to produce more testosterone, endorphins, adrenaline, and insulin. They improve well-being, improve mood, and displace cortisol (stress hormone) from the body. You can start with at least morning exercises, evening jogging, push-ups, squats.
Change the scenery
You can try to take a vacation not in the summer, but in the fall. In September (and in some regions even in October) it is still quite warm, you can spend your leisure time almost the same as in summer. Perhaps with some restrictions, but there is a chance to bypass or mitigate the autumn blues. Or try to change your surroundings on the weekends. As an option, changing your job if you’ve been tired of it for a long time does not bring satisfaction. Looking for a job, adapting to a new place, a new team - all this will help take your mind off depression.
Review your diet
Change your diet. Include healthy foods, fruits, and vegetables. Be sure to include foods rich in vitamin B in your diet. It performs the function of balancing hormones in the body. Take multivitamins, they compensate for the lack of microelements the body needs.
Establish sleep/wake routine
You need to go to bed and wake up at the same time. Don't sit too long in front of the computer/TV. The duration of sleep should be at least 7-8 hours a day. Before going to bed, you need to ventilate the room well. 2 hours before bedtime, do not eat. And also do not engage in any activity before bed, so that it is not difficult to fall asleep. To get rid of the flow of thoughts, you can take sedatives made from natural ingredients.
Avoid loneliness
Although a person in a state of OD does not want to communicate with the outside world, it is a mistake to isolate himself from it. We need to communicate more. And for communication, choose positive, active, energetic, friendly people. If there are none, then try to make new acquaintances. For single people, this is a good reason to find your soulmate.
Pleasure yourself
A person can please himself by purchasing some nice little things. Whether it's a new computer game, jewelry, clothes, shoes. Do not deny yourself trips to the cinema, philharmonic, or club. If you are planning to make a significant or long-awaited purchase (car, furniture, apartment, cottage, telephone), then do it in the fall. Positive emotions from a purchase can distract or cover up worries, blues, and indifference.
Drug treatment
It is prescribed by a doctor. You cannot take medications on your own. Of course, such treatment is carried out only in advanced conditions. When the usual rhythm of life is difficult, there is no motivation, and the tried means have not helped. The doctor may prescribe a course of psychotherapy. Pharmacological treatment consists of taking serotonergic antidepressants, antipsychotics, and psychostimulants. But this is in extreme cases. Usually, after examination and diagnosis, autogenic training, psychological conversations, art therapy, and hypnosis are prescribed.
Antidepressant products to combat autumn depression
Psychologists who help cope with seasonal depression suggest using a way to combat it that is accessible and enjoyable for everyone - delicious food.
This does not mean that you need to start eating stress by eating food in large quantities. Meals should be nutritious and regular.
It is necessary to include in the daily diet suppliers of tryptophan, from which the body produces the joy hormone serotonin:
- bananas,
- dates,
- nuts,
- brightly colored fruits and vegetables
- dark chocolate made from natural cocoa beans or carob (even better),
- algae: wakame, spirulina, chlorella.
Daily drinking of grapefruit, orange, carrot, and beet juice helps improve your mood. It is useful to drink soothing teas and infusions of St. John's wort, linden, hawthorn, thyme, rose hips, while coffee irritates the nervous system and should be avoided. You can take herbal adaptogens: infusion of lemongrass, ginseng, eleutherococcus.
Eating tasty and balanced plant-based foods will help you get rid of negative thoughts and put your mind in a positive frame of mind.
More delicious food and antidepressant products
Among them are turkey, bananas, whole grain bread and dairy products (contain the amino acid tryptophan - a precursor to the good mood hormone serotonin, and turkey is also rich in amino acids that increase the body's anti-stress resistance); spinach (a good source of folic acid, which is deficient in about a third of those suffering from depression); dried apricots (they are rich in magnesium, which helps us fight stress), chocolate and cocoa (they also promote the production of serotonin). Do not forget to drink enough fluid: a body suffering from a lack of moisture cannot be in good shape. And keep in mind that, according to the observations of nutritionists, depression can also be triggered by tasteless and monotonous food.
Alexey Kovalkov
nutritionist, presenter of the programs “Food with and without rules”, “Family Size”
Serotonin is an important biologically active substance and hormone; it increases motor activity and sociability, improves emotional mood. In addition to foods rich in tryptophan, a certain amount of carbohydrates is necessary for the synthesis of serotonin. So it turns out that lovers of sweets (within reasonable limits) are more positively disposed people than those who completely avoid eating them.
Prevention
To prevent the onset of seasonal depression, you can take preventative measures.
First of all, it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of chronic stress. You need to stick to a daily routine, get enough sleep, and eat well.
Towards the end of summer, knowing that you are prone to depression, you need to set yourself up correctly. It is important to plan several important projects for the autumn period and begin to implement them.
A clear goal will not allow the brain to tune in to a sad mood, and a completed task and awareness of the productivity of one’s work will add positive emotions.
Be sure to communicate with others at this time. It is important to maintain relationships with relatives and friends, as well as make new acquaintances, for example, by attending exhibitions and film premieres.
