Mental Health Recognize the first signs of depression in oneself and others

Which can really help with depression

Scientific research has shown that at least 15 percent of the population suffer from depression in the course of their life, which has to be treated, or better said, because too often the mental illnesses are not recognized. Experts explain how to recognize symptoms and how affected people can be helped.

More and more people are suffering from mental illness

According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, the number of people with depression worldwide has increased significantly. In Germany and the EU too, more and more people are suffering from the mental illness. According to the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry (MPI), studies have shown that at least 15 percent of the population suffer from depression during their lifetime. Here are meant those diseases that affect so much that you have to treat them, or rather should, because only too often depression is not recognized. On their website, experts at the MPI explain how to recognize symptoms and how people can be helped.

Depression can occur in different forms and degrees of severity. In most cases, professional help is needed. Experts explain how victims can be helped. (Image: sompong_tom / fotolia.com)

Typical symptoms

According to MPI, depression can take many different forms. The disease can begin slowly or it can happen suddenly, like a bolt of lightning.

Typical symptoms include moodiness, sleep disorders, poor concentration, fatigue, irritability, slowness of movement, lack of appetite and weight loss, and hopelessness, as well as the inability to emotionally participate in events in the immediate environment.

Often there are daily fluctuations, typically the depression is more pronounced in the morning than in the afternoon.

The interest in normally positively toned activities has died away, it almost always lacks sexual desire and inability to engage in sexual activity.

In severe cases, the hopelessness is so pronounced that the will to live disappears and suicidal thoughts occur, to the planning and execution of suicide attempts.

Rare forms of the disease

A rare, mostly occurring in women, form are the very short-lasting acute depressive moods that often last only one day or one to two weeks and then subside again by itself.

Another rare form is chronic depression, in which, despite all therapeutic efforts, only a minor improvement can be achieved.

Another special form of depression, which occurs in about one percent of the population, is the manic-depressive illness. Besides depressive episodes also so-called manic episodes can be observed.

These manic episodes are, in a sense, the opposite of the depressive episode. Here, the mood is consistently lifted, carefree cheerful excited to irritable.

Who falls ill?

According to MPI experts, although depression can occur for the first time at any age, the full picture of middle-aged depression is most prevalent.

Studies have shown that the harbingers of depression can be recognized at an early age, but not as depression, but as anxiety disorders.

Today, it is known that young people with anxiety disorders, such as panic attacks, are at an increased risk of developing depression later on.

Only in old age is the risk of developing depression for the first time diminished. However, it is not known if depression in old age is not actually hidden behind some forms of old-age dementia.

Although it is noticeable that women are more often diagnosed with depression, this fact can be explained above all by the lighter forms of expression.

In addition, it should be remembered that men are more reluctant to reveal depressive symptoms and to go to the doctor to be treated for depression.

Connection of genetic factors and depression

According to health experts, depression is more than a single cause in most cases.

The mental disorder can be promoted by stress, stressful life events or diseases such as thyroid diseases or Parkinson's.

In addition, it has long been known that genes play an important role in the development of mental illness.

Only a few months ago, an international research team succeeded in identifying 44 gene sites that are associated with major depression.

According to MPI, the genetic proportions for typical depression are thought to be 50 percent, while the genetic ratio for manic-depressive disorder is over 80 percent.

The surest indication of whether or not you are predisposed to the condition is the presence of depression in your biological family.

However, one should not worry about this excessively, because the depression is not passed on after a simple inheritance process.

It is important to know that there is a genetic risk from familial stress and then to pay attention to the occurrence of early signs of illness, such as sleep disorders, vegetative changes, anxiety attacks and to counteract them at an early stage.

Treatment with drugs

According to the National Care Guidelines, depression is treated with antidepressants and / or psychotherapy.

That the treatment with such drugs is effective, has also been proven in studies.

However, it is also known that mild depression often happens without specific treatment. In severe depression, according to MPI, there is no alternative to antidepressants.

These drugs are not sedatives, according to the experts also do not lead to habituation or dependence and have no serious side effects.

However, especially at the beginning of the treatment inner restlessness, sweating, weight gain and occasionally sexual dysfunction may occur.

In addition to antidepressants, sometimes also benzodiazepines and neuroleptics are used in depression therapy.

Psychotherapeutic treatment

In the majority of cases psychotherapeutic support of patients is urgently needed.

According to MPI, the basis of any treatment for depression is an understanding and supportive medical consultation with the preparation of an overall treatment plan. In mild depressive moods, this may be sufficient as the only method of therapy.

The most important form of psychotherapy is the so-called cognitive behavioral therapy. This includes the correction of negative reality and self-assessment, the gradual development of activities based on the amplifier principle, the promotion of self-assurance and social competence as well as coping with everyday problems.

The goal of every depression therapy is always the complete restoration of the mental state.

Important to know: People with depression also have an increased risk of heart disease and metabolic disorders, especially diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the prevention of such diseases should be kept in mind.

What friends and family should consider

The Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry points out that friends and relatives can also help those affected. You should know how to deal with depressives properly.

You must be aware that depression is not something that can be overcome by willpower or following advice.

Also, symptoms such as negativity and irritability or inactivity and supposed selfishness of the patient must not cause the relatives to lose understanding and patience and turn away from the "ungrateful" patient.

Relatives and friends must learn to understand the inability of the patient to achieve something on their own and not misinterpret the emotional distance as an emotional turning away.

It is also important that the patient is not overwhelmed by "good advice" and, conversely, that relatives are not forced into a kind of co-therapist status in which they are in turn overwhelmed.

Herbal products

The MPI also uses herbal products for the treatment of depression on its website.

According to the experts, according to the current state of knowledge, for mild depression, there is nothing against a therapy attempt with St. John's Wort.

However, some side effects must be considered, which can be serious: It comes under St. John's wort to diarrhea and an increased tendency to severe sunburn.

In addition, St. John's wort intake may limit other drugs in their effect. And according to experts, some drugs are inappropriate anyway.

From the use of Bach flower extracts, gingko preparations and other plant products for the treatment of depression advise the experts of the MPI. (Ad)