Understanding and treating depression

Depression is not a fatality. It can be fought, provided it is diagnosed. Interview with a psychotherapist, Understanding and Curing Depression and Manic Depression.

How do we know that we have depression and not depression?

There is no common measure between depression and depression. œDepression is not a scientific term. It is a popular word, used to describe a state of ill-being and discomfort, most often temporary.

Depression can affect any of us.

Depression, on the other hand, is a real illness. And we begin to speak of a depressive state when certain symptoms of depression have been manifesting all day long, for at least two weeks. These symptoms are: a deep sadness, a permanent self-devaluation, the conviction of an incurable state and morbid ideas. Physiologically, depressed people have sleep disorders with frequent morning awakenings, eating disorders with weight loss or gain. When all these signs are present and persist, it becomes urgent to consult.

But all the symptoms I have just described are, more often than not, just the tip of the iceberg. What the patient experiences is extremely painful: he most often has the impression of stagnating in an icy, insecure, dark and almost unreal universe. He most often retains a perception of the outside world, but nothing can distract him from his suffering. He feels paralyzed, psychologically, emotionally and physically anesthetized. He feels and knows he is different from before, blames himself, is ashamed of it, feels guilty and suffers.

And yet, accepting your depression and consulting remains a difficult process...

It is estimated that there are today in many counties , more than three million people affected by depression. However, 50 to 60% of depressives are not treated, or under-treated or badly treated. Worrying figures especially when we know that depression also largely affects the close entourage of the patient.

But people always consult very late. Most often because they are ashamed. It is very difficult to recognize that one can crack nervously, that one has the nerves which let go. But what many take for a weakness is nothing more than a disease that can affect anyone. Except it's a mental illness and it's scary. A physical illness would almost be reassuring because many people think that one can make a diagnosis, identify the bacteria, the microbe, define the treatment and eradicate the evil. A physical disease, we can sometimes see it, on the x-rays or on the scanner...

Not depression, not anxiety: they are impalpable, they remain at the level of a concept that one undergoes. Depression is not objectionable. The first symptoms being often somatic, the patients often pass blood or biological tests to understand what is happening to them. And most of the time, they don't work (except when it comes to problems related to thyroid dysfunction). No paramedical examination can prove that there is depression. And yet, the earlier it has treated, the faster the healing.

Is depression curable today?

An acute depressive state can be cured in 80% of cases. Nowadays, a well-adapted treatment makes it possible to attenuate the devastating effects of depression, in particular when there are behaviors with suicidal tendencies, then to cure it in a few weeks. They systematically entrusted to a prescribes and a psychotherapist. It is a therapeutic alliance that I highly recommend; it gives much better results than the only drug prescription. Because the patient has a key role to play in his recovery. Provided that he has informed about the benefits of anti-depressants but also of psychotherapy. The patient whose personal history and psychological suffering not taken into account. There has a high risk of finding themselves left to their own devices, isolated and anxious in front of their medicine boxes.