Psychiatrist: If antidepressants changed personality, they would be a biological weapon but not

Depressive disorder is one of the most common causes of health problems worldwide. In Slovakia, more than 300,000 people suffer from it, twice as often as men. We are increasingly encountered in children. How to distinguish it from a regular « depot » and when to visit an expert?

« If we want to talk about depressive disorder, then it is necessary to meet the criteria for the duration of depressive survival, which is at least 14 days, intensity and depth, that is, a person such survival cannot be distracted by external or other factors. The predisposition, although the depressed disorder is not hereditary in the right sense.

The genetic predisposition is only one of the factors involved in its inception, and even if both parents have a depressive disorder, for example, it is not certain that their child will have it. « A higher risk of inheritance is perhaps in the case of high blood pressure, » he explains.

She also talked to the Corsair about how to avoid depression and whether a depressive disorder is lifelong. A lecture focused on mental health took place in the public library of Ján Bocati in Košice in cooperation with the civic association OZ, OZ, OZ

In general, spring is associated with something that starts, what is new, pleasant and nice. On the other hand, there are people who still feel something completely different, as if the more beautiful weather did not affect them. Is it just a myth that when it is nice outside, we should be mentally better?

People feel bad, even when it’s beautiful outside, they have good clothes or a great job. Even their colleagues may not notice this during working hours. Everyone has some teasers, blues and deposits in their lives, but this doesn’t mean it’s a depressive disorder. That’s something really different.

Mental disorders concern all of us, they are part of our lives, we cannot ignore it. The most common mental disorders are precisely affective, where a depressive disorder includes. It concerns the widest age group and often people who are economically active and have families.

Approximately 1.7 million examinations were carried out in outpatient treatment in Slovakia. Every third person has already met some mental difficulties. So it is not a marginal matter, but hesitation or going to the psychiatrist persists. Why is that so?

First it is a stigma – whoever see me where I go to whom, they will think I’m crazy, etc. What is closely related to discrimination, because each handicapped is looked at both at another and strange. But human society differs from animals that it should give a helping hand to those who need it.

Prejudices are not only about people who have difficulties, but also us, psychiatrists. The general practitioner sometimes wants to send the patient to a psychiatrist, but he tells him he is not crazy and does not need to go there. It may be enough to propose to send a person where he would get help, as other options have already been exhausted, for example – go where they can help you. Few refuses. It sounds different, but it’s the same.

People with mental problems may also be afraid that the employer will look through their fingers because they are psychiatric patients and thus will be at risk of their income.

This is not just about employers. What do you think how many partners remain in a relationship when they find that their partner has a mental disorder? Or how many friends remain a person after finding a mental disorder?

Some psychiatric patients have a bad experience with other doctors. Several studies show that people with mental disorders are given lower care for physical health and attention from somatic medicine, several difficulties are more overlooked or underestimated. This may lead to their surroundings then to avoid psychiatrists …

It is sometimes that way. You have the right to ask, ask for answers and change your doctor. However, it should also be remembered that every physical disease has an effect on the psyche and every mental difficulty has an impact on the body. I feel bad has its meaning. If one never felt bad, he wouldn’t know what it is like to feel good. Balance is very important, everyone should know where it has their limits, what else will kidnap and what is already significantly influenced by normal functioning. Because everyone can have a little bit elsewhere.

If I know that a harder day awaits me, I will plan it so that there is as much as possible to stay outside in the sun and air as far as possible. In the evening I can light a favorite candle, to do the music I like, some good tea or food, and I create the well -being I can look forward to. What can be a phone call with a friend.

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How can one distinguish if one has a real depressive disorder and needs help or whether he has only such a sad period?

The depressive behavior of a person lasts at least 14 days when talking about depressive disorder. If someone is sad for four days, it’s still relatively fine.

Another feature is serious intensity. When you say a joke, he won’t laugh. Even when you tell him you invite him to the holiday To some beautiful place, his depressive experience will deepen, because not only refuses, but realize how incapable it is. If you tell someone with a depot that you invite him for a holiday to a beautiful place and pay him, then you often « cure » him from the depot and will go.

Depressive disorder is always a serious mental disorder. It’s not just splin or blues. It is a disease that has a biological basis. It’s not just that I’m sad. Sadness is a physiological reaction common to every person. In a depressive disorder, a certain imbalance of neurochemical processes occurs in the brain. Treatment should equalize these processes.

The psychiatrist also gives hope for a comfortable life to people with depression. (Source: Corsair/Elena Danková)

Why does there be an imbalance in the brain?

This is also influenced by the factors whether a person is also physically ill at the moment and what a genetic predisposition, although a depressive disorder is not hereditary in the true sense of the word. The gene may not manifest itself in the next generation.

The hypothesis of multifactioral genesis assumes the occurrence of several factors at a given time, ie both genetic predisposition, both internal (biological) and external (psychological or social) factors. If both parents have a depressive disorder, the likelihood that their child will have it is only 33 %. It is a lower risk to inherit high pressure.

Another feature of a depressive disorder is that it disrupts the functioning of a person. He is unable to get up from bed, go to work, take care of the kids … also wants, but can’t do it. If it takes several months, it can lead to chronification, resistance or disability.

Other frequent features are anxiety, irritability and suicidal tendencies. These disorders also interfere with the cognitive area, people have difficulty attention, memory, not to plan or decide. Their psychomotorics is also slowed as if braking. Somatic is fatigue, a change in appetite, sleep disorders, sexual problems, feel restless, etc. In fact, these are all somatic manifestations of depressive disorder.

The lecture took place in the public library of Ján Bocatia in Košice. (Source: Corsair/Elena Danková)

So the symptoms of depressive disorder may be diverse, a slightly different one patient?

If we count all possible manifestations that exist within a depressive disorder, we will create approximately 267 clinical images. These manifestations can be relatively diverse. Three basic are – depressed mood, loss of interests and energy and inability to enjoy. A person who does not always have a sad face expression can also be depressed. Someone has a seemingly normal mood, but he is not able to enjoy the things that enjoyed him before.

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It sounds like burnout …

Burnout is more used in the sociological and psychological level. In fact, they are all depressive manifestations. This disorder has a frequent periodic course with relapses. It is therefore important to set the right treatment from the beginning.

A more difficult form is a resistant depressive disorder when, despite all available options, people do not respond to standard treatment procedures. But there are few of them. Most patients can help to such an extent that the possibility of preventing relapse is high.

How can we preventively prevent a depressive disorder from being manifested in humans?

The most important reports from the east of Slovakia read to Korzar.sme.sk. All messages from Košice can be found at Košice Corsair