One of the features of depression is the spontaneous relapse of the disease, that is its cyclical nature. Subsequent episodes can be interspersed with periods of mania or hypomania. In descriptions of the healing process and relapses of depression, a number of concepts are used, which are often misunderstood. That is why the glossary of these concepts is very important for the patient.
Typical terms describing the course of depression
partial remission - this is the period when the improvement of the mental state has occurred, but it is still less severe in full remission - this is the time when no symptoms of depression are diagnosed - recovery is a long time without recurrence. disease relapse - return of disease symptoms in the next remission disease, is a new episode of depression following the cure of the previous wave
The relation of the patient treating the recurrence of depression
A letter from a patient who has been struggling with recurrent depression for many years will bring up the problem described and let us understand how many mental difficulties a person suffering from her suffers from. And here are the fragments of the letter:
I have had sleep disorders for several years, and also the feeling that nothing special is happening. More precisely - I was not happy, and the sight of satisfied people tormented me rather. My biggest effort was to not show this to others, hide it: everything is fine with me! My family suffered because I rarely showed satisfaction or joy. The real trouble began in 1997 when I got depressed. This year was difficult, a few unpleasant matters have accumulated.
The course of the disease - research - or how depression was detected
Somewhere in March 1997, my stomach started to ache and gastric problems appeared. The ultrasound showed nothing, only the X-ray showed intestinal contraction to such an extent that the doctor describing the photo stated that he had not seen something like it for ten years. Drugs were prescribed for me and we went on vacation to the sea, to Hel. Drugs did not work, and I remember that memories of my childhood came back and forth, and my holidays were tiring. After returning to Warsaw, I lost my appetite, I did not want to eat and I was tired of making food to others. I saw something wrong in everything, my son's girlfriend seemed to be self-serving, which was not true. Then everything became difficult. I barely managed to go with my husband to the airport and accompany my son when he was leaving for Greece. The guests came to us, the friends I had invited earlier, I could barely do the basic activities, I told them all the sad things. I could not sleep, I felt terribly tired. My husband bought a car, took me to watch and choose, it did not interest me, it was rather boring. I did not want to do anything, even talk, it was difficult to get up, to wash, to do something next to me. I was thinking about the past, I felt that something was wrong, I was looking for the word "neurastenia" in my dictionary (my mother had it), but it did not explain anything to me. My son came back from vacation, but this fact did not make me happy, he brought me the icon of Saint. Nicholas, but it did not please me. I also remember that I was in a capsule, audibly and visually, and the stimuli came to me indirectly, and through the glass. My husband urged me to pull myself together, but I knew it would not help. Instinctively, I was looking for help. I went to the University of Warsaw, where the doctor who examined me stated that it was depression and directed me to the hospital.
Unpleasant reflections from hospital treatment of the disease
They did not help me in the hospital, I was lying or walking, people were talking to me, I wondered if they did not see it? My husband asked me to call in the evening. I did it, although it tormented me very much. I also hardly read.Tired of the visit of my husband and son, I was very happy when my husband came, maybe it was a kind of guilt? I was afraid for myself, but I wanted to return to people, to normal. I remember when on Sunday I received a home pass and I was shaking all the time at home. It seemed to me that the whole world was far away from me, behind the glass. I was relieved when I started to sleep, but for a long time I was surrounded by a feeling of bewilderment and separateness. The world was coming back slowly. I do not like it until now when memories of places and characters from childhood come to me.
I still remember that I was taking the reality selectively:
... I saw what was ugly or disturbing: dingy homes, cracked sidewalks, old and unhappy people, everything that was joyous, did not attract my attention. When the son and the girl went to Greece, I was saying something, I was restless (at the airport), the girl's mother said: "let's go, daughter, lady, she seems to like to worry." I felt sorry, but I thought he was right. I would like to write about one thing.
It seems to me that after this illness I lost the ability of uncritical love (or I lost my illusion), I began to see my relatives in a somewhat different, less beneficial dimension. I myself called it "Kaja's band" from the Snow Queen, I can not help it. I got less sensitive to the problems of others, as if I felt anxiety about it and would like to push it away. A year ago I had a period of disturbing state again.
I came to work, sat at my desk and suddenly I was overcome with sadness. Everything seemed meaningless to me, and the room was ugly, I felt inside that it was not a bad mood, it was depression. Problems with sleeping started, so I went to Mr. Doctor again.
Prophylactic applications for those at risk of depression
It has been proven that, at least in some cases, a less intense lifestyle change, reduced stimulant consumption and compliance with the required number of night sleep hours can significantly reduce the likelihood of depression and recurrence factors, and patients already suffering from it can improve the effectiveness of maintenance treatment.
A message from the author for the reader
Depression is an emotional state characterized by sadness, less activity and the inability to enjoy life. It is one of the most common psychological problems. Depression, acting chronically as a stressfulness for many months, disturbs the functions of important organs of the body. It can cause various ailments and health disorders as well as pathogenic disease complications. The whole of the study presented on our website presents typical symptoms of depression as well as its various variants. In the following chapters, we describe how to cope with this disease, how to treat it, and how to deal with a person suffering from depression. The characteristics of depression are enriched by authentic statements of patients, descriptions of their ailments and difficulties in overcoming the disease.
Dr. Janusz Krzyżowski, MD, psychiatrist
