Not feeling well happens to everyone from time to time. However, due to work pressure or tension, it can escalate into a negative spiral, causing depression. It is known as stress or burnout and sometimes has far-reaching consequences for that person. If not diagnosed in time, it can potentially lead to suicide. What are the consequences of depression, what is its prevalence and how is it treated?
Prevalence of depression
- Tensions, work pressure and fears
- Dysregulated neurotransmitters
- Western problem and degree of occurrence
- Why is depression dangerous?
- Therapy
Tensions, work pressure and fears
Regularly a lot of tension due to work, worries about the child, but also grieving for the deceased has a major influence on the physical condition. If you experience tension or stress often or every day, this causes the mood to change and ailments to take over. The good feeling is replaced by negativity, causing things to increasingly deteriorate. On the one hand it affects how well we feel and on the other hand it causes additional physical problems. What does depression mean, how often does it occur in our country and what are the consequences?
Dysregulated neurotransmitters
How good we feel is largely related to the proportion of available neurotransmitters in the body. Stress mainly causes the substance serotonin to be consumed. It is responsible for physical satisfaction, pleasure in food and sex as well as mood. If a lot of serotonin is consumed due to work pressure or tension, satisfaction decreases. If the person takes on too much day in and day out, this can lead to a negative spiral. Mood and body satisfaction decrease day by day, causing depression to develop.
Western problem and degree of occurrence
The society we live in is based on performance. This is based on the example of American society, where hard work can make any dream come true. We also want to achieve the best for our family, while also enjoying life. It means that we combine a busy job with a fully planned private life. Think about raising the children and fulfilling other social obligations on a daily basis. In other words, we actually don’t get time for ourselves. We don’t get enough rest and are constantly busy planning every day of the month. That circumstance may go well at first, but will take its toll over time. Because many people have such living conditions, depression also occurs in many people in our country. In 2011, an estimated 649,500 people aged 18 to 65 in the Netherlands suffered from a mood disorder for some time. (lit.1) This means that approximately 3.5 to 4% of the population suffers from some degree of depression every year. Because excessive performance is learned from an early age, it occurs in practically all adult age categories.
Why is depression dangerous?
Increasing negativity cannot be broken quickly. It is a negative spiral that continues continuously. Initially, people will have burnout-like symptoms. People can no longer cope with the workload and tensions, and they no longer see the point. The person is irritable and listens less well to advice from those around him. It is important that the employer recognizes that depression exists and that it is treated. If the downward spiral continues, the person will identify further. The loner can therefore become a danger to himself and sometimes to others. It leads to extreme behavior, with the risk of suicide increasing. That is why it must be recognized quickly and treated properly. This circumstance can happen to anyone!
Therapy
Treating depression is no easy feat. Anti-depressants are often prescribed. Medication such as Seroxat containing Paroxetine ensures that serotonin consumption decreases. Satisfaction can gradually be restored. In addition, it must be accompanied by psychological support, so that the person can put a positive spin on life again. This medication often needs to be taken for months at a time to achieve good results. The problem, however, is that it also has an addictive effect, which means that people cannot get rid of it quickly. In other words, one will have to go through a long process to completely recover and get rid of the addiction.
If you recognize similar symptoms in someone around you, it is advisable to seek help. Depression is a serious condition and can have far-reaching consequences. Medical help is very important for depression.
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