According to the German Ministry of Health, about 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. However, the actual figure might be much higher; this year depression has become a priority for the World Health Organization.

Depression is an illness of the entire body, which is why it's so important to consciously care for oneself and loved ones, and to respond quickly if initial symptoms of the disease are detected. The word «depression» comes from Latin ("deprimere") and means: to press down, weigh down. Depressive people typically feel "paralyzed" by their illness and can do nothing about it. Manifestations of depression can include sleep disorders, lack of appetite, nausea, concentration difficulties, withdrawal into alcohol, drugs, and even suicidal thoughts. People in a depressive state lose interest in their surroundings, hobbies, etc., and simply withdraw from social life, refusing the most attractive opportunities for personal growth or material well-being. The only thing they want is peace and solitude. If they can still work, they often spend the remaining free time in bed. They flee reality into loneliness.

Causes of Depression.

The cause of depression can be a predisposition, for example, to thyroid diseases. But in most cases, depression is a result of our lifestyle: information overload, stress, emotional overload, the desire to be successful in all areas at once, negative experiences, etc. All this accumulates and leads to fatigue, apathy, heightened sensitivity, irritability, and ultimately depression. Our wise body through a depressed and passive state says "stop!" and thus signals that it’s time to replace the ability to respond deeply and emotionally to life situations with something else. It is very important at the first manifestations of depressive states to ask yourself: «What's wrong with me? Why do I feel bad? Where did my good mood and cheerfulness go? What does depression give me? What positive aspects are there for me in depression? What secondary benefits do I get by isolating myself from the world?» Realizing and taking responsibility for your health and life, it is important to include mental discipline and forcibly create a balance in all areas of your life in profession, finances, contacts, priorities, etc., and in case of imbalance in any of the areas to know how to restore harmony. In positive psychotherapy described by Nossrat Peseschkian and used as a method, there is the Model of Balance of the 4 Areas of Life:

• Area of the Body (sleep, sex, sensations, nutrition, health, appearance, etc.)
• Area of Activity (achievements, work, money, education, career, etc.)
• Area of Contacts (emotions, relationships, communication, hobbies, spouses, relatives, friends, traditions, etc.)
• Area of Fantasies, Future (faith, dreams, goals, values, meanings, fantasies, etc.)

A person's sense of self is directly dependent on how they distribute time and energy among these areas. Ideally, equal amounts of time should be allocated to each of them. And, if you take all life energy as 100%, then each of them should have 25%. As N. Peseschkian said: «The four areas are like a rider who persistently moves (area of activity) towards his goal (area of fantasies), for this he needs a good well-groomed horse (body), and in case he falls, helpers who will help him get up (contacts)».

Also read: «Change, You Can't Leave» or «Change, Can't Leave» the decision is yours..

First Aid.

If you detect depressive states in yourself or your loved ones and it lasts for weeks or even months, you need to urgently seek medical help and start any therapy, possibly including medication. But it is also important to seek help from a psychologist, because if you only fight the symptoms and do not understand the causes, depression will return.

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