Are bad moods, drowsiness and irritability following you around? There are two news about this. Let's start with the good one? Experts note that this is a normal reaction of the body to the approaching cold and lack of sun. But the bad news is that if nothing is done about this condition, it is fraught with serious consequences for mental health and the body as a whole. Practicing psychologist Nadezhda Chikilina shared with us professional life hacks on how to cope with sudden sadness.
What is the “autumn blues” and why does it occur?
— In autumn, mood worsens, primarily for physiological reasons. As soon as daylight hours decrease, the production of serotonin, the hormone responsible for a good mood, decreases. The synthesis of melanin, which is responsible for the sleep/wake cycle, on the contrary, increases. Because of this, it is more difficult to get out of bed in the morning, and during the day there is increased sleepiness, says Veronika Chuprova . – People with a normal psycho-emotional background may not even notice these changes. Those who are exposed to stress and frequent mood swings are more likely to become mopey. People with low self-esteem, melancholic and phlegmatic people are at risk of seasonal deterioration in well-being.
In 90% of cases, the blues go away with the first snow - by this time the person gets used to the new life cycle, and the body adapts to a different mode of operation.
Psychotherapist Veronika Khatskevich identifies another reason for seasonal mood changes - psychological:
“There is no concept of “autumn blues” in clinical psychology,” says Veronika Khatskevich . “It’s not a medical diagnosis, unlike depression. It’s just that after the summer riot of greenery, autumn days look quite gloomy, reminding us of what a person lacks in life - attention, care, love, affection, intimacy, understanding. What matters here is how self-sufficient a person is and can rely on himself.
Another fact: decreasing daylight hours, yellowed leaves and lack of sun are perceived at an unconscious level by a person as a loss. And he lives it with sadness and sadness. At this time, a deterioration in mood and a decrease in vitality is possible, but a person quickly adapts to them. The main thing is not to suppress your feelings, otherwise the blues may drag on and develop into depression.
How to deal with seasonal blues
- Set new goals for yourself - this is very motivating to start doing what you have long wanted, instead of lying around the house under the covers.
- Spend more time on your hobbies - this always helps a lot in the fight against such ailments.
- Create a homely feeling: even little things like a new garland or a cute hot water bottle cover can warm the soul during this cold time.
- Try aromatherapy: incense sticks, candles, and essential bath oils will help.
- Take care of yourself, it's a great distraction from sad thoughts and fuels your self-love, which is no less important for your mental state.
- Physical activity is a known sublimation of anxieties and experiences. It helps speed up metabolism and improve blood circulation. Feeling toned, you will pay less attention to the excess amount of melatonin in the body.
- Communicate more: nowadays, leaving the house unnecessarily is not always safe, but fortunately we have all managed to master video calling and instant messengers in order to maintain contact with loved ones and thus lift our spirits.
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Depression: concept, symptoms
— Depression is a condition that does not allow a person to live a full life and is characterized by a complete lack of interest in life, a feeling of one’s own uselessness, apathy, loss of strength and energy, and indifference to everything that happens. A depressed person cannot communicate normally with others - he is not interested in company, hobbies, he does not attend public events, trying to spend more time at home alone, continues Veronika Khatskevich. — About 5% of the population suffers from depression, and this disease requires drug therapy.
There are several types of depression:
1) Organic depression occurs due to an acquired or hereditary defect of the central nervous system.
2) Endogenous depression develops due to genetic predisposition.
3) Psychogenic depression occurs as a reaction of the psyche to negative events.
4) Iatrogenic depression - consequences of exposure to any drug.
5) Separately, we can distinguish symptomatic depression associated with changes in hormonal levels - as one of the signs of physical illness and depression caused by long-term alcohol or drug addiction.
If the disease is not treated, it leads to an irreversible process in the brain - neural degeneration occurs.
Important: depression does not only affect adults. It can also be diagnosed during adolescence. Every child feels sad, impressed, angry, angry or annoyed from time to time - this is normal. During the period of growing up and hormonal changes in the body, parents need to be more attentive. If lethargy does not go away even after the child has rested and feels well, I recommend contacting a psychologist or neurologist.
Know the enemy by sight
When it comes to autumn (and not golden and sunny, but cloudy and rainy), the word “depression” automatically comes to mind.
This psychiatric diagnosis is mentioned on any occasion - and in vain. First, let's figure out what classic depression is and why it is often confused with ordinary blues. — The symptoms are really very similar, so they are sometimes misinterpreted,
— Nadezhda Chikilina explains.
— In autumn there is much less sun than in summer, it is difficult for the body to get used to this, so it protests.
Chronic fatigue appears, sleep becomes restless and intermittent (some, on the contrary, hibernate and cannot wake up), apathy and melancholy set in. It seems like the weekend has just passed and you should have a lot of energy, but there is absolutely no energy or desire to do anything. A few other symptoms to watch out for are overeating and decreased libido (sex drive) or its complete absence. But all this can be dealt with without the help of a specialist, you just need to follow simple recommendations. But with depression, everything is much more complicated: harmless symptoms are supplemented by very specific suicidal thoughts or actions, excessive self-criticism and a complete loss of pleasure in life. This is the state when it seems: I’m at the bottom and don’t see a way up. In this case, you need urgent help from a psychologist or psychotherapist who can prescribe medication. “It seems to me that every person experiences difficult times differently: for some, it’s enough to cry, throwing out the accumulated emotional fatigue, while others can walk around in this state for six months.” How do you know when it's time to see a specialist?
— The defining time marker is two weeks. If during this time you do not feel better, it is better to play it safe and ask for help from a professional.
Treatment of depression and prevention of “autumn blues”
— There are two main directions in the treatment of depression: psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological. Drug treatment involves the use of the latest generation antidepressants. Their main function is the suppression of autonomic and somatic dysfunctions, explains Veronika Khatskevich . -Psychotherapeutic treatment is stepwise and consistent. In severe forms, these two methods are combined. Psychotherapy may be sufficient in the lungs.
For the “autumn blues,” antidepressants are not needed. Walk more, look for something new and interesting for yourself. Practice light therapy: add bright colors to your interior, and waking up will become much easier. Take vitamin D, or even better, plan a vacation in mid-autumn - “sunbathing” has a positive effect on the psyche.
Don't ignore physical activity. During sports, the brain is actively saturated with oxygen and synthesizes endorphins - joy hormones. Dancing, swimming pool, yoga - choose what really brings you pleasure.
Spend more time with friends - positive emotions and pleasant meetings do not allow a bad mood to take hold in your life.
Veronica Chuprova is sure: you don’t need to prepare for the blues in advance, but a special diet will help you survive it much easier:
“In August, there is no need to prepare for the fact that in a month the leaves will turn yellow and everything will suddenly become bad - self-programming can work here,” Veronika Chuprova . — Follow a daily routine: the body must rest fully. Include more foods rich in tryptophan in your diet: meat, cheese, nuts, dates, cottage cheese, peanuts, sesame seeds, yogurt, legumes, mushrooms. This amino acid is a precursor to serotonin. Its deficiency can lead to vitamin B3 hypovitaminosis.
Eat more vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C: oranges, tangerines, sauerkraut, grapefruit, sea buckthorn, Brussels sprouts, parsley, black currants.
Plan your day: for many, this helps to relieve stress and relax. Switch up your activities: if you spent the whole day at the computer, be sure to take a walk in the evening. Listen to yourself more and everything will return to normal.
Health checklist
The psychologist is sure: the first thing to do in case of apathy is to do something that brings joy.
I like lying on the sofa under a blanket and flipping through comics or watching TV series - great, don’t scold yourself for supposed laziness. If you like to paint by numbers or assemble puzzles - great, run for a new frame for your next masterpiece. Is cooking something that always lifts your spirits? Great, treat yourself and your loved ones to an unusual delicacy. But pay attention to the details: choose colorful dishes, lay out napkins in origami style, place decorative candles with a pleasant smell on the table, or place a herbarium of autumn leaves in a vase.
— By the way, these recommendations are universal for everyone. It’s just that our men are much less likely to look deep into themselves and may admit to some kind of weakness. It is easier for them to suppress emotions or drown them out with alcohol, to pretend that all experiences are far-fetched,
- Nadezhda warns.
- But being honest with yourself is very important for the formation of a healthy psyche, so think about it.
Let's move on to the next point. Treat yourself. What happens if you constantly constrain yourself with limits and restrictions? At some point, you can forever lose your individuality and say goodbye to your present self. You shouldn't go all out, but you can play harmless pranks.
Praise yourself for your achievements. A bad mood greatly affects self-esteem, so sometimes it seems to us that we have achieved nothing and are lagging behind everyone we know. Here it is important to turn on critical thinking and spend half an hour on one useful exercise. All you need is nothing: a 30-centimeter sewing tape (a kind of life line), a felt-tip pen and an atmosphere of solitude with your thoughts. Imagine that you are the screenwriter of a film about yourself and you need to remember the main achievements of your entire life. This could be a diploma from a university, winning a professional competition, buying a car, going on a long-awaited trip and much more. As you check off each item, tell yourself “I’m doing great!” and imagine what other victories will soon join this list.
Physical exercise. Sport helps you take your mind off everyday problems, improve your mood and keep not only your body, but also your head in good shape. Just don’t overdo it by lifting barbells that weigh several tens of kilograms. Treat yourself with care: pay attention to Pilates or stretching, plunge into the philosophy of yoga or get acquainted with the incendiary Zumba. Moreover, you don’t have to spend money on a gym membership, because today thousands of video lessons can be found on the Internet.
Comfort at work and at home. Try to make the surrounding space as comfortable as possible, because it sets the tone for the mood. The simplest thing is to hang garlands with warm light in the room, place scented candles or light an aroma stick and choose relaxing music.
Citrus scents with notes of lemon, orange and bergamot will help you get into a positive mood. As for your office, place flowers and souvenirs there that you brought from exciting trips. All this will warm you up on cold autumn days when it’s drizzling outside.
What happens if depression is not treated?
Depression is a disease, and like any disease it tends to become chronic. Depression can lead you to divorce, dismissal, or even suicide. Relatives most often do not even imagine what it is like for someone who is experiencing depression. Various methods are used “in order to get rid of depression,” but most often everything descends into reproaches. Coupled with low self-esteem and self-flagellation, they signal to the person suffering from depression that they really are nothing of themselves and only make things worse for everyone. And the inability to experience joy sooner or later leads to the thought that “rather than live like this, it’s better not to live at all.”
If you notice signs of depression in yourself or a loved one, do not rush to judge him and do not try to cheer him up - nothing will work anyway. Depression is treatable, both with antidepressants and without medication. However, remember that antidepressants should not be taken without confirming the diagnosis! A diagnosis of depression can only be made by a psychotherapist or psychiatrist. The easiest and most reliable way is to understand the causes of depression. Then it is easier to find a way out, and this way out does not turn out to be a false move.
When to see a doctor
You can cope with mild blues on your own, but depression in serious cases should be treated by a doctor. If apathy and depressed mood persist for several weeks and are very pronounced, seek help from a specialist.
Sometimes insomnia, headaches and depression can be signs of diseases of the nervous system, which are treated by a neurologist.
You can get help with these alarming symptoms at the Kutuzovsky Children's Center. At your appointment, the doctor will listen to you carefully, prescribe an examination and be able to say for sure whether the autumn blues are a manifestation of clinical depression or another illness.
The content of this article has been checked and confirmed for compliance with medical standards by a neurologist, reflexologist Vyacheslav Yuryevich Tsarev.
