What are the symptoms of depression and how to treat them with immersion therapy

The importance of mood tone

Mood tone for human beings is an important psychic function and is generally flexible. This means that when individuals experience pleasant events or situations it flexes upward, while in negative and unpleasant situations it flexes downward.

People suffering from depression do not show this flexibility and their mood is constantly flexed downward, regardless of external situations.

What depression looks like

People suffering from depression report feeling sad, hopeless, discouraged, down in the dumps.

Not infrequently, sadness may be denied, emerging only from facial expressions and behavior or from reference to physical pain or other somatic complaints.

Depression is often associated with increased irritability (especially in children and adolescents), loss of interest or pleasure in almost any activity. This aspect is always present, although the subject may not realize it.

It is often family members who notice the social withdrawal or rejection of occupations previously thought to be pleasurable

What are the physical and psychological symptoms of depression

The most common symptoms of depression are:

• loss of energy,
• sense of fatigue,
• difficulty in concentration and memory,
• motor agitation and nervousness,
• weight loss or weight gain,
• sleep disturbances (insomnia or hypersomnia),
• lack of sexual desire and physical pain.

Emotional feelings such as sadness, anguish, despair, dissatisfaction, feelings of helplessness, loss of hope, and a sense of emptiness can also be added to these symptoms of depression.

Cognitive-level symptoms of depression include:

• difficulty making decisions and solving problems,
• mental rumination (constantly thinking about one’s malaise and possible reasons),
• self-criticism and self-evaluation,
• catastrophic and pessimistic thinking.

The behaviors that distinguish the depressed person are: avoidance of people and social isolation, frequent complaining, reduced sexual activity up to and including suicide attempts.

What are the causes of depression?

Depression has no single cause but is the result of a combination of biological, psychological, environmental, and genetic factors.

• Brain biochemistry: changes in neurotransmitter levels, including dysregulation of cholinergic, catecholaminergic, and serotonergic transmission, may contribute to the onset of depression;
• hormone levels: changes in hormone levels can affect mood and lead to depression;
• trauma: stressful events and experiences can increase the risk of developing depression;
• genetic and family predisposition: having family members who have suffered from depression increases the risk; research has identified some genes related to risk;
• psychosocial factors: existential stress may contribute to the onset of depression;
• physical illnesses: conditions that can worsen or cause depression include arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity;
• substance use: the use of certain substances can increase the risk of depression.

What are the types of depression?

There are different forms of depression, each with distinctive features that can be recognized by treatment

Major depressive disorder

It is one of the most severe forms of depression. It is characterized by the presence of one or more major depressive episodes. The major depressive episode is a period of at least two weeks during which there is: depressed mood for most of the day and loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities. Its symptoms prevent the performance of normal daily activities;

Dysthymic disorder or dysthymia

a disorder characterized by symptoms very similar to those of major depression, although they tend to manifest in a milder way;

Bipolar disorder or manic-depressive disorder.

Disorders characterized by alternating depressive states with manic or hypomanic states;

Reactive depression

Affecting people as a result of a specific event, trauma, bereavement, loss, change;

Postpartum depression

Which arises after childbirth with symptoms of intense sadness, anxiety, and difficulty in establishing an appropriate attachment with the child.

How to treat depression?

Depression is a complex disorder that does not always present clearly and may be associated with other conditions.

For this reason, treatment is highly individualized. Some of the possible interventions are:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

This treatment is based on a series of one-on-one interviews with the goal of helping the person adopt new points of view, encouraging him or her to change self-view and future expectations. It helps to identify negative and dysfunctional ways of thinking; this enables the patient to become aware regarding the vicious circles that maintain and aggravate the illness. It is important, at the end of the course, to set up maintenance therapy, which intervenes in useful strategies to avoid relapse;

Psycho-education

Family members and patients are informed about what the disease is about, so as to create a common knowledge that helps people follow the treatment. In the path out of depression, it is essential to have a welcoming and understanding family by one’s side, which does not stimulate feelings of shame, but acts as a support in all stages of the illness. As relapses are easy, people who stand by the person are also educated to recognize the symptoms of depression that herald a new depressive episode;

Interpersonal therapy

The goal is to strengthen the depressed person’s social network, helping him or her break out of social isolation and overcome unresolved problems;

Relaxation techniques.

These are especially useful when depression is also associated with anxiety symptoms. In the course of the session, techniques of evoking pleasant images and controlling breathing are used.

In medium to severe cases of depression, psychotherapy should almost always be combined with pharmacological treatment. Given also the biological basis of the illness, a treatment protocol should be established to act accordingly.