Depression
General information.
Psychologically speaking, depression is a pretty serious illness. It often affects a sick person himself and his immediate family. Often, depression can be developed on the background of stress, or the systematic repeating of traumatic situation in the working collective, home, etc. Very often, depressive disorders are hidden under the mask of a bad mood, and certain features of human character. In order to prevent the development of serious consequences, you should determine the etiology (causes of development) of depression.
Causes of depression.
Depressive disorder may occur in young, old, rich, poor. It does not spare anybody. All this can be explained by the fact that the values of the current society have a lot of pressure on everyone. People try to strive for social welfare, success in profession and career, visual appeal. And when this is not achieved, the person is able to fall into depression and despair, very much worries their failures. Depression is developed on this background. Severe psychological trauma can cause to depressive state (death of a relative, divorce, illness).
Sometimes depression can appears without cause. Scientists say that in such cases, not a last role play the individual characteristics of chemical processes, occurring in the brain, namely the exchange of neurotransmitters (norepinephrine, serotonin, and others).
Symptoms of depression.
Depression is versatile and has many faces from the standpoint of emotional expressions. A person can feel the causeless anxiety, despair, treat to himself critically. Sometimes patients feel fatigue, apathy, sadness. They are no longer interested in things they were interested before.
Also changes the behavior of these people. Depression can be suspected when a person loses the ability to some purposeful actions, when he is not able focus his attention. 
Sociable and cheerful in the past, person suddenly begins to avoid meetings with friends, family. Often starts abuse of alcohol and drugs.
People in depression has specific features of thinking. Their thoughts about themselves are very negative, they are fixed on some negative aspects in their lives, consider themselves useless to their relatives. Its hard to make a decision independently for these people.
Also depression is characterized by physiological (bodily) manifestations. Most often this manifests in the form of insomnia. The appetite can completely disappear or conversely intensify. This will lead to a systematic over-eating and weight gain. Patients may complain on vague pain in the heart or stomach, can suffer from constipation. Are very visible manifestations of overwork, including the overwork at small physical or mental workloads. Are frequent disorders of intimate sphere.
How to help someone to get out of depression.
Firstly - a depressive disorder can and must be fought.
If you sometimes began to notice that some of your relatives frequently began to criticize himself, conflicts with family members, colleagues at work or has strange feeling of fear, then immediately show him to doctor (psychologist, psychotherapist). In the case when a patient is diagnosed with depression, he needs all possible support, cheer him up. The patient's relatives must understand that depression is a transient condition. 
When depression it is necessary to provide psychological help for patient, without diving into the disease yourself. Try to convince the patient that there is no his fault in causing of this unpleasant condition. Together you are able to cope with this disease.
If depression is not treated, it can last for months or years. The certain medications and psychotherapy constitute the basis of the treatment. Doctors already do this!
Antidepressants are selected individually and are taken for a long time.
The goal of psychotherapy is to help a sick person to learn how to regulate his own emotions. This implies: active involvement in the healing process the patient himself, his willingness to talk about his accumulated problems. Received during the meeting information is a secret.
Prophylaxis.
In order depression is not developed, it is necessary to learn how to overcome stressful situations and lead a healthy lifestyle, regularly do morning exercises, comply an adequate regime of work and rest. All of this can help in dealing with stress, will keep your mental balance!
