we are complete yellow september and various mental health topics are highlighted in the media. Today, it is impossible not to talk about depression and how the disease affects the lives of so many people. The condition is still not taken with the seriousness it deserves and it is increasingly important to have an honest conversation about it.
Just to get an idea, according to data from Covitel, published by the G1, the number of young people between the ages of 18 and 24 suffering from depression doubled after the pandemic – from 7.7% to 14.8%in 2022. In other words, the disease affects more and more people in the world, being considered by many as the “evil of the century”.
Come and understand what depression is, what its symptoms are and what the treatment of the disease looks like!
Depression: what is it?
Different portals, such as the Dráuzio Varella website and the government portal of the Court of Justice, explain that depression is a chronic psychiatric illness. The condition is characterized by a deep sense of sadness and dissatisfaction, which can also manifest itself in aspects such as low self-esteem, aggressiveness and even a feeling of fatigue – which goes far beyond that.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 350 million people have already been diagnosed with depression, underscoring the importance of talking about the subject and understanding, in fact, what it is.
Depression Symptoms and Myths
Depression is a complicated disease because there is no visible or palpable diagnosis. This means that you cannot have a blood test or an MRI that will indicate the presence of the disease. For this, it is necessary to consult psychiatrists and psychologists in order to reach the conclusion.
So many people don’t take depression seriously, mistaking it for laziness or even a person’s “lack of motivation.” The disease, however, goes much further than that – making it impossible for the affected person to react. In this case, judgments and lack of support will not help, only affecting those who are depressed even more.
The World Health Organization points out that there are different levels of depression, which can manifest continuously or with more intense episodes over time. According to the organization, the main symptoms of the disease are in general:
- Deep feeling of sadness;
- Lack of interest in routine activities;
- Concentration problems;
- Feelings of guilt or doubt;
- Lack of hope for the future;
- Sleep problems;
- Changes in appetite and weight;
- Extreme feeling of fatigue;
- Thoughts on death or suicide.
