The terms “depressed” or “depression” are not rarely heard in everyday life. Colloquially, it is also sometimes used to say “to be depressed” or “to have a depression”. And that quickly says something that is actually much more serious. Depression is a serious illness and therefore a lot more than just being “not in a good mood”.
According to the German Depression Aid FoundationThere is great misconception about the causes and treatments for depression. Depression is seen less as an actual illness than just an illness psychological reaction to difficult living conditions. Think like that, for example almost every fifth, that the Depression subsides when you pull yourself together and eat chocolate. A fatal mistake! Because, if recognized early, depression can be treated well. Treatment, however, requires more than just chocolate or a vacation: The disease can be treated well with psychotherapy and medication.
That too Federal Ministry of Health explains depressive disorders to the most common diseases and most underestimated in terms of their severity. But how is it that the topic is so easily “dismissed”? That we think we can do it ourselves? Let’s look for them Guilt about us? Are we not allowed to be “weak” and therefore not admit to ourselves that we are sick?
we have with Dr. Anne Moschner talked about depression and possible ways out of the disease. she is Expert for depression at TK and, among other things, responsible for the digital assistance “Depression Coach“.
Miss Dr. Anne Moschner, what exactly is depression? How does it arise and how does it express itself?
Depression is a disease that is mainly caused by a extremely depressed, hopeless mood that lasts for weeks or even months. Symptoms like Difficulty sleeping, poor appetite, and strong feelings of guilt and worthlessness in front. In severe cases, thoughts of suicide can arise. Exactly how depression develops and why one gets it and the other does not have not yet been fully researched. Today, however, it is clear that there is not just one cause, but rather usually different factors come together unfavorablywhen depression develops. A certain genetic predisposition definitely plays a role.
It is also important how good a person is with negative feelings can handle how be Self esteem is how he has learned over the course of his life with Dealing with crises and defeats. So what is often referred to today under the term “Resilience“Sums up. Continuous stress is a risk factor. In addition, you can (but do not have to!) critical life events like a painful separation, job loss or the death of a loved one Be the trigger. This also shows: Fortunately, most people do not get depression when they have to cope with painful life events because the other factors do not apply to them.
In the meantime, depression is considered an “underestimated widespread disease”. How do you recognize depression yourself? How do you know that there is more than a bad mood or a short-term overload in everyday life or at work?
For those affected, the depression is unfortunately often not recognizable as such for a very long time. Not least because they think for a long time: I just have to pull myself together, then it will be again. And that is perhaps the best indicator of depression: When I realize no matter how hard I struggle with the depressed mood, it just doesn’t get better. All that Has worked well so far and gave me pleasure, no longer helps. The depressed mood remains – for weeks or even months.
What do you think: Why is the issue so “dismissed” within the population instead of seeing it as a real and serious disease? Can you say depression is a “taboo subject”?
She was long a absolute taboo, but I would say: it gets better. This also contributes, for example, when celebrities publicly acknowledge their depression. That shows it really is can hit anyone. But even so, many people are still ashamed of their depression. You fear as weak, crazy or inefficient to be stamped.
How can the removal of taboos from the topic be advanced / achieved? And how can everyone help make it better or easier for everyone involved?
Clearly: Talk about it. Calling the child by name. Do educational work. There are extremely many stereotypes and prejudices about depressives. Only if you know what exactly depression is, you also know that it is affected not “crazy” or “too weak” are. you have one diseasethat they have to and can handle. The more we do all of this, the more normal the subject will hopefully eventually become.
What has changed since Corona?
Many people have been in the “Hold out mode“And have made sure that everything continues somehow. I believe that Effects of Corona will only become really noticeable in the next few months. Especially with children and adolescents, it will probably only become apparent in the course of the new school year what effects the pandemic had on them. Digital help offers have definitely seen a boost. Psychotherapy suddenly took place digitally via video conference and the patient and therapist noticed: It works! It’s different, it’s not always ideal, but it is possible. I think we will be a lot in the future stronger integration of digital and on-site offers to have.
A digital offer from TK is the DepressionsCoach. How exactly does it work?
The Depression Coach can be imagined as a digital yet personal companion for people who have already been diagnosed with depression. He can help them cope better with the disease.
That Coaching takes place online: I log into a platform where I can expect an interactive, six- to eight-week online training course on the subject of depression. The personal thing about it: I have one permanent, personal psychological advisorwho accompanies me through the training, observes my progress and possible difficulties with the exercises and gives me regular feedback. It is always communicates with each other via the secure platform.
What can you give relatives, friends and colleagues to help you deal with depressed people?
From the outside, depressed people sometimes behave quite nicely strange or exhausting. For example, your best friend cancels a meeting at short notice for the third time. And that for no apparent reason. You might be a little offended. And theirs supposedly Bad mood is sometimes quite tiring. Many then get annoyed at some point and react with the famous “pull yourself together” or “I’ll be fine”. That unfortunately does not help the person affected at allbecause he or she just can’t help it at the moment. Much better: Don’t take it personally! Make it clear to yourself: He or she doesn’t mean it that way, that is exactly the disease depression.
But it is also important: Take care of yourself! It’s okay to say: Now it’s all getting too much for me, I’m overwhelmed myself, I need some distance. You can still signal to those affected that you take them seriously and z. B. offer specific help, for example to go to a counseling center together. You can support and be there, but you can Do not “save” the sick. Ultimately, they can only do that even with appropriate professional support.
The psychologist Dr. Anne Moschner is an expert on depression at Techniker Krankenkasse. Responsible for the DepressionsCoach, she also develops digital offers for those affected and is actively committed to greater social acceptance of the disease.
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