There are situations that are triggered in everyday life, such as unemployment, financial problems, loss of family members, divorces, different types of harassment and other scenarios of exposure to stress that end up leading people into emotional disorders, such as the depression, which affects more than 300 million people worldwide, and is most visible in adolescents and the elderly.
Depression, considered the first cause of disability, is not a few times that those affected themselves manage to realize the problem, and this also occurs in their family and work circle, hence the importance that every January 13, World Day of Fight Depression, a global campaign is sung to learn more about this mental health disorder.
According to the University of Navarra Clinic, “depression is a mental disorder characterized fundamentally by a low state of mind and feelings of sadness, associated with alterations in behavior, the degree of activity and thinking (…) It is one of the pathologies more frequent in Primary Care and is the leading cause of psychiatric care and disability derived from mental problems ”.
In general, the most frequent symptoms are exaggerated tiredness, loss of interest in activities of daily life, permanent sadness, decreased vitality, appetite and sleep disorders, isolation, and lack of concentration. There are several types of depression such as major depressive disorder, persistent, postpartum, seasonal affective characteristic of winter, psychotic, and bipolar disorder that causes cyclical changes in mood.
Regarding the causes of depression, according to specialists from the University of Navarra, “except for some cases associated with organic diseases (Parkinson’s, tuberculosis, etc.), this is generally produced by the interaction of certain biological factors (hormonal changes, alterations in brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, genetic components, etc.), with psychosocial factors (stressful circumstances in affective, work or relationship life) and personality (especially, their psychological defense mechanisms) ”.
To overcome a depressive episode, doctors advise first to seek information and professional help, and then follow all medical and therapeutic indications, adopt healthy lifestyle habits among them, eat a balanced diet, avoid smoking and alcoholic beverages, and engage in physical activity. , have a positive attitude towards life, the present and the future, participate in support groups.
Covid-19, a pandemic that has already begun its third year of development and expansion with its previous and new variants, is a global phenomenon that has affected everyone in a general sense, especially in the emotional part, plus those who have suffered the departure physics of a close relative and those who are directly working in the fight against SARS-CoV-2, doctors, nurses, intensivists who have closely felt this phenomenon.
