Treatment of neurotic depression

Causes of depressive neurosis

Psychologists call the body's predisposition and environmental influences the most significant factors contributing to the appearance of this disorder. In the course of the research, a complex of personal characteristics inherent in people prone to depressive neurosis was compiled. These features include:

• straightforwardness;
• suppression of emotions;
• increased activity;
• a strong sense of duty and responsibility;
• rigidity of mental processes;
• taking all life situations seriously;
• low resistance to shocks and experiences.

For the disease to manifest itself, a trigger mechanism is needed. Often they find themselves in traumatic situations such as financial problems, family troubles, or difficulties at work. Doctors also identify two groups of factors that can trigger the development of the pathological process.

1. In the first case, the patient’s whole life becomes involved in the development of the disease, when it begins to seem to him that there are many problems in all its spheres.
2. In the second case, the disease develops due to the isolation of emotional experiences. A person constantly hides his emotions from others, which ultimately leads to internal conflict.

Causes of the disease

The trigger for a mental disorder is any traumatic situation that puts pressure on a person’s psyche for a long time (or once, but strongly). As a result, mental health suffers and sooner or later a breakdown occurs.

The factor that triggered the development of the disease could be anything, including:

• forced long silence, inability to share your problem with your close circle;
• traumatic separation from a loved one (in particular, if we are talking about the death of a person);
• complexes associated with appearance, aggravating self-doubt (for example, with disability or external defects);
• living in a state of conflict with relatives (especially if they live nearby) for a long time;
• excessive workload (especially if it is unloved), ongoing conflict with superiors or colleagues;
• problems in the financial sector;
• intrapersonal conflicts (for example, inability to meet one’s own expectations), etc.

This diagnosis is also often encountered by individuals who take everything too close to their hearts. Unfortunately, the consequences of this condition are expressed by quite noticeable physiological symptoms and the development of psychosomatic diseases in the future. That’s why it’s so important to get help from a psychotherapist on time.

Symptoms of depressive neurosis

Classic manifestations of depressive neurosis will be lethargy, decreased activity, slower speech and thinking, and depressed mood. At the very beginning of the disease, the patient usually complains of symptoms such as general weakness and low mood. Vegetative-somatic signs of the disease are also possible: rapid heartbeat, dizziness, changes in blood pressure, loss of appetite. As a rule, after the appearance of all these symptoms, the patient decides to visit a general practitioner.

Symptoms after therapy

After completing a course of symptomatic therapy, patients do not always begin to feel better. Often their health deteriorates, a feeling of weakness appears, persistent hypotension develops, and spastic colitis occurs. The patient’s emotional state also worsens: he is constantly sad, his mood worsens, and there are practically no positive emotions. Symptoms such as slowed thinking, decreased motor activity, and poor facial expressions gradually appear.

In almost all cases of depressive neurosis, patients experience sleep disturbances. They manifest themselves as night awakenings and difficulty falling asleep. Immediately after waking up, patients with depressive neurosis feel very tired, weak and overwhelmed. Some also experience anxiety attacks, tantrums, and even phobias.

If we compare depressive neurosis with depression, its symptoms are less pronounced. This is due to the fact that patients usually retain the ability to soberly assess what is happening, do not lose self-control, and do not withdraw into themselves. It is also important that they do not have suicidal thoughts. Moreover, they are quite optimistic about various life situations. That is why the treatment of depressive neurosis is many times simpler than the treatment of depression.

Treatment of neuroses and depression

TREATMENT OF NEUROSIS AND DEPRESSION Now the term “depression” has become very common. Just look around and listen, and just everyone gets depressed for any reason. But in fact, depression is not at all what is usually meant by this word. True depression is much more serious. But how can we separate what we call “depression” in everyday life, which can be cured by walking and exercise, from depression, which requires medical intervention? First you need to know the causes and symptoms of different types of this CONDITION. TYPES AND CAUSES OF DEPRESSION First of all, it must be said that there are different types of depression. There are several classifications. But they are of interest to doctors and psychologists. Ordinary people need to know the difference between the depression that requires mandatory treatment from a specialist, and the one that you can fight on your own. So, there is the concept of endogenous depression. “Endogenous” from the Greek. endon - inside and genes - born, that is, depression occurs as a symptom of a disease that has an internal mental nature. This depression has been well studied by psychiatrists, and they should treat it. Its signs are weakening of motor activity (akinesia), complete indifference to everything (abulia) and depressed mood, the absence of any incentives to action (apathy). This is the so-called depressive triad. People around him notice that the person doesn’t want to do anything, moves as little as possible or even lies down, and is not interested in anything. His eyes are dry, his gaze is empty and glassy, ​​he does not cry, does not show any emotions, but is silent. Moreover, even if you have thoughts about suicide, you don’t want to do anything to yourself, you don’t have the strength to act. Other types of depression have external specific causes. This is the depression that occurs with a hangover; agitated depression, in which excitement reaches the point of violence; asthenic depression, in which a person has no strength, either physical or mental, for anything; neurotic, paranoid, anxious... There are six dozen reasons for depression in the dictionary of medical terms. And there is also depression, which seems to be not there. There are reasons for depression, but a person does not experience symptoms of depression, but he has signs of physical illness and various diseases, for which he begins to be treated. This condition is called somatized (bodily) depression. And since relatives take care of a sick person and pay more attention to him, the person begins to feel psychologically better and does not really want to be cured. Also in medicine there is the concept of subdepression - a condition when a person has not yet fallen into apathy, but he has all the prerequisites for this. You can think of subdepression when a person has a low mood for a long time, a pessimistic assessment of events (“everything is bad!”) and decreased performance. Such people complain of weakness, lethargy, depression; they do not believe in their capabilities, doubt the correctness of their actions, have difficulty making decisions, and often experience a feeling of anxiety and fear. This condition did not first appear yesterday, which is why the definition for it has existed for a long time: this is the same “spleen”, similar to the “English spleen”. At the same time, outwardly a person may look “as usual”, go to work, perform some “generally accepted actions”, but he does this without pleasure, but because “it’s necessary”. These are the same New Year's toys that are “defective because they no longer bring joy.” Just in everyday life, this condition is usually called depression, although from a medical point of view this is incorrect. This is not depression yet. There are no mental disorders in the clinical sense here. Moreover, subdepression often occurs in mentally healthy people who have fairly high aspirations in life. But when obstacles arise in front of them that require very serious efforts, sometimes seem to require the destruction of the entire life situation, when these obstacles seem insurmountable, then subdepression arises. It can also arise when goals that you have been pursuing for a long time are either achieved or, due to a rethinking of priorities, become irrelevant. A person loses the meaning of life. A typical example: midlife crisis. Moreover, having a list of generally accepted benefits (family, apartment, car, good job, a lot of money) does not help at all. And what makes the situation even worse is that a person often cannot speak out or complain to others about his condition. “What else does he need? - those around you are surprised. - Still, it’s like cheese rolling in butter. Not otherwise, he's mad with fat. I would like his problems.” And a person has only one thing in his head: “Well, why do I need all this?” And apathy sets in, the desire to do anything disappears. Other signs of the blues: digging into one’s past and comparing it with the present, as well as “complaining about life,” when a person, in theory, just needs to talk it out. If depression is not associated with endogenous processes and is not of a mental nature, then it has a cause. The reasons can be obvious (external) and hidden (internal). External reasons are known and understandable: conflicts at work, stagnation in career, misunderstanding in the family, problems in the intimate sphere, difficult social and living conditions, financial problems. This can also include depression from dramatic experiences, for example, the loss of a loved one, work, or social status. It should be said that the reaction to these problems depends on personality characteristics, vitality and other factors. After all, one person mobilizes from the presence of these problems, acts, “rushes like a tank” and finds a way out, while the other falls into sadness and despondency. Hidden causes of depression are certain problems in the worldview, difficulties in adapting to the world around us, the inability to build psychologically close relationships, the inability to formulate real and adequate life goals... That is, when a person finds himself at a certain “choice point” and when he believes that he is the best for himself For some reason he cannot make a choice, and then he falls into a state of depression. And therefore, quite often people in a state of subdepression ask a psychotherapist the question: “Tell me, what should I do, where should I go?” And the task of a psychotherapist is not to give a specific answer, not to “send” in any direction, but to help a person figure out what he really wants. What needs to be done for this and whether the person is ready to make such efforts. Or he lies on the stove and waits for a pike that would fulfill his wishes. Thus, depression and subdepression are a symptom that something is unsatisfactory in life, that something needs to be changed. And to understand this, you need to think, analyze, and then act. Otherwise, you can remain in a vicious circle of difficult thoughts and unresolved problems. When depression occurs as a reaction to some event, it is called reactive. According to some theories, depression sometimes occurs when the brain is overtaxed as a result of stress. For many people in sunless weather or those who are in darkened rooms, depression may occur due to the lack of bright light. This variety is called seasonal depression, and, of course, it is most often observed in the fall and winter. Depression can also result from side effects of many medications. It usually goes away after you stop taking these medications. Depression can also be somatic, that is, manifest itself as a consequence of somatic diseases (for example, Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries, traumatic brain injury, or even the common flu).

SIGNS OF DEPRESSION

On the one hand, it is believed that making a diagnosis is not so difficult, since it is clear from the person that something is wrong with him, and he himself tells others how bad and sad everything is. But it often happens that he is not averse to telling others about his problems, but hardly to doctors. Conducted research also speaks to this: in almost half of the cases, people try not to tell doctors about their problems in this area. Many are afraid of being prescribed pills and do not want to “swallow chemicals”; others believe that they can deal with their emotions and thoughts themselves. Some people fear that records of depression will end up in the medical record and may become known at work, especially if the record is followed by a referral to a psychiatrist. The main thing here is not to be afraid of treatment, but of the fact that the condition can be advanced to such an extent that the person will not control himself. Signs of depression are divided into typical (basic) and additional. For depression, two main symptoms and at least three additional symptoms must be present. Typical (main) symptoms of depression include: - depressed mood, regardless of circumstances, for a long time (two weeks or more); - anhedonia: loss of interest or pleasure in previously enjoyable activities; - severe fatigue, “loss of strength” for a long time (for example, for a month). Additional symptoms: - pessimism; - feelings of guilt, worthlessness, anxiety and/or fear; - low self-esteem; - inability to concentrate and make decisions; - thoughts of death and (or) suicide; - unstable appetite, marked decrease or gain in weight; - disturbed sleep, the presence of insomnia or oversleeping. The diagnosis of depressive disorder is determined if the duration of symptoms is at least 2 weeks. However, the diagnosis may be made for shorter periods if symptoms are unusually severe and occur quickly. Depending on the presence and severity of these signs, a distinction is made between major depressive disorder, often called clinical depression, and minor depression, in which at least two core diagnostic symptoms have been present for at least two weeks. There is also atypical depression - a form of depressive disorder in which, along with typical symptoms, specific signs such as increased appetite, weight gain, increased drowsiness and a rapid emotional response to the environment are noted. There are other types of depression, as discussed above. For example, postnatal depression, which develops immediately after childbirth. Dysthymia is a mild, chronic mood disorder in which a person complains of almost daily low mood for at least two years. The symptoms are not as severe as with clinical depression. HOW TO TREAT DEPRESSION Depression can be successfully treated, but only for this a person must go to the doctor. To a neurologist or psychotherapist. At the same time, there is no standard treatment regimen, because everyone has their own reason, their own type of constitution, their own character. Specific treatment will depend on the type of depressive disorder and the severity of its manifestations. For major depression (major depressive disorder), treatment is usually carried out in two or three stages. The most severe painful manifestations are removed first. This stage takes from 6 to 12 weeks. Then the medications are taken despite the patient feeling well, so that the disease does not return, this takes from 4 to 9 months. If this was the first time an attack of depression, then drug treatment may end there, but if the attack is not the first, then maintenance treatment may be needed. For any form of depression, various types of psychotherapy, which are selected individually, help. It is very important to find the reason for the apathy and lethargy that has attacked you, and this reason may be hidden under many other “lying on the surface” reasons. Not everyone will understand this without a specialist. In addition, the treatment of neuroses and depression depends on the cause. For example, if it is seasonal, associated with a lack of sunlight, then phototherapy is used. It should be borne in mind that antidepressant medications do not act immediately; most often, the effect appears after 3-4 weeks, and more often even longer. The drug and its dosage for each patient are determined individually. In no case should you choose antidepressants yourself, without a doctor, since if chosen incorrectly, taking the drug can lead to a worsening of the condition: exacerbation of anxiety, increased suicidal tendencies, development of psychomotor retardation (lethargy, drowsiness). Additional methods of influence include acupuncture, hypnotherapy, music therapy, art therapy, aromatherapy, meditation, herbal medicine, yoga, physical exercise. STRESS This is the scourge of our time no worse than the aforementioned depression. But what does this word and this state mean? From Latin, “stress” is literally translated as “tension.” What is stress for? To save lives. Everyone knows cases when people lifted enormous weights, eliminated accidents that threatened death within a split second, climbed a mountain or jumped over an abyss - all in order to save themselves and their loved ones. Yes, in general, every person can tell an amazing story from his life, how he escaped a seemingly inevitable injury or danger. All these “miracles” were created by stress. Under the influence of a strong stimulus, adrenaline entered the bloodstream. The heart began to beat faster, the pressure rose, the brain became better supplied with oxygen, the speed and clarity of thinking increased, the muscles tensed in anticipation of the command - and, as a result, an instant reaction. However, what happens if the body is constantly “on alert”? Nothing good. If you compress a spring all the time, it will burst. This means you need to know how stress arises and how to eliminate it. The World Health Organization calls occupational stress “the disease of the twenty-first century” because this type of stress occurs in every profession in the world and has reached global epidemic proportions. This alarming increase in occupational stress is caused by various factors, not the least of which is technological progress. A strong stress agent for modern people is the development of communication systems: landline and cell phones, faxes, answering machines, e-mail, Skype. In general, there are several types of stress, depending on the cause of its occurrence: - intrapersonal (unfulfilled aspirations, needs, aimlessness of existence); — interpersonal (difficulty communicating with others, the presence of conflicts or the threat of their occurrence); — personal (inconsistency with the social role); — emotional (associated with an emotional response to various situations); — professional (stress of businessmen, managers, white-collar workers); — environmental (associated with the impact of unfavorable environmental factors). There are other classifications, this is just one of the possible ones. CAUSES OF STRESS There is a generally accepted belief that stress is caused only by negative emotions and situations. Not at all. Stress can occur after a long or bright holiday, after winning the lottery... Although, of course, more often stress occurs under the influence of factors with a minus sign. However, nervous and physical tension is caused by any excessive, unusual stimuli, and it makes no difference to the body whether these emotions are positive or negative. The main thing is that they are strong, excessive, and do not give a person a break. In medicine, we talk about stress when events occurring in a person's life suppress his ability to cope with the situation. A strong shock causes the release of adrenaline into the blood. And then another portion, and another, and another... And then exhaustion. Initially, a decrease in attention and memory is usually absent-mindedness. Irritability due to dissatisfaction with oneself and others. Sleep disturbances, difficulty falling asleep, nightmares. Then apathy. Reluctance to do anything. Depression. Thus, stress and depression are interconnected. When stressed, a person becomes restless, irritable, tired, and constantly under tension. He always wants to sleep, or is unable to sleep at all. he develops an insatiable appetite and gains weight, or the food is not at all attractive and he loses weight. He may even develop physical symptoms, such as headache, joint and muscle pain, blurred vision, skin rashes, gastritis, ulcers or other digestive system disorders. All this can also manifest itself in the somatogenic form of depression. And this is not surprising. Stress stimulates the body, but it is impossible to always be excited. Excitement is followed by inhibition of all functions, apathy - and depression begins. Whether stress is good or bad, emotional or physical (or both), its effects on the body have common characteristics. The immune system is especially affected by stress. Under stress, people are more likely to become victims of infection, since the number of immune cells drops noticeably during periods of physical or mental stress. In response to stress, a healthy person always experiences a state of anxiety and confusion. This state is an automatic preparation for active action: attacking or defensive. This preparation is always carried out in the body, even when no physical action is required. This happens when there is no real danger. However, prolonged anxiety, even positive, leads to one result - exhaustion. Exhaustion can cause passivity - a state of helplessness, hopelessness, depression, apathy. Apathy is the body’s last attempt to escape from exacerbations of so-called psychosomatic diseases or conditions associated with decreased immunity. If a person ignores this signal, continuing to drive himself into a corner, the turn of illnesses comes. However, the most unfavorable is a chronic stressful situation. It is then that exhaustion and the threat of developing diseases arise. How to recognize that stress is becoming chronic? Based on the presence of certain symptoms. Disturbances in the psycho-emotional sphere: these are either reactions of irritation - aggressiveness, irritability, anger; or exhaustion reactions - apathy, depression, passivity. Neuropsychiatric disorders: panic attacks - sudden, unreasonable intense fear. Often accompanied by fear of going crazy, fear of death, tachycardia, difficulty breathing and dizziness. . Or social phobia - a pronounced fear of being the center of attention or fear of behaving in a way that will cause embarrassment or humiliation. Other phobias: fear of animals, birds, insects, the dark, closed spaces, dentists, heights, thunder, flying, etc. There is also generalized anxiety disorder: constant expressed feelings of tension, anxiety and impending troubles in everyday events and problems for several months. Common symptoms include excessive muscle tension, irritability, sleep problems and chronic fatigue. Other anxiety disorders: adjustment disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, other anxiety disorders. Quite common consequences of excessive stress: dystonia, sleep disorders (insomnia, light sleep, nightmares, daytime sleepiness), neurocirculatory dystonia, vegetative-vascular dystonia, somatoform autonomic dysfunction. Closely related to this are sexual desire disorders, premenstrual syndrome in women and potency disorders in men. Strong or prolonged psycho-emotional stress in some cases leads to the development of diseases such as hypertension, peptic ulcers, diabetes mellitus, bronchial asthma, thyrotoxicosis, in others - to the development of neuroses.

OUT OF DEPRESSION The cause of all depression is stress. Depression is a nonspecific reaction of the body to stress. With mild stress, mild depression occurs, which you can cope with on your own; with deep or chronic stress, depression will be severe, and here you cannot do without the help of a doctor. How the first reaction to stress will manifest itself depends, among other things, on the type of psyche. As a rule, in melancholic people, stress reactions are most often associated with arousal, such as anxiety or fear, phobia or neurotic anxiety. For choleric people, a typical stress reaction is anger. That is why they more often suffer from hypertension, stomach ulcers, and ulcerative colitis. In phlegmatic people, under the influence of stress, the activity of the thyroid gland decreases, metabolism slows down and the blood sugar level may increase, which leads to a pre-diabetic state. In stressful situations, they binge on food, which can result in them becoming obese. Sanguine people with their strong nervous system tolerate stress most easily. Based on the nature of their reaction to stress, all other people can be divided into three groups. The first group has a passive reaction: freeze, bury their head in the sand and do nothing. Sometimes it really helps. But for many, such an “ostrich” life position becomes the rule; over time, a person learns to avoid stress, but this comes at a high price: without struggle and worry, the personality imperceptibly degrades. The circle of contacts narrows, interests decrease. Of course, there is no talk of any career growth. About improving material well-being, too. The most unpleasant thing for the “ostriches” is that such behavior falls like a stone on the shoulders of their “ostriches”. The children of “ostriches” most often grow up to be either complete losers or cynics and careerists (“bitches” AND “bitches”). And peace of mind is “an unfulfilled person. still won't get it. The second group is with an active-negative reaction to stress. This destructive negativity can be directed both at others - outbursts of anger, scandals, “hitting faces” and dishes, and at oneself - drugs, suicide attempts. But the most correct reaction is actively positive. In the days immediately after stress, such people have enough time to swim in the pool and relax; they have time to have heart-to-heart conversations with friends and relax in complete silence and solitude. When the situation demands, they develop the most energetic activity, and when the activity is useless, they know how to say to themselves: “That’s enough, I’ll think about it tomorrow.”

Diagnosis of depressive neurosis

In order to make a correct diagnosis, the doctor must first carefully collect anamnesis. In this case, special attention is paid to identifying hereditary burden. That is, the doctor should collect as much information as possible about the somatic and mental illnesses of the patient’s relatives, and about family relationships. The doctor must also find out in detail exactly what circumstances preceded the onset of the disease.

The diagnosis of “depressive neurosis” is made in the following cases:

• the patient assesses his mental state as unacceptable and alien to him, he is bothered by mood swings and other symptoms;
• the ability to assess one’s own state and mental reactions is not impaired;
• the patient’s behavior is normal and does not violate generally accepted norms;
• the disorder is persistent and is not a common reaction to a stressful situation.

Sometimes it is difficult to make a diagnosis, since the symptoms of depressive neurosis are similar to the accompanying signs of somatic diseases. That is why, if you suspect depressive neurosis, it is necessary to refer the patient for a consultation with a neuropsychiatrist. In order to definitely exclude the somatic etiology of the disease, consultations with a gastroenterologist and cardiologist, ultrasound, ECG, and EEG will be required.

Causes of neurotic depression

If a person does not know how to cope with stressful or simply tense situations, does not know how to make quick and correct decisions, lets things take their course, or, conversely, takes on too much responsibility, then any non-standard situation can serve as a reason for a change in mood and, as a result, the appearance of the first symptoms of nervous depression requiring treatment.

The causes of neurotic depression are often:

• the presence of hidden or untreated neuroses;
• genetic predisposition;
• stressful situations, conflicts in the family and at work;
• financial difficulties;
• focusing on negative information;
• other long-term psychotraumatic factors.

Psychological impact on depressive neurosis

The most used methods of treating the disease are suggestion, self-hypnosis, and persuasion. The goal of persuasion treatment is to develop in the patient new views and a completely new assessment of traumatic situations that he previously could not cope with on his own. Suggestion, in turn, should evoke in the patient ideas, sensations and even volitional impulses without the active participation of the individual in this process. Self-hypnosis is indicated for eliminating sleep disorders, phobias, and expectation neuroses.

Treatment

In some people, as well as in children and adolescents, the disease most often occurs in a latent form. In this case, it is difficult to recognize neurotic depression; treatment should be prescribed only after a preliminary full examination and consultation with a psychiatrist. It is important to be able to distinguish the disease from other disorders with similar manifestations.

Therapy includes:

Psychotherapeutic techniques

A conversation with a psychotherapist helps to identify the cause of the disease. A person learns to notice positive events and moments in life. Sessions provide an opportunity to express deep-seated experiences and hidden emotions, and teach how to mobilize internal resources to solve problems.

Procedural treatment of depressive neurosis

Treatment tactics for depressive neurosis also include the appointment of physiotherapeutic procedures. Methods such as therapeutic exercises, electrosleep, darsonval, hydrotherapy, and reflexology have shown their effectiveness. Classic, aromatherapy, Ayurvedic, acupressure massage will also be useful. To improve well-being and get rid of bad mood, patients are also recommended to do yoga, walks in the fresh air, and meditation.

As for treatment tactics, it usually involves three stages:

• The first stage takes about 6-12 weeks. During this time, the doctor records the most striking signs of the disease.
• The second stage lasts about 4-9 weeks. During this period, the patient takes antidepressants, undergoes psychotherapy and attends physiotherapeutic procedures. Thanks to this treatment, his health is gradually returning to normal.
• The third stage involves maintenance therapy to prevent relapses of the disease.

Depressive neurosis is considered one of the most common mental illnesses. Making a diagnosis from experienced specialists usually does not take much time. The success of treating a pathological condition depends largely on the correct combination of drug therapy, physiotherapy and psychotherapy.

Predictions and prevention of relapses

The first step on the path to recovery is to seek moral support from friends and to a specialist for medical help.

The disorder is easily corrected, and with proper treatment the patient can forget about the disease forever. To prevent relapses, it is equally important to adhere to the rules for preventing this disease:

1. Make it a habit to exercise regularly.
2. Listen to more positive music.
3. Forget about bad habits such as smoking and alcohol abuse.
4. Pay attention to your social circle: it is important to minimize negative emotions and pessimism.
5. Get plenty of rest. Do not forget that a person should sleep about 6–7 hours a day.

Don't hesitate to seek professional help if you see the situation getting out of control. Just a few sessions with a specialist will help you avoid serious complications. At the Leto mental health center, highly qualified psychotherapists provide consultations who will help you get rid of your problem and fill your life with optimism.

Tired of being constantly depressed? Do you want to enjoy life again? Then we are waiting for you in our clinic! To call a doctor or make an appointment, call 8(969)060-93-93.

Prognosis of depressive neurosis

Depressive neurosis is not as serious an illness as depression. Therefore, the prognosis for patients is favorable. The patient has every chance of recovery and return to a full life. However, if the disease is neglected and treatment is not started in a timely manner, it may transform into a more complex and severe disease - neurotic personality disorder.

Psychologists advise avoiding depressive neurosis in every possible way, since its treatment can take a long time and cause a lot of harm to a person’s mental health. If there are prerequisites for this disease, the following preventive measures should be followed:

• observe the correct work and rest schedule;
• promptly treat somatic diseases;
• avoid emotional overload;
• resolve family conflicts.

Distinctive features of the disease

Depressive neurosis is most often diagnosed in purposeful individuals who tend to experience everything within themselves and do not know how to share problems with others. In addition, such a disorder occurs in men and women with low self-esteem, as well as in those who find it difficult to make any major life changes.

People suffering from the disease often confuse it with depression due to some similarity in symptoms. But in fact, these are completely different pathologies:

1. Depression, in contrast to depressive neurosis, is characterized by a feeling of complete hopelessness, depression, up to the appearance of suicidal thoughts.
2. If with neurosis a person is able to conduct his professional activities, then with depression he almost completely loses his ability to work.
3. With neurosis, the patient remains interested in life and his favorite hobbies/entertainments, while in a state of depression, even his most favorite things do not cause joy.
4. Neurotic disorder is usually triggered by life situations. If we talk about a depressive state, it is often caused by severe internal experiences.

But, of course, despite the milder clinical picture, it is necessary to treat depressive neurosis, and therapy should be started as early as possible.