Sadness is a normal state of mind that arises in a situation of loss or frustration. If this sadness is prolonged over time because the individual cannot find a way to cope, it can degenerate into depression.
Depression is diagnosed when that state of sadness is prolonged for several weeks, but according to the DSMIV scale of diagnosis of mental disorders, depression presents 5 or more symptoms, in addition to sadness. These symptoms are:
1. Anhedonia: decreased interest or capacity for pleasure in all or almost all activities. What he/she used to like does not motivate him/her.
2. Weight loss: without dieting, loss of appetite almost every day. Or the opposite, increased intake and weight gain.
3. Insomnia: hardly sleeps or on the contrary hypersomnia increased hours of sleep or even not wanting to get out of bed.
4. Agitation or otherwise psychomotor slowing.
5. Feelings of guilt, uneasiness, irrational ideas.
6. Fatigue, tiredness, loss of energy.
7. Decreased ability to concentrate, to pay attention and to make decisions.
8. Recurrent thoughts or ideas about death, suicidal ideas.
As we commented before, when the period of sadness is prolonged too much and in addition there are five or more symptoms of the already mentioned ones, it is considered that one is falling in a depression.
Treatment
If the person does not consult on his own initiative, it would be good that his relatives or other close people help him to ask for help.
In case of depression, psychotropic drugs prescribed by a psychiatrist may be necessary, although the simultaneous use of psychotropic drugs and psychological treatment is also recommended.
It is observed that women are more likely to consult a psychologist or other mental health professionals, probably because they are more in touch with their feelings and are more sensitive in general.
In addition, human beings in general are more prone to sadness or other mood alterations at certain times of their lives, which coincide with important life changes, for example: adolescence, birth of children, death of parents, menopause, retirement, illness, loss of vital capacities….. Since these are moments in which important changes coincide at the level of the environment, but also at the level of the person’s organism.