The stages of depression and its characteristics

  • May 16, 2023
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The stages of depression and its characteristics

Depression is a mental health disorder that is characterized by having some well-defined stages. In general terms, there are five moments that define this clinical condition. In the first place, it is necessary that there is some cause that originates a series of emotional, behavioral and cognitive manifestations. Subsequently, there will be changes in the way of thinking that respond to feelings of sadness and general hopelessness. Consequently, symptoms, inhibitions and problems derived from depression are produced that if they are sustained in time can cause serious problems to overcome the obstacles imposed by this health disorder mental.

In this Psychology-Online article we will explain what are the stages of depression and its characteristics.

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Index

  1. triggering event
  2. belief modification
  3. Depression proper
  4. disinterest in the world
  5. Factors underlying depression

Trigger event.

Depression originates from a event in a person's life. In general terms, there should be previous history such as genetic and environmental factors that give rise to the disease for it to become visible. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the patient's life history and to the contingencies that arise at the precise moment that the triggering event appears.

As side effects, this situation leads to deep feelings of sadness, hopelessness and a marked lack of interest for carrying out activities of daily living.

Modification of beliefs.

The person who enters this phase usually change your beliefs about yourself, of the world and of the future by a negative perspective of the facts. For this reason, the way of interpreting reality will vary considerably compared to the moments prior to the onset of depression.

During this stage, the ideas of self-devaluation and those of others are accentuated, resulting in a pejorative vision of the actions that are carried out. The modification of beliefs is caused by an increase in feelings of inferiority and low self-esteem.

Depression itself.

Depression itself corresponds to the detection of the typical symptoms that appear in a habitual depressive picture. According to the DSM-V, depression as a clinical entity has a series of diagnostic criteria that allow arriving at a correct diagnosis. Next, we will locate the most relevant:

  • Permanent feeling of emptiness.
  • Lack of interest and pleasure in activities.
  • Loss or gain of body weight.
  • Loss or increase in appetite.
  • Sleep dysregulations.
  • slowdown.
  • Fatigue.
  • Guilty feeling exacerbated.
  • Lack of concentration and attention.
  • Deterioration of social, work and family relationships.
  • The symptoms cannot be explained by the intake of toxic substances and/or psychiatric medications.
The stages of depression and its characteristics - Depression itself

Disinterest in the world.

On the other hand, depression leads to a loss of interest by the events of the world. In other words, this means that the mental energy that was previously available and located in different areas of daily life is withdrawn for the person himself. For this reason, this disorder takes a large part of the person's vitality.

As a result of this stage, there are marked inhibitions to carry out specific actions in various fields such as work, study and hobbies. Likewise, there is a withdrawal from the outside world and a need to isolate oneself arises.

Factors underlying depression.

Depression can be sustained over time based on certain factors that contribute to the persistence of the most characteristic symptoms. In this section, we will develop the main ones:

  • Stress: Excessive durability of high levels of stress is associated with the maintenance of depression. For this reason, it is pertinent to emphasize the evaluation of the clinical conditions of each person.
  • interpersonal difficulties: As we have pointed out, depression has the effect of distancing the person from the closest environment of it. In some cases, this signal is determined by interpersonal conflicts that hinder the remission of symptoms.
  • dysfunctional beliefs: Negative thoughts play a fundamental role in the temporary maintenance of depression. When this happens, the person who suffers from this condition usually puts up some resistance to positive changes since they cannot see an optimal future for the development of their life.

In this article we explain What to do in the face of a relapse due to depression.

The stages of depression and its characteristics - Factors underlying depression

This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to The stages of depression and its characteristics, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.

References

American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition). Arlington: Panamerican Medical Editorial.

Bibliography

  • Arrarás, J.I., Manrique, E. (2019). The perception of depression and its treatment. Anales del Sistema Sanitario de Navarra magazine, 42 (1), 5-8.
  • Botto, A., Acuña, J., Jiménez, J.P. (2014). Depression as a complex diagnosis. Implications for the development of clinical recommendations. Chilean Medicine Magazine, 142 (10), 1279-1305.
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