Latent Depression. How To Recognize?

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

Not so long ago, I was preparing a material on depression, in which I highlighted one feature of latent depressions, which I want to share with you.

In medicine, we can often hear the term masked, latent and somatized depression synonymously. However, in psychology, this issue should be considered differently. Because not every psychosomatic symptom is depression and not every latent depression manifests itself in a physical illness. Therefore, I suggest immediately leaving the symptoms in the form of unrecognized pains, spasms, etc. to describe somatized depression. Latent depression is very cunning and insidious precisely in the fact that it is not so easy to recognize it, and, unlike somatized depression, it manifests itself precisely in psychophysiological symptoms.

Such a person can be in a fairly positive and upbeat mood, lead an active lifestyle, make plans for the future, see prospects, believe in oneself, and so on, so on, so on. And what then is the problem and why is it worth dwelling on? And the problem is that this type of depression is endogenous - caused by the client's internal state, not external circumstances, and associated with hormonal imbalances and cognitive disorders (i.e. latent depression is just a slow and blurry start to something bigger). And endogenous depression is one of the first in the suicidal risk group (which, of course, will always continue to amaze loved ones - "how could it be, he was doing well, no problems, he was so cheerful …").

So what should we look for if we suspect underlying depression?

1. Cognitive impairment

Such clients often note a decrease in mental performance, complain about memory and the fact that it has become difficult for them to concentrate on something, that it has become more difficult for them to operate with data - it is more difficult to analyze, find words, they can get confused in numbers. Also, such clients may complain about communicative difficulties, the fact that recently at work or at home they are often misunderstood, misinterpreted his words, after which conflicts begin on the topic "who said what and how and what it meant", etc..d.. children who used to study well at school suddenly falling grades, they sovreshayut silly and stupid mistakes that can not be explained after.

2. Chronic fatigue syndrome

Clients often note that they wake up as if tired and only in the late afternoon they "come to their senses". In general, the main complaint comes down to the fact that they could have done more in the same period of time, but now the same type of activity requires much more effort from them and does not bring the former pleasure of the task.

3. Sleep disturbance

Special attention is paid to sleep disorders in the work with latent depressions, because many researchers consider this to be one of the main problems in the development of a depressive state. In addition to the fact that a person can repeatedly wake up, and the dream is superficial, it is important to clarify whether the client has dreams. Since significant changes in the psyche and behavior are often associated precisely with insufficient stay in the phase of REM sleep (dreams).

4. Loss of appetite

Appetite disorders can manifest itself both in the direction of its increase and vice versa. Therefore, the main criterion is precisely that the client compares himself to the way it was before ("it used to be like this, but now everything has changed"). Also, clients can highlight the features of addiction to a certain product, for example, to sweets and increased thirst (most often this is a sign of hormonal imbalance and metabolic disorders).

5. Strengthening dependencies

Clients note that they began to smoke more cigarettes or drink more alcohol, energy drinks, medicines, etc., spend more time playing computer games.

6. Changes in "character"

Irritability increases, customers become unrestrained. The mood can also change both in the direction of decrease and in the direction of arousal - the main criterion is that the client notes that his mood as a whole has become different, not the same as before. The mood swings in children can be abrupt and inexplicable.

7. Anhedonia

One of the main signs of a depressive disorder is a decrease in the ability to feel pleasure. Against the background of increased social and physical activity, a person notes that everything that brought joy before is no longer so happy - "it seems that everything is so, but not that."

8. Fanatical care in any of the areas of activity

Leaving for work manifests itself in excessive workaholism, leaving for fantasies - in books, series, travel, etc., leaving in contacts is manifested in the formation of interest groups and fanatical following the main idea and interests of this group - everyone who adheres to a different, different point of view are people of the "wrong sort". And in fact, the next stage is the same withdrawal into somatic manifestations, i.e. transition of depression to a somatized form.

As with depression in general, a combination of these symptoms for two weeks or more indicates the need to consult a specialist. The need for differential diagnosis and special attention in this case are attracting adolescents.