Patients with major depression will experience more significant psychological and somatic changes. In addition to the further development of the manifestations at the beginning of depression, life-threatening situations may occur as the symptoms worsen, so extra attention is needed.
I. Psychological changes
1, depressed mood: there will be obvious symptoms of depressed mood during the development of depression, such as poor mood, sullenness all day long, unable to lift the spirit.
2, slow thinking: the patient’s brain is like rust, thinking becomes sluggish, slow reaction speed, often hesitant. At the same time, there will be resistance to people and things around them, reluctance to communicate with people, reduction of active language, and in severe cases, even unable to communicate with others normally.
3. Impaired cognitive function: it is difficult to forget the bad experiences in the past, and there is a decline in attention and concentration, which leads to a decline in learning and work efficiency. Basically, patients with major depression have impaired cognitive function, and the impaired cognitive function may persist even after the depressive mood has been appropriately relieved
4.Negative cognitive pattern: patients with major depression have negative cognition about the world they live in and their future, consider themselves worthless, defective, useless, unworthy of being loved, label themselves or others negatively; see the environment they live in as disastrous, feel there is no meaning to live, see no hope, even pessimism and despair, etc.
5.Sense of self-blame and self-guilt: Patients with major depression usually think they have made an unforgivable mistake, see themselves as a huge burden to their families and society, and have no sense of value to speak of. In severe cases, patients will infinitely magnify their own faults and feel that they must be punished by society
6. Presence of self-injurious concepts and behaviors: often accompanied by self-injurious concepts or behaviors, feeling that everything in life is meaningless and there is no point in living; thoughts related to death repeatedly appear in the mind, thinking that “ending one’s life is a kind of relief”, gradually leading to self-injurious behaviors, with more serious consequences.
7.Psychomotor retardation or agitation: Patients may have delayed behavior, lazy and passive life, prefer to be alone, unwilling to communicate with others, or be bedridden all day. Severe cases can not even take into account personal hygiene, unkempt, unkempt, and even reach a state of submucous rigidity or wood stiffness; may also be manifested as overactive brain, unable to focus on serious thinking, often accompanied by irritability, nervousness, fidgeting and other symptoms.
8, anxiety: anxiety often coexists with depressive symptoms and becomes one of the main symptoms of depressive disorder. Patients can show emotions such as upset, worry, nervousness, and inability to relax, as well as symptoms such as irritability and impulsivity, often resulting in inability to focus due to excessive worry.
9. hallucinations or delusions: Patients with major depression may experience psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions, believing that they should be punished, have nothing, are a useless person, convinced that they are suffering from some incurable disease, or that a major disaster will befall them.
10. Lack of self-knowledge: Some patients with major depression have incomplete or even lack of self-knowledge, which is especially common in those with obvious suicidal tendencies or with psychotic symptoms, and they may completely lose the desire to seek treatment.
2. Somatic symptoms
1. sleep disorders: patients with major depression usually have sleep disorders, which are more severe and may manifest as difficulty falling asleep, light sleep, excessive dreaming, early awakening and other symptoms.
2, autonomic dysfunction: such as dizziness, headache, panic, palpitations, sweating, abnormal skin sensation, etc.. Some patients may also show internal organ function disorders, such as decreased digestive secretion and peristaltic capacity, frequent urination, and urgent urination.
3, gastrointestinal dysfunction: The main manifestations are decreased appetite and weight loss, complete loss of desire to eat, disinterest in foods they used to like, and even reluctance to mention eating. After eating, they will feel bloated, have stomach discomfort, and even suffer from malnutrition. In the case of atypical depression, hyperphagia and weight gain may occur
4, always feel tired and weak: all day in a state of lethargy, fatigue, laziness. Patients often say “too tired”, “no energy”, or even do nothing, but still feel exhausted.
5. Sexual dysfunction: Patients have a reduced or even complete loss of sexual desire. Female patients may experience menstrual disorders, amenorrhea and other symptoms.
Warm tip: When suffering from major depression, the psychological and physical changes will be more obvious, in addition to the initial performance of depression will further develop and symptoms aggravated, there may be life-threatening situations, so you need to pay extra attention, please actively go to the regular hospital to receive professional treatment by psychiatrists!