- Mental health is determined by a complex interplay of individual, social, and structural stressors and vulnerabilities.
- According to the WHO, about 6% of the world population suffers from persistent depressive disorder.
- The main difference with depression is the duration of the sadness and lack of interest.
In recent years, problems related to mental health have increased and it is a trend that seems difficult to reverse. There are even cases like persistent depressive disorder It is present in many people without their knowing it. For the same reason, they do not request professional help and thus an endless vicious circle is generated.
The WHO defines mental health as a state of mental well-being that allows people to face stressful moments in life, develop all their abilities, be able to learn and work properly, and contribute to the improvement of their community.
It mentions that it is a fundamental part of health and well-being that sustains individual and collective capacities to make decisions, establish relationships and shape the world. The mental health It is also a fundamental human right. And an essential element for personal, community and socioeconomic development.
What is persistent depressive disorder?
On the other hand, there are emotions such as sadness, apathy and prolonged lack of interest in habitual activities that do not allow a correct lifestyle. When they persist for a period of more than two years, it may be the beginning of the persistent depressive disorder, also called dysthymia. To date it is estimated that it affects about 6% of the world population.
This type of depression generates suffering in those who suffer from it that alters their ability to carry out work, school and family activities. Although they have in common the feeling of sadness, emptiness or irritability, which marks the The difference between depression and dysthymia is the duration of the symptoms, explained the mtro. Emmanuel Rodríguez, professor at the CETYS School of Psychology, Campus Mexicali University.
When the depressive symptoms are long-lived, it is possible that dysthymia can be diagnosed, that is, a chronic form of depression in which that state of mind is identified for most of the day. Both adults and children and adolescents can suffer from it.
Main risk factors
The risk factors of persistent depressive disorder are diverse and involve from the temperament of the people, the environment where they grow up, as well as genetic and physiological predispositions.
Having little appetite or overeating, insomnia or excessive sleep, low energy or fatigue, living with low self-esteem, or presenting a lack of concentration or difficulty making decisions and feelings of hopelessness, are warning signs against a possible picture of dysthymia. Suffering from or living with this condition can be an exhausting experience. Sometimes affected people wait a long time before seeking professional help.
“The best thing we can do is trust mental health professionals, either privately or through public or educational care centers, making an effort to overcome the prejudice or belief that is sometimes held when going to a psychologist. and psychiatrist.
Once the first approach with a health professional is given, the action plan begins with a support network made up of people close to the patient.
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