On the occasion of World Health Day, organized each year on April 7, the WHO has decided this year to dedicate it to a disease that is little talked about:depression. Here are 5 things to know to (better) understand this malaise.
Depression and depression are two very different states. Feeling tired, brooding, having no energy, having trouble falling asleep… are some of the little things in life that we would like to avoid, but which do not necessarily indicate depression. Depression is a real illness, which is recognized and treatable. The latter lasts much longer and is more intense! It should not be taken lightly…
According to many studies, depression could be genetic. Indeed, scientists have detected that some of our genes are involved in depression. Once again, we are not all equal in the face of illness…
Women, men, adolescents, at any age, regardless of origin… Depression, like all other mental illnesses, can affect anyone. Nobody is safe when we know that 300 million people are affected by this disease in the world. And it is estimated that one in five people will experience depression in their lifetime. But beware, the symptoms are not the same for everyone. You have to learn to detect them and to talk about them around you, to your loved ones and above all not to hesitate to call on a professional. Withdrawing into oneself is the worst thing to do...
When we talk about depression, we immediately think of a mental state. However, it's not all in the head. This disease has a strong impact on physical health:sleep disturbances, lack of appetite, headaches, tension problems, loss of libido... There are more physical imbalances than you might imagine.
This is the good news of this article and the thing to remember (if we had to keep only one):recovery is possible. Depending on the stage of depression, recovery may be more or less rapid. In the majority of cases, you have to be patient because depression is likely to quickly take over... Being well surrounded by those around you and followed by professionals is essential!
Depression is still very stigmatized and minimized, so we do not hesitate to inquire. You can start by consulting the information sheets, available on the WHO website.
