Müdigkeit & Psyche
Müdigkeit kann der Ausdruck vieler Ursachen sein, unter anderem kann die Psyche betroffen sein. Energielosigkeit ist beispielsweise eine Begleiterscheinung von Depressionen. Wir geben einen Überblick.
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When vitality, energy, and zest for life are lacking
Gloomy feelings are a part of life—but when they take over and your mental state grows darker, they can also be signs of a mental illness. Feelings of joy, vitality, and drive then seem miles away—fatigue, listlessness, and gloom dominate your day.
In psychology, there are several clinical conditions, which we will broadly categorize below and explain the differences between them.
Autumn or Winter Blues
The "fall or winter blues" is a mild form of winter depression or seasonal depression. In psychology, this is referred to as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
This mild form of mental distress usually goes away on its own. In addition, by adopting a suitable lifestyle, you can do a lot to counteract this condition and the accompanying fatigue.
Alternative terms: depressive mood, low spirits, low mood, feeling depressed.
Depression
Depression is a mental illness. It is not seasonal and occurs in varying degrees of severity (mild, moderate, severe).
Typical symptoms include a depressed mood, decreased drive, a reduced ability to experience joy, and difficulty concentrating. Severe fatigue can occur after even the slightest exertion. Sleep is usually disturbed, and appetite is reduced. Self-esteem and self-confidence are almost always impaired. Even in mild cases, feelings of guilt or thoughts of worthlessness may occur. The depressed mood changes little from day to day and does not respond to changes in life circumstances.
Psychoimmunology has now shown that there are strong links between depression and physical health, particularly gut health. Nearly all people with depressive disorders have an impaired gut environment characterized by inflammation. Therefore, a combination therapy consisting of psychotherapy and naturopathic treatment is an effective way to overcome this condition.
Mixed and Special Forms of Depression
Dysthymia is a chronic depressive mood that lasts for at least several years but is neither severe enough nor, in terms of individual episodes, persistent enough to meet the criteria for major, moderate, or mild recurrent depressive disorder.
Exhaustion depression, for example, is a specific form of depression associated with prolonged periods of stress and exhaustion (burnout). It is caused by a severe lack of energy, which leads to social withdrawal and frustration and, over time, takes a toll on mental health.
Anxiety disorders are often closely linked to depression. The fear that one’s mental state and psychological well-being will not improve, the hopelessness, and the worry about what the future holds. Often, however, anxiety is the root cause: worries about existential problems (e.g., job loss, fear of illness, etc.) lead to fatigue and exhaustion and, as a result, to a low mood.
How should we deal with depressive disorders?
When in doubt, an exact diagnostic distinction is less important than the fact that you should seek professional help if you have a depressive disorder!
All too often, depression is still equated with a lack of willpower, hypersensitivity, or imagination. Depression is a medical condition that should primarily be treated with psychotherapy. In severe cases, antidepressants are usually unavoidable, while milder forms can often be effectively treated with naturopathy.
The next step usually involves changing lifestyle habits and processing traumatic life experiences in order to achieve lasting improvement and psychological stability. Physical treatments based on psychoimmunology (see above) are also very beneficial and make a valuable contribution to treatment.