How to get out of painful depression that interferes with life

Depression is often called a disease of the twenty-first century. In magazines and newspapers devoted to health and even beauty issues, articles regularly appear on how to get out of depression; on forums and blogs they often discuss how to get out of deep depression on your own and how to get rid of sadness.

Not everyone fully understands what real depression is, mistaking it for either increased irritability and anxiety attacks, or periods of melancholy associated with stress at work or prolonged loneliness.

Real clinical depression as a disease that has its own code according to the ICD (International Classification of Diseases) is a serious illness that has clearly defined symptoms and requires treatment with medications prescribed by a specialist with a medical education. It cannot be cured at home using exclusively folk methods, but methods that work with “everyday” blues, if used correctly, will help cope with the disease if used as an aid to taking medications and combined with visits to the doctor. Just today you will learn how to help yourself with depression.

What is depression and its types

Everyone who has experienced such situations needs to start living again after a shock, tragedy, or exciting event. Some quickly mobilize their strength, and their experiences become less pronounced. But it also happens differently. Some people don’t want to live after problems; they can’t get out of despondency for a long time.

Why is this happening? Let's look at the psychological and physiological mechanisms of this behavior. Let's start with the fact that depression is a disorder of the human psyche, which is accompanied by a triad: low mood and lack of joy, impaired thinking, and retardation of movements. There are certainly reasons for such a state.

And now some statistics: WHO data says that more than 300 million people have recently suffered from depression. Just think about this figure!

This condition should not be underestimated, because it often leads to health problems, decreased functioning of mental processes, and, as a consequence, performance and learning ability. There are many cases where this same depression led to suicide.

What happens to a person, why can he remain in this state for a long time? We all have different sensitivities and experience situations differently. In addition, we are stalked by a deficiency of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine - hormones, the lack of which leads to this condition, in addition to psychological reasons. Therefore, not all depressions can be recovered on your own.

In psychiatry, psychotherapy and psychology, there are many classifications of depression. In order not to burden you with unnecessary information, we will consider only the most basic types of depressive disorders:

1. Psychogenic. They arise in response to some kind of traumatic situation. It is easy to find out what happened without the help of doctors - the person himself talks about this situation all the time. This is a mild condition that can be overcome on your own.
2. Endogenous. Conditions that are caused by internal experiences or physiological disruptions that are very difficult to establish. Therefore, “get some sleep and everything will be fine” is not included here.
3. Somatogenic. They arise due to the development of a disease. Here psychiatrists make a reservation: “They should not be confused with psychogenic ones. If a person is diagnosed with diabetes, he breaks his leg, psychogenic depression appears - a reaction to the event. But if he gets psoriasis or Parkinson’s disease, then this is somatogenic depression, physiological.”
4. Seasonal. This is a common species, similar to Pushkin’s “Sad Time...”, and occurs most often in the fall. Associated with lack of light and vitamin deficiency.
5. Brief depressive disorder. It often occurs in young people, the course is not complicated, it goes away quickly, in 1.5 - 2 weeks. With self-help or outside help - even faster.

Friends, you can contact Sergei Litan, a psychologist and psychoanalyst. It will help if you want:

1. Get out of depression.
2. Bring back the joy in life.
3. Get your inner state in order.
4. Get rid of fears, phobias and panic attacks and much more.

In this article I tell you how I managed to get rid of internal fear and anxiety in just 1 month with the help of Sergei’s advice.

Seasonal melancholy

With the onset of cold weather, almost a third of humanity begins periods of sadness, melancholy, and melancholy. This makes itself felt by the so-called seasonal depression - a disease associated with a decrease in the length of daylight hours. With a lack of sunlight, the biological clock begins to “fail”, sleep patterns are disrupted, it becomes difficult to wake up, the mood deteriorates, and, in general, attacks can develop from a variant of “mild sadness” into a full-fledged serious illness.

How to get rid of depression at home if it is associated with a decrease in daylight hours?

Fortunately, modern technologies offer a simple and affordable solution - special daylight alarm lamps. They are produced by many electronics manufacturers. Such devices, based on the specified wake-up time, arrange an “artificial dawn” - half an hour before the time of rise, they gradually turn on and increase the lighting to the brightness level of daylight. At the physiological level, this is perceived by the body as a real dawn, and waking up in the morning is much easier and more pleasant than from the sharp ringing of an alarm clock in complete darkness in the room and outside the window.

How to understand that you are depressed

You can pull yourself out of an apathetic state if you know what is happening to you. It’s easy to understand that you are “depressed,” here are the symptoms of depression:

• depressed mood for no apparent reason;
• what was previously liked is now indifferent;
• melancholy, pessimism, negativism and “whining” appear;
• a person cannot concentrate on anything;
• becomes very tired, constantly weak and without strength;

Additional signs: anxiety, panic attacks, guilt, insomnia or, conversely, drowsiness, appetite disturbances, thoughts of suicide, a person cannot control his emotions.

The child, sadly, is also susceptible to this disorder. You can see this by sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, aggressiveness, irritability and withdrawal.

To make a diagnosis, these symptoms must last for at least 2 weeks or be of increased intensity. If this happens before your eyes, run to the doctor immediately!

But this is not a medical article, so we will continue about milder forms of depressive disorder that can be resolved with the help of loved ones. Most often this is psychogenic depression, a brief depressive disorder.

You can understand what you need to help yourself get out of stress and depression with the help of a test. This is a very good self-help tool. It shows your physical and mental state. You will have to answer 30 questions, and you will find out what is eating you from the inside.

Is there a chance to overcome it, or do I need a doctor?

In any depressed state, you can help a person with outside help: relatives, friends, a psychologist, a psychotherapist and a psychiatrist can play the role of an assistant. It all depends on what type of depression arose and what situation happened.

All people are so individual that you can never predict how a person will behave, for example, after a breakup, the death of a mother, or a frozen pregnancy. But if you see that your advice does not help, the person is “loaded up,” his state of mind leaves much to be desired, and he is very withdrawn from everyone, you need to sound the alarm. Don't delay visiting a specialist. First you can go to a psychologist.

Help from a psychologist for depression

How to find a way out

It is necessary to know yourself, this world and begin to live in it happily and with meaning. Look for meaning in everything: a walk, sunshine, an interesting book, a movie, delicious food, new acquaintances and a new job, communication with animals, sports, etc. And gradually you will be satisfied with your life, enjoy every moment of it, and this will happen regardless of whether you achieve success in this life or not.

Experts can still help you. This will happen effectively after timely therapeutic methods are carried out. Biological treatment consists of pharmacological therapy, as well as the inclusion of electroconvulsive therapy, phototherapy - light treatment, sleep deprivation - deprivation, dietary therapy, herbal therapy. Medicinal treatments include antidepressants, along with which tranquilizers, vitamins, lithium salts, antioxidants, antipsychotics, and drugs that improve the metabolism of brain cells are used.

Parting with a loved one

First, it is important to understand the mechanism of falling in love. For a person in love, there is a picture of the world that he considers to be true. And at one moment this truth does not give him what he wants. The lover begins to be capricious, gets angry, becomes bitter, wants, despite everything, to return his favorite toy in order to be in a high state. In this case, the lover is a person who feels sorry for himself and his sadness.

Getting out of depression after breaking up with your loved one is very difficult. You need to let go of the situation, and you need to begin liberation from the old relationship by mentally letting go of your loved one.

Condition after divorce

Depression after a divorce brings unpleasant moments to both spouses: discomfort, worries, settling housing issues, dividing property that exhausts the nervous system, forced separation from children, and many other moments.

After a divorce, you need to forbid yourself to worry, be sad, suffer, lie down, become despondent and relive unpleasant moments several times. This lifestyle is addictive, and your strength begins to drain. If the divorce process has exhausted you, and depression has completely consumed you, then first you need to calm down, find something that will relax you. Understand that divorce is the end of a relationship, but it is not the end of the world. People cannot live with each other against their will, and there is nothing easier than making a promise of eternal love. It is very important to accept this fact, and life will sparkle with different colors. You feel bad right now, so talk about this topic with those who will be willing to listen to you. Over time, divorce will not cause violent emotions, and you will remember this stage of life calmly. Try not to make a scandal, control yourself, be grateful for the time you have lived together and let your spouse go. This way you will win much more.

Depressive state in a woman

Initially, a woman experiences an acute crisis state, which turns into chronic depression, in which it is very difficult to regain her previous mental balance. Statistics show that every eighth woman attempts suicide, and every fourth woman needs psychotherapeutic help; the rest manage to overcome depression on their own.

Women's depression needs treatment. At first, antidepressants, visiting a psychologist, and practicing meditation are effective. Do not perceive divorce as an irrevocable event, but you should also not be zealous in various methods of retention. This will only increase the husband's resistance. But maintaining sincere friendships will help you more likely to improve your peace of mind and leave the opportunity for your husband to return to you over time. This will happen despite all opinions that you don’t get back to your ex. According to statistics, in big cities, every fourth man returns again, and a third divorced man would eventually like to return back. Remember this. In the meantime, take care of yourself and allow yourself what you weren’t allowed in your marriage. Don't focus your thoughts on him. You need to free yourself from this attachment. Tell yourself that from this moment your life paths will run parallel and, if necessary, they will intersect, but you will accept everything that happens to you next calmly.

How does a man experience this condition?

For men, everything is much more complicated, since depression after divorce develops later than for women, and everyone seems to be fine and have no worries. But that's not true. In the first days after a divorce, men are not bothered by memories, doubts do not torment them, and the future does not frighten them. And after enjoying freedom, men begin to be overcome by such unpleasant moments as confusion, depression, alcohol abuse, chronic fatigue, feelings of loneliness, overeating, emotional burnout at work, and intimate disorders.

The reason for depression in men is simple – disappointment. Not everyone manages to meet an extraordinary, young and seductive woman when they are free. These dreams are only partially realized, and close acquaintance with mistresses and women does not bring long-awaited joy. Simultaneously with the new life, there is a re-evaluation of the failed, previous family life and memory produces bright and joyful episodes from it.

And now most men are thinking about returning to their family. By understanding this, you can solve your biggest problem, which led you to depression. You just have to overcome the invented laws of male stereotypes, which will categorically prohibit you from doing this.

This period is characterized by the accumulation of mental fatigue from independent living and loneliness. Not everyone can live on their own for a long time and after a while insight comes and men become depressed.

Then the following happens: men destroy themselves from the inside with alcohol, excess entertainment, disorderly sex, and overeating.

How can a man get out of depression? First of all, learn to suppress your desires and become more organized.

Stop living in the past and don't expect anything from it. Start rebuilding your life, day by day. Don’t isolate yourself, make new acquaintances, smile, update your wardrobe, change your image, play sports, fulfill your dream, change your surroundings - go on a trip. Diversify your life with pleasant moments that were not available in marriage. Eat a balanced diet filled with vitamins and avoid alcohol. Step into your new life as a healthy, self-loving person.

Teenage depression

First of all, it is the task of parents not to miss depression in a teenager and to help him cope with the occurrence of such a condition. To prevent this from happening, stop punishing him, humiliating him, consolidate positive qualities in his memory, and don’t scold him for mistakes. Give your child freedom and making independent decisions, support him in everything. Listen to the teenager, especially if he is depressed, and avoid moralizing.

Depression after childbirth

Postpartum depression often occurs in the first three months after childbirth. It is characterized by changes in the mental behavior of the woman who has given birth. New mothers have unreasonable fears regarding caring for a child. These fears disrupt the atmosphere of communication with the baby. Long-term depression after childbirth was considered as postpartum depression.

Psychological counseling, establishing attachment to the child, and psychoanalytic psychotherapy help to get out of depression after childbirth. Drug therapy consisting of antidepressants reduces symptoms of depression after childbirth.

Condition after the death of a loved one

The stages of experiencing grief after the death of a loved one exist without clear time boundaries and each person experiences them individually, but conditionally this happens according to the following scheme. Numbness, shock lasting a week and a person’s actions automatically, as if in a dream. Next comes the stage of experiencing acute grief. Its duration is up to three months. This period is characterized by acute mental pain, bitter tears and regrets. Thoughts about helplessness, the meaninglessness of existence, feelings of guilt appear, and anger arises. After the death of a loved one, it is important not to be alone, not to withdraw into yourself, to express your feelings, to remember, to discuss. This way the experience of grief will pass faster. If you want to cry, cry, if you get angry, get angry.

Alcohol depression

Alcoholic depression is a depressive state due to the use of alcoholic beverages. There are two types of alcoholic depression. The first arises as a result of addiction and the desire to give up drinking alcohol, and the second appears as a result of a hangover. Often people, who are depressed for other reasons, try to solve their problems through drinking alcohol. As a result, an even deeper depressive state develops and the person finds himself in a vicious circle of alcoholic depression. Anyone caught in such a trap does not know how to get out of alcoholic depression. And help from relatives only irritates, leading to an even greater depression.

Often the symptoms of alcohol depression are confused with the symptoms of alcohol dependence. During alcoholic depression, a feeling of satisfaction, joy, or euphoria does not come after drinking alcohol. On the contrary, thoughts of suicide and death appear, so in this case the help of a psychotherapist is necessary.

You won’t be able to get out of alcoholic depression on your own. But a specialist will figure out what kind of stress led you to a glass, or vice versa, how this glass led to a depressive state. Treatment will start from the root cause.

Main reasons

As a rule, it is easier for women to get out of depression. Their peculiarity of thinking allows them to be distracted from apathy and depression. Especially if she reacted to the divorce, but there are still children who need her. In this case, for many, the process of exiting a difficult state was accelerated.

So, what are the common causes of psychogenic depression:

• after a miscarriage - when hormonal changes occur in the body, the expectant mother adjusts to a new life within herself, especially if the child is long-awaited, a miscarriage will be a shock for the young woman;
• after childbirth - getting out of postpartum depression without a specialist is quite difficult, often the postpartum condition is very serious, which requires hospitalization, a woman on maternity leave is burdened with caring for the child, internal worries, accepting a new role and responsibilities at home, and she cannot cope;
• after the death of her husband - many women, with the loss of a loved one, lost the meaning of life, and therefore fell into a prolonged depression; if during life the feelings were strong, then the loss will be perceived extremely acutely;
• abandoned by a girl - withdrawn guys tend to react strongly to such a situation, in this situation impulsive ones will do stupid things that can even threaten life, so sometimes you don’t even know whether it is better to be impulsive or withdrawn;
• after her husband’s betrayal, several feelings are mixed here: intolerance to betrayal, a feeling of loneliness, decreased self-esteem and others that interfere with leading a normal lifestyle;
• after a stroke or other serious illness that deprives movement, there is a feeling of helplessness and guilt about the burden for relatives;
• when you go back to work after maternity leave, a lot can change in a few years (if this is a post-Soviet space), it is difficult for a woman to return to a new work situation if she has been at home for a long time;
• after losing a job - there are known cases of suicide after losing the meaning of life - work.

And this is a small list of situations that can lead to depressive disorder. I know a girl who reacted very strongly to low grades at university. Therefore, it is important to forgive yourself for mistakes and not be afraid to start a new life after mistakes.

Symptoms of the condition in men

Perhaps you were once a “vest” into which a person who had lost the meaning of life cried. Maybe you will have to be one yet. Men have a harder time with this condition; the matter is further complicated by alcohol dependence that arises against the background of the disorder. What symptoms in men should you pay attention to in order to help them in time:

• anxiety, irritability;
• aggression that was not there before;
• feeling like a loser in life;
• pain in the head, back and other organs for no apparent reason;
• problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
• rolling fear;
• eating disorders;
• a lot of sleep or lack thereof;
• lethargy or hyperactivity;
• lack of energy;
• feeling of guilt, uselessness;
• thoughts about death.

Symptoms of depression in women

The symptoms in women are similar to those in men, but they are experienced differently; in most cases, it is easier for a woman to cope with losses, deprivations and changes in life. By the way, it has been proven that even deep depression is easier for a woman to recover from, and she is successfully treated. Symptoms:

• there is a constant feeling of guilt and hopelessness;
• lost interest in events, things, subjects that were previously very interesting;
• insomnia or excessive sleep;
• constant feeling of fatigue;
• Cognitive functions suffer: memory, attention, thinking;
• eating disorders;
• thoughts about death.

Manifestation of depression in women

Diamond Light

To get closer to a cure for depression, it is also possible and necessary to ensure that the positive feelings of the soul break through the distortions of mental distortion. This will also have a positive effect. If we somehow awaken these feelings, they will intensify. Against the background of their vivid manifestation, the mental distortion will not be so noticeable. Of course, this needs to be done in parallel with work on the psyche. To awaken and strengthen spiritual feelings, we need to do something in life, change something so that it is good for our soul. What does our soul like? When higher, beautiful feelings awaken within us, for example Love.

Depression often occurs when a person loses the source of his love, loses meaning in life. Therefore, no matter how hard it was, you need to return it, replace it with something, find the meaning of your existence. Find your favorite hobby, try to meet your loved one, have a baby. Think about what you can live for. After all, someone needs you, parents, children, a loved one. Live for them. Before you fall into depression, think about the people who need you.

It happens that a person falls in love with something so much that he simply has no time to become depressed. That is, find something to live for and that will give satisfaction to your soul. I understand that this is difficult to do with depression. But if you start working on yourself using other methods, soon it will be possible to do this.

Often the circumstances of life are not suitable for us to be happy. Therefore, in order to get rid of depression, you also need to change something in your life, improve your living conditions.

Of course, as already mentioned, depression arises, first of all, not from external circumstances, but from internal distortions of the psyche. Depression is within us. Strong people do not fall into a depressed state in any difficult situations in life. And to get rid of depression, first of all, you need to change yourself, and not the outside world. If you change yourself, the world will change, the ancient sages said. Otherwise, we will take the depressive distortion of the psyche with us into new living conditions, and everything will repeat itself as before.

But the truth is still in the middle. Often living conditions do not correspond to the normal functioning of the psyche. Sooner or later a failure occurs, we become depressed. It is difficult for the soul to show high feelings in such conditions. A rough example: a person who has not seen violence suddenly ends up in prison, he will most likely develop depression or another mental illness. Someone lives with an alcoholic, someone is in too difficult living conditions, someone is constantly beaten or is simply on edge.

Sometimes a person needs complete peace and solitude for mental health. After such a rest, you can already go into battle to achieve some goals. But if this battle continues endlessly, the psyche simply cannot stand it.

Therefore, if you suffer from depression, figure out what living conditions led you to it and try to change at least something. Of course, if you are severely depressed, it is hardly possible to do anything. But you need to understand the main thing.

Many people despair and give up when they can’t change something in life. They fall into even greater depression. But the depressive state in this case further aggravates life circumstances. This is the law of life. Therefore, it is very important to somehow find the strength within yourself to at least look into the future with hope for the best. Hope actually works wonders. By hoping for the best in difficult circumstances, and without falling into even greater depression, we attract better events in the new part of our journey. And then take action to try to change something. I assure you, the Universe will help you if you do not despair and believe in the best.

How to cope with depression: advice from a psychologist

Depression causes us to completely change our habits and way of life. Therefore, it is extremely difficult for a person to get out of such a state on his own. He needs help: advice from a psychologist or help from a friend.

If the situation is such that you can’t handle it yourself, then you can do it for free.

Ask an Expert

Sergey Litan

Psychologist, psychoanalyst, researcher

Ask a Question

Hello, my name is Sergey. I am an expert in the field of psychology and psychoanalysis. I work by passion and love my job. I specialize in depression and anxiety. Over 20 years of practice, I have helped hundreds of people get their results: get out of depression, regain joy in life, put their inner state in order, get rid of fears, phobias and panic attacks. Years of research have allowed me to find the most effective “tools” for solving almost any situation and life scenario.

Tell me about your problem and I will help you.

Independent recovery from apathy and depression

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— by age groups (children, teenagers, depression in middle-aged and elderly people);

- according to clinical signs (hysterical, adynamic, hypochondriacal, etc.);

- for other reasons (seasonal, postpartum, somatic, etc.)

Depressive disorder itself usually occurs in 3 stages and you definitely need to know about them!

At stage 1, as a rule, the disease is not realized at all by the person or is completely denied, justifying his condition with anything - poor health, mood, weather, and so on. At this stage, the patient is dominated by feelings of apathy, irritability and fatigue. Sleep is disturbed, appetite worsens, concentration levels drop, performance decreases and interest in your hobbies disappears in every possible way.

At stage 2, the restructuring of the entire body begins and the production of the happiness hormone stops. All the signs that predominate in the first stage are even more pronounced. There may be insomnia for several days, a person does not eat anything at all or, on the contrary, consumes a large amount of food, logical thinking gives way to the voice in the head. A person's condition may be so strong that he may decide to commit suicide. More than 80% of suicidal outcomes occur at this stage.

At stage 3, the mental sphere is exposed to pathological processes, loss of control over one’s emotions and actions, indifference to the world is combined with aggression. Therefore, this stage is the most dangerous not only for the patient himself, but also for the people around him. And if at stage 2 you can help yourself or thanks to the support of your environment, then at stage 3 you must immediately resort to the help of qualified doctors.

Books to fight depression

Books to help you overcome depression:

1. Louise Hay “The Big Book of Changes for the Better.”
2. Dale Carnegie “How to Be Happy.”
3. Mikhail Labkovsky “I want and I will.” Accept yourself, love life and become happy.”
4. Oleg Torsunov “The Laws of a Happy Life.”
5. Sergey Bubnovsky “Reboot. How to improve the quality of life.”
6. Andrey Kurpatov “Red pill. Let's face it."
7. Ilya Kachay “Psychotherapy of anxiety-phobic disorders.”

Signs of Depression

• nothing brings pleasure
• fatigue, drowsiness,
• sleep disorders,
• headache,
• apathy.

Every day I don’t want to wake up, I don’t have the strength to do basic things. Nothing pleases me, I suffer from constant headaches. Sleeping even 15-16 hours a day does not bring rest and can completely give way to insomnia. An uncontrollable stream of thoughts rushes around in my head, which cannot be drowned out by anything. The surroundings seem empty and meaningless, and the whole world seems illusory. I don't want to do anything. The gnawing mental pain and terrible emptiness inside does not leave. It comes to hatred of oneself and others. These are all symptoms of depression.

An unwillingness to live and suicidal thoughts are already manifestations of a severe form of depression in a person. He wants to leave, hide, escape from the loud and rude world. He suffers from loneliness, but at the same time others irritate him terribly. Nobody understands, everything and everyone seems stupid and meaningless. The person himself often does not understand what is wrong with him. After all, this state - endogenous depression - comes as if from nowhere, even when everything in a person’s life seems to be good.

How to overcome depression with online training

The “Brain Detoxification” course is a good way to free yourself from oppression, self-absorption, apathy and indifference. Often despondency and indifference come to us due to our brains being cluttered with problems. This training will help you completely:

1. Clear your mind and consciousness.
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3. Get rid of annoying stress and anxiety.
4. Sleep well and rest.
5. Develop empathy.
6. Get rid of bad, toxic thoughts.

The author of the course is Viktor Shiryaev, a first-class specialist in developmental psychology.

You will receive 10 lessons with practical tasks, exercises and techniques to get rid of excess brain garbage.

What's the result? The course developers claim that you will become a new person with a clear mind and clear consciousness!

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Causes of depression in women, men and even children

• loss of a loved one;
• psychological trauma;
• painful jealousy;
• burnout at work;
• end of career, false sense of uselessness;
• self-doubt, low self-esteem;
• grievances, damaged relationships with loved ones;
• anxieties, fears and phobias;
• hatred, irritability;
• limiting beliefs;
• other reasons.

Films and videos to get out of depression

Doctors' advice is not limited to just pills; they can also recommend motivating methods. For example, relax, watch movies or videos.

A good YouTube channel is Satya Das, where a family psychologist gives recommendations on how to start living in a new way.

Motivational films:

1. Road of change.
2. The Incredible Life of Walter Mitty.
3. Tablets of fate.
4. Helpless.
5. Joy.
6. Haven't played the game yet.
7. Beaver.

Why don't psychologists prescribe pills?

A clinical psychologist who does not have a medical education cannot and should not prescribe or prescribe psychoactive medications for a number of reasons.

Firstly, the psychologist in fact does not have the appropriate education and experience that allows him to competently use medications. Let me give just one example: as a young resident, I treated a patient with depressive-delusional symptoms. First, as expected, I prescribed medications that relieve delusions (because this is a more serious syndrome), and then, when the delusional symptoms were eliminated, I decided to relieve the depressive symptoms by prescribing a stimulant antidepressant. Depressive symptoms have actually subsided.

Proud of the comprehensive approach to treatment and the successes, I prepared the patient for discharge. Imagine my disappointment when, on the day of discharge, the patient returned from clinical leave with her parents and with “blooming” delusional symptoms of the same severity as before treatment (if not more).

In horror, I turned to one of my teachers for help, and she, scolding me, carefully pointed her finger at the appropriate section of the manual on the use of antidepressants, where it was written in black and white that stimulant antidepressants have the effect of provoking delusional symptoms. I am sure that such thorough knowledge cannot be obtained except through many years of practice under the guidance of an experienced specialist.

Therefore, I am extremely wary of the tendency not only of practical psychologists, but also of doctors of other specialties (neurologists, therapists, endocrinologists, dermatologists, gynecologists) to prescribe psychoactive drugs to patients.