Endogenous Depression: Causes and Symptoms
Depression is one of the psychological problems affecting more people today, along with anxiety and stress. Approximately 5% of the population suffers from depression, an alarming figure. Psychology differentiates two types of depression: endogenous and exogenous. Let us explain the characteristics and causes of endogenous depression.
What is endogenous depression?
Sofia is a 30-year-old woman who, overnight, has lost her enthusiasm for everything that motivated her. She no longer wants to go out with her friends, date her partner or enjoy the hobbies that used to occupy her free time. Sofia, she doesn't know what's wrong with her. Before she was a happy and active woman and now everything makes her feel guilty damaging her own self-esteem. Every day Sofia asks herself: "What's happening to me?"This is a case of endogenous depression, a type of depression in which there are no external changes that trigger the problem. Endogenous depression is caused by internal physiological changes, which can sometimes be associated with a hereditary factor. Here you can read more about what depression is.
Causes of endogenous depression
If Sofia had lost her job, broken up her relationship, lost a family member or suffered an accident we could attribute her apathy and reluctance to these situational changes. In her case, for some time she has ceased to be the person she was and does not understand the reason for her emotional malaise.The causes of this type of depression, in general, are chemical alterations in the brain. Changes that produce emotional disorders without the environment coming into play.In endogenous depression, the production of endorphins, responsible for sensations of pleasure, is blocked. In exogenous depression, serotonin neurotransmitters stop working.
Symptoms of endogenous depression
What most characterizes this type of depression is that the symptoms that occur do so without apparent explanation to the person. That's what happened to Sofia. Her life was normal, without drastic changes or traumatic experiences. However, overnight, Sofia began to:
- Feeling empty and indifferent towards affective relationships, away from friends and family.
- Having constant mood swings.
- Not being able to sleep at night, being tired and sleepy all day.
- Having difficulty concentrating and making decisions for herself.
- Being irritable to others, not recognizing herself as a person.
- Feeling unmotivated, even to go out or walk her dog.
- Losing sexual appetite and distancing oneself from one's partner.
- Crying inconsolably for no apparent reason.
How does a person with endogenous depression feel?
People with this type of depression feel immense guilt for not understanding what is happening to them. They are people who feel an emotional emptiness and intense sadness at specific times in their lives without a cause, sometimes even doubt if they suffer from depression or anaemia. Seeing how life, to a greater or lesser extent, smiles at them and feeling that it does not fill them, makes people feel selfish. Their depression prevents them from seeing clearly how to get out of the state they are in.Sadness and loss of hope create a loop from which it is difficult to get out. People who suffer from endogenous depression have to know that there are no culprits, should understand it as something that is part of them from birth. It's like feeling guilty about having the flu.Psychological disorders sometimes carry social stigmas. In this case, comments may appear such as "a person who is doing well cannot feel melancholy or not wanting to do things with others," because what you feel inside is very different from what you see outside. For this reason, there are tips that can help you if you know of a close case of endogenous depression.
How can I help a person with this disorder?
The first thing you can do is not to judge them. Experts have stated that people with endogenous depression who surround themselves with a good family and social environment often recover before those who wish to wear it in the strictest anonymity.If there is a person with this problem in your environment, help them regain their motivation:
- Listen to their feelings with a lot of patience and without making judgments.
- Do not force the situations. Accompany them to carry out those activities that they used to enjoy when they are ready.
- Advise them to seek the support of a specialist who can give the necessary guidelines to overcome the moment they are going through.
People with endogenous depression always need professional-directed therapy and medication to accompany this process. Support the person in the treatment and encourage them to follow the recommendations of their therapist. If you feel more comfortable conducting sessions from home consider working on your recovery with an online psychologist. Here you can read more about how to treat a person with depression.If you want to improve your level of well-being, in therapyside we can help you. We are international leaders in online psychology and we have the right therapist for you.