The word "melancholy" has been known since ancient times. More priests of ancient Egypt in the 4 millennium BC treating people suffering from depression. The priests of ancient India believed that sadness, though, like other mental illnesses, were caused by an obsession, in connection with which a specially trained priests exorcise. Today, depression - one of the most common diseases in modern society. A successful North America, according to statistics, about 5% of the population in a state of severe depression, and light depressive manifestations occur in 50% of Americans. The amount spent on treatment and prevention of this disease exceeds $ 20bln a year. More than half of suicides among Americans explained depressive states.

Depression - depression, which manifests itself with chronic feelings of sadness, confusion, apathy and indifference to reality, the crushing sense of guilt and the inability to get pleasure out of life, a penchant for solitude and peace, a sense of intellectual dullness and slabodushiya. Maintaining emotional tone to the same degree of concern to all: and those who have made careers and lives outwardly happy life, and those who are fighting for the minimum.

East view of the problem

In the East, believe that we correctly perceive the feelings of sadness and hopelessness, the direct precursor of depression. Grief and sadness are not always understood only negatively. Buddhists call hopelessness is a positive phenomenon. Without it, no nirvana is not achieved. Eastern psychologists believe that the West is so nervous breakdown partly because for the feelings of sadness are not enough precise. It is not clearly documented in the Western philosophy of life, in this connection, it is convenient to interpret as a disease. For a man the East (in this case, Buddhist) is quite clear that he feels when he is depressed and that this should be done. The number of depression in the East is always less. "In France, the percentage of those who at least once in a lifetime experience depression more than one year, more than 16% (one of the highest in the world). In Korea, the same figure stood at 2.5%. Interestingly, the divorce rate as well as directly correlated with indicators of long-term depression "- said Alexander Trifonov.

Looking from the West

In Europe, dating back to ancient Greece, depression is often attributed to insanity. In particular, the father of medicine Hippocrates diagnosed their patients to a mental disorder, if he found them for continued sadness. "The ancient Greeks symptoms of melancholy, a distant relative of modern depression, insomnia, and were considered to discouragement - the inevitable companions of insanity in the system of values. The Christian Middle Ages treated mental state of hopelessness and depression as being associated with the beginnings of sin. Only with the approval of modern psychology in the early XX century depression was a neutral status disorders.

Representatives of the Orthodox Church and now continue to insist that a sense of hopelessness is a "sinful gloom." On the other hand, a feeling of sadness is regarded by them as necessary in some situations. Specialists of the Institute of Psychology RAS believe that people of European culture will always suffer from feelings of hopelessness or despair. Constant generation of these feelings to no good result can not, at best it's over voraciously and delirium tremens. In contrast, Buddhist philosophy is commonplace refers to the social failures, so the life and career problems for it do not matter "

Experts say that regardless of whether you suffer from an attack of melancholy, or are in a state of deep depression, you are able to get out of this state. The whole secret is to stop looking for causes and start doing something. You can help themselves by following the tips. The most effective way to cope with chronic depression - seek help from a psychologist and take drugs. A psychologist can teach you how to overcome sadness, hopelessness corrected with low self-esteem. Do what lifts your mood. No matter what you want to do, if only something active. Go for a walk, ride a bicycle to visit friends, read, play chess or play with children. Pamper yourself. Medication for you can be - a hot tub with foam, night at the opera or a disco.