Prevent stress to avoid depression:

Although natural, uncontrolled stress can be unhealthy and lead to depression. A close link to watch closely.

Stress and depression depression affects more than 3 million people in France today with about 300,000 suffer from chronic form. Studies suggest that 10-25% of women and 5-12% of men at risk of major depression during their lifetime.
If the causes of depression are many, the stress would be important. The neuro psychiatrists that approximately one in five people will experience at least one depressive episode in his life under the pressure of stress1. Moreover, according to a study récente2, stress at work precipitated the occurrence of psychological disorders among previously healthy individuals.

Stress and depression: how to explain this link?
When a person is subject to daily and intensely stressful situations, it produces a quasi-continuous hormones (adrenaline and cortisol). The excessive production of these hormones have harmful effects on the nervous system: the excess cortisol (due to a state of repeated stress) will block the growth of new neurons in the hippo campus, a brain region known to act on the mood. Cortisol is also impede communication between neurons by blocking the receptors stimulated by serotonin, a molecule involved in mood disorders. A process that, over the long term, could lead to depression.

Stress and depression: the warning signs
If you are under considerable stress, here are some telltale symptoms of a shift towards a possible depression:

* The general state of fatigue, moodiness;
* Sudden mood changes, sudden crying spells;
* Anxiety, fear, panic;
* Headaches, decreased libido;
* Amnesia, difficulty concentrating, indecisiveness;
* Frequent absence from the workplace, reduced productivity;
* Printing of being overwhelmed, loss of sense of humor.

Other adverse effects of stress:
Stress can cause fatigue, headaches, sleep disorders ... It can also affect the digestive system (constipation, spasms, bloating). Finally, stress can also disrupt the functioning of the thyroid gland, decreasing the resistance of the immune system and cause allergic reactions. Its effects on hypertension and cardiovascular disease have long been known.

Do not give in to panic!
If it can cause many disorders, stress can also be positive! It provides energy and strength necessary to cope with different situations. Be alert to signs of stress and depression is necessary, but it is not to panic. Listening to his body remains the best way to remain calm ...

Delphine Tordjman:

1 - "Depression, new" evil of the century, "Les Echos" from February 13, 2007
2 - Study by Maria Melchior of the Medical Research Council (London) and National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), published in August in the British monthly Psychological Medicine