Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “Those with depression feels like they are in a pitch black world”

President of Üsküdar University Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan discussed the topic of "Depression" in detail in the program "Door to Mind with Prof. Nevzat Tarhan" broadcast on Dost TV and Dost FM. Talking about the effects of depression on human health, Tarhan said that a serious loss of interest and a decrease in energy are seen in the depressed person. Stating that the biggest danger of depression is loss of ability, Tarhan also emphasized that it is seen as the disease of the future.

"The depressed person has a serious loss of interest and decreased energy"

Drawing attention to the main symptoms of depression, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that "There is clinical depression and there is non-clinical depression. It is necessary to distinguish between the two. There are 8 main symptoms of clinical depression. One of these symptoms is that the person experiences feelings of pain and sadness. In other words, it is experiencing psychological pain within the person. The second symptom is a decrease in interest and energy in many things in life. It is the inability to taste and enjoy anything. This is called anhedonia. For example, someone who reads a book with pleasure cannot read it. They cannot take this and put it from here to there, and they cannot. It becomes a chore for them. There is a serious loss of interest and a decrease in energy in the person."

"They feel like they are in a pitch black world"

Stating that people with major depression feel themselves in a dark world, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that "In major depression, there is a state of depression. Then there is a decrease in energy and sleep disturbance. Some people sleep excessively, while others suffer from lack of sleep. There is a loss of appetite. Some overeats, and others lose their appetite. Forgetfulness occurs. There are problems with attention, focus, concentration. They cannot do something that they used to focus on and do before. As such, the person's brain starts to work slowly. Gastrointestinal disorders happen. There are various somatic manifestations. One experiences bodily ailments like never before. There are various pains. The person's interest in activities of daily living decreases. One does not enjoy everyday life. You know, as they say, the joy of life has disappeared... In other words, there is always pessimism on these people. There are pessimistic comments about the past, the future, the present. They feel like they are in a dark world. This happens against their will, it is something that is out of their control.”

"Depressive symptoms can happen to all of us"

Stating that everyone can experience depressive symptoms from time to time, Tarhan said that "Depression can happen in some people for no reason, out of the blue. An event that initiates depression can be a triggering factor. If this condition lasts for up to 3 days, it is not considered depression, it is called a depressive symptom. Depressive symptoms can happen to all of us from time to time, it takes a few hours and it passes. Statistics show that one-third of a normal population has experienced depressive symptoms in the last 1 year. This is a high rate. If it lasts more than 15 days, one is already diagnosed with depression. Then it is necessary to go to the specialist.”

"A brain map is like a fingerprint"

Pointing out that brain mapping can be done with the ease brought by digitalization, Tarhan said that "When 3 months have passed since depression, the flow of signals, energy flow, chemical flow in the brain are disrupted. There are four wave groups. Beta wave is fast wave, high frequency. Alpha wave, medium frequency wave. It happens in healthy people. Theta waves are waves in sleep and waves at rest. They are the waves during hypnosis. The delta wave is also slow wave. It occurs in children and Alzheimer's patients. We measure it in the person's brain. We look at 'Is the right brain and left brain different?', 'Is the rhythm in the brain disturbed?', 'How is the harmony of the waves in the brain?' Brain electrode, brain map is like a fingerprint. This is also true in the literature. Brain EEG is like a fingerprint, and this is also reflected on the map. Map is a convenience brought by digitalization. We can get brain imaging. When we take it and show it to the patient, we say, 'Look, this part of your brain cannot communicate.' The left frontal region is about running away from pain, grief. The right frontal region is about turning to pleasure, to taste. We say, 'The two do not work in harmony.'"

"The biggest danger of depression is loss of ability"

Emphasizing that the depressed person walks around like a living dead, Prof. Tarhan said that "Minor depression is the group that can be corrected with advice and does not require medication. That is, a brief depressive mood. When someone comes to us, for example, we ask, 'Is it more when you feel good or more when you feel bad in the last month?' If they say, 'There are a lot of times when I feel bad,' we consider them to be dysthymia. Depressive temperament. In other words, the person is lively and cheerful for 3-4 hours a day and depressed for 3-4 hours. Such people have little energy, they are reluctant. In other words, the biggest danger of depression is loss of ability. The person's work efficiency decreases, their interest in their children decreases, and they sleep all the time. Washing a dish, climbing a staircase become like a chore. In other words, the person walks around like a living dead."

"It is seen as the disease of the future"

Mentioning that there is an increase in suicide rates along with depression, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that "The depressed person is detached from life. When this happens, there is a great loss of work in the workplace, there is a loss of productivity. Therefore, it is seen as the disease of the future. When this becomes widespread globally, productivity decreases. Work efficiency is decreasing. There is loss of ability. People are becoming unable to work. That is why the World Health Organization has sent suicide prevention projects to parliaments all over the world. In other words, suicides are increasing rapidly. Currently, this issue is rapidly increasing as a global problem."

"Social support is part of the treatment"

Pointing out that 70 percent of clinical depression improves with medication and therapy, Tarhan expressed that "Social support is part of the treatment. There are three parts to the treatment. The first is biological therapy, that is, correcting brain chemistry. The second is therapies. Correcting the person's wrong thoughts, value judgments, perceptions, misleading thoughts that lead them to depression. During the therapy process, when you find the thought errors that led them to depression and correct them, or when you find their old traumas and correct them. It is ensured that the person does not become depressed again. 70 percent of clinical depression resolves with medication and therapy. This 30 percent is resistant to treatment. They improve with personalized treatments."

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)