White, seasonal or Christmas depression

When you're happy, you enjoy music, but when you're sad, you understand the lyrics.
The curious paradox is that when I accept myself, I can change. Carl Rogers

It is normal, that almost all people go through periods of: joy, sadness, surprises, fear and endless emotions associated with life itself. However, when an emotion remains systematically in the life of a person, it can lead him to get sick. Then we get sick from emotions!

White depression is associated with mood disorders. ”The moods are disturbances in the emotions that They cause subjective discomfort, hinder the ability of people to function, or both”(Sue, Wing & Sue, 2010, P. 304). Each of the activities we carry out during a normal day, are associated with various emotions: the first kiss, my wedding day, my graduation, are examples of happiness at some point in life.

However, negative emotions associated with unfortunate events are also given: the death of a loved one, being fired from a job, cutting a relationship that seemed unwavering. All of them are life events that are accompanied by positive or negative emotions. In fact, this concept does not exist, of the negative and the positive in emotions, it is used only for pedagogical purposes. However, when an emotion lasts for a considerable time it becomes a problem, a disease.

Thus, going through a period of sadness can lead to depression. We do know what is behind each emotion, we can most likely take advantage of. Daniel Goleman in his book: Emotional Intelligence (1997), points out that the function of sadness ”is to help adapt to significant loss, such as the death of a close person, or a large disappointment” (Goleman, 1995, pp. 25-26).

What is emotional intelligence and what role does it play in our lives?

The loss may be due to separation (friends, lovers, co -workers, etc.), death or loss even of goods or health status. Any vital event: retirement, death of a close relative, serious illness, dismissal of a job, separation or divorce, problems with the law, etc.

Content

• Criteria to know if there is a mental illness
• Christmas depression is multifactorial
• Words heal and words sick
• It cannot be changed, which is not conscious
  • Symptoms of depression
• Comorbidity in white depression
• The role of serotonin variations in the body
• Cherophobia
• Final reflection
  • SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGE
  •  References

Criteria to know if there is a mental illness

People feel disturbed not by things, but by the views they adopt on them. Epictetus

There are at least four important criteria to know that due to an emotional disorder or illness, a person can cease to be functional:

1. Disturbance: physical or emotional pain is experienced, which incapacitates the person and does not allow him to function in his daily life. They can feel physical or emotional anguish.
2. Deterioration: Due to the detriment of emotional health, optimal levels are not reached to carry out daily activities. Normal roles such as going to work, study or stop doing homework are stopped.
3. Risk for others or for yourself: It is running the risk of hurting or hurting other people. People become victims or perpetrators, and Unacceptable or critical social or cultural behavior: It is to carry out counterculture or against social norms. Behaviors considered atypical or deviant are practiced (Halgin & Krauss, 2004; Sue, Wing & Sue, 2010).

Christmas depression is multifactorial

White depression, also called seasonal or Christmas, is associated with winter, Christmas, poor natural light conditions, but many other more variables are associated: the way in our internal dialogue we process through language our sadness, Comorbidity with other physical or mental alterations, as well as internal stimuli (serotonin alterations) and external related to it (toxic social interaction).

Words heal and words sick

We had a lot of skin, many emotions, but we needed to talk about you, me and us. Psychologist Juan Antonio Barrera

According to the scientific disseminator Eduard Punset (2018), sadness is “an emotion that is experienced before the loss. It can be things, but above all of loved people. (Bisquerra, Laymuns & Punset, 2018, P. 137). Feeling sadness may be due to the penalties or when affective empathy is experienced (understanding the emotions of others) and/or cognitive empathy (understanding emotions from the intellect, not from one's emotion itself).

Depressive Syndrome Test

Through the richness of language, Eduardo Punset in his Emotions dictionary allows you to identify 118 synonyms of sadness, To mention some stand out: abandonment, abatement, boredom, affliction, agony, isolated, bitterness, yearning, Apathy, off, sorry, burnout, grief, consternation, weakness, decay, disappointment, depression, defeated, unfortunate, homeless, disconsolate, unhappy, disenchanted, despair, worn out, disappointed, selfless, demoralized, pain, duel, failure, jet humiliation, unhappiness, dissatisfaction, melancholy, negativity, nostalgia, laziness, weighing, pessimism, broken, surrendered, loneliness, suffering, tedium, outraged, empty and expired (bisquerra, Laymuns & Punset, 2018, pp. 155-157).

Although, all the previous words are related in their metonymy, three of them attract attention, due to their historical and etiological relationship, it is the case of longing, nostalgia and pain. Nostalgia. of the Greek: "Nóstos" refers to the return; "Algos" to pain. Textually means: return to pain. Any person separated from their homework for a long time is vulnerable to nostalgia.

Currently nostalgia is not seen as a neurological disease, but as a mental disorder similar to depression.

In the last century, some psychologists speculated that they presented themselves for having difficulty leaving childhood (regression) or even a desire to return to the fetal breast.

Nostalgia has a polysemic interpretation, that is, it admits different meanings: when we connect with the past, it is pain, it is a feeling of longing for something that has already happened.

Many of the negative symptoms of nostalgia associated with the past, are intensified, if we connect with pain, but if we allow ourselves to remember the past positively, they will bring us dose of joy. Selective nostalgia (connect with the positive of the past) can increase psychological well -being.

It cannot be changed, which is not conscious

In addition to the symptoms associated with depression, it is important. We can get sick of emotions and sadness can lead us to depression.

The stimuli that trigger white depression They are also important as can be seen, among them they stand out:

The winter season and darkening conditions Earlier than usual, the lack of exposure to natural sunlight. And, all social interaction around these dates: the exchange of gifts, coincide with toxic people (friends, family, neighbors or co -workers), the ornaments (lights, crowns, Christmas tree), the carols, the piñatas and All dynamics around these dates.

The diagnostic criteria listed below are also very useful, since they allow identifying if a person is depressed.

Symptoms of depression

• Decrease in interest or pleasure capacity in all activities
• Insomnia and hypersomnia
• Agitation or psychomotor delay
• Fatigue or energy loss
• Feeling of uselessness or guilt
• Decrease in the ability to concentrate or indecision
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide (Halgin & Krauss, 2004, p. 314)

All these symptoms cause significant discomfort or deterioration as observed in the criteria on "abnormal" behaviors.

Comorbidity in white depression

How sad it is to spend a Christmas without you.

Increase this state or make it more complex, if other physical diseases or emotional disorders such as: loneliness, anxiety and depression are being dragged. By the way, it is important to note that depression is hardly presented alone, it is usually accompanied by anxiety as has been demonstrated on several occasions. "Negative emotions do not arrive in a pure state. In fact, anxiety and depression usually go together. Anxiety is a consequence of danger perception. On the contrary, when it is depressed, you have the feeling that the tragedy has already passed (Burns, 2006, p. 37).

A very interesting paradox happens, the person in this condition is trapped in the past (depression) and the future (anxiety), therefore, the present is uncertain and uncertainty.

They can then accumulate in white depression: depression, anxiety, loneliness and all physical or emotional diseases that the person has been carrying before entering this winter temporal period.

In intensity depression in general, it can be: mild, moderate, serious or extreme. White, Christmas or seasonal depression, obeys only to a temporary period.

The role of serotonin variations in the body

Serotonin is a common neurotransmitter in the brain and other parts of the central nervous system. It is synthesized in the pineal gland and becomes melatonin, which plays a very important role in sleep. “The production and release of melatonin in the brain is related to the time of day, that is, it increases when it is dark and decreases when there is light. Melatonin production decreases with age ". (May Clinic, 2022).

Serotonin has functions in many regulatory biological processes, among which are emotional processing, mood, appetite, pain processing, hallucinations and regulation of reflexes (APA, 2010, p. 462). It has to do with many psychological conditions, such as sleep disorders, psychosis, anxiety disorders and depressive disorders. The Lack of serotonin alters our biological clock, Also known as pineal gland or supraquiasmatic nucleus.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate emotions at the brain level. However, it is not your only function, it also serves to:

• Regulate the feeling of satiety of appetite
• Regulates sexual appetite and body temperature
• Controls motor, cognitive and perceptual activity
• Together with other neuro conductors (dopamine and norepinephrine) participates in the emotions of fear and anguish and in behaviors related to anxiety and aggressiveness.

Researchers hypothesize that serotonin is involved in various disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression and eating disorders (Halgin & Krauss, 2004, P. 159). Norepinephrine and serotonin deficiencies are associated with mood disorders and compulsive disorders.

Cherophobia

He Fear of being happy It is another element that is added to white depression. Imagine that someone travels in their car happily listening to their favorite song, and unfortunately suffers a serious accident. Most likely, the next time I listen to that same song, it will produce a bad memory, for the event cited.

Well, in the Cherophobia or fear of being happy, something similar is experienced. A person lived some positive event and now is afraid of being happy, because unfortunately every time he feels very happy, some tragic event happens. Therefore, he prefers better not to enjoy or enjoy happy moments and is most likely depressed.

Psychological tips to enjoy a merry Christmas

Final reflection

There is no worse nostalgia than to miss what never happened. Joaquín Sabina

In the passing of life there are events Expected and unexpected that can change the course of our expectations and emotions associated with these events, They need to live healthy despite the impact they make on our history. The emotions that are ignored or expressed without control sooner or later charge us invoice.

SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGE

• Expose to the natural light of the Sun to stimulate our biological clock and try to regulate our sleep conditions and serotonin production (neuro driver associated with the regulation of our moods).
• Neuro drivers' balance can also be regulated with alternative electromagnetic field therapies. It is a natural therapy with magnetic fields that helps in the natural balance of the body in general, from the feet to the head.
• In the medical part, for more serious cases, a medical and psychological joint therapy is recommended.
• In the medical part, serotonin captors are generally used and in psychological your situations to solve.
• Practice selective nostalgia, where we are able to remember the past associating it with positive and learning things. For example, in the case of people who are no longer with us, remember them through the learning that left us.
• The previous suggestions can be complemented by going with your trusted specialist (doctor or therapist).

References

• APA (2010). Concise Psychology Dictionary. The modern manual.
• Bisquerra, r., Laymuns, g. & Punset, E (2018). Dictionary of emotions and affective phenomena. Palauita editions.
• Burns, d. (2006). Goodbye, anxiety (how to overcome shyness, fears, phobias and panic situations). Paidós.
• Halgin, r. & Krauss, S. (2004). Psychology of abnormality (clinical perspectives on psychological disorders). MC Grawhill
• MAY CLINIC (December 23, 2022). Melatonin. https: // www.Mayoclinic.org/es-es/drarugs-supplements-melatonin/art-20363071.
• Sue, d., Wing, d. & Sue, S. (2010). Psychopathology (understanding abnormal behavior). CENGAGE LEARNING.