A Blood Test To Diagnose Depression
“ I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I don’t feel like doing anything. All I want is to be alone. Why is this happening to me? Sometimes it seems that I am going to raise my head, but other … Even taking a shower is an effort. Life weighs on me. It is as if he carries a great load on his back ”.
These statements are very typical of people with depression, at the same time as that “nobody understands me . ” They feel that they have no way to demonstrate what is happening to them and they manifest a deep feeling of loneliness that increases every time someone utters the famous “how can you improve if you don’t do your part?”.
Perhaps the latter is one of the most painful thoughts. People who suffer from mental illnesses and disorders can feel very misunderstood, especially if others are unable to empathize with them and throw comments that instead of empowering rather stifle.
In the case of depressive symptoms, the common belief is that those who suffer from them are weak or cowardly. However, this is not so. Nor is it a matter of personal choice.
Emotional problems don’t work like that. We could even say that they are rather signs of struggle in the face of adversity and difficult situations. You must have a lot of desire to live to move on, despite feeling disconnected from the world. There is no greater test of willpower than that.
The reason for this interpretation is because we consider as ailment what can be measured or seen. In this way, conditions that cannot be translated into objective figures or indicators are often underestimated.
That is why the possibility of making the diagnosis of depression with a blood test relieves this type of person. At last they will be in a position to prove that their torment is real, it is not a bad streak, or a lack of attitude. Let’s go deeper.
Can a blood test diagnose depression?
According to the serotonergic hypothesis of depression, this mood disorder is caused by a deficit or lack of serotonin in the brain. It is a neurotransmitter substance related to the regulation of mood, appetite and sleep cycles, among other functions.
Based on this hypothesis, a group of scientists from the University of Vienna began to study depression. And according to the results obtained, Lukas Pezawas, director of the study, affirmed that they had discovered in the blood the process by which serotonin is produced.
The SERT protein, arranged in the membrane of brain cells, allows the transport of said substance. The finding is that they have verified that the protein is also present in other organs. Among them, the intestine or blood stand out.
Also, it works in the same way as in the brain. Thanks to this, a much larger “network of depression” can be drawn than previously thought.
In this sense, the amount of serotonin contained in platelets will be indicative of what is happening in the brain. To be sure, they contrasted the results of the analytical with imaging tests, such as MRI.
The revolution is getting closer every day
The depression network is called the “automatic mode network. ” It receives this name because, when it deals with complex thoughts, it cancels itself out. However, when the brain is at rest, it is activated.
Thus, what happens in a depressive process is that it stops working correctly, so negative automatic thoughts begin to appear.
According to the study, a blood test will soon be enough to diagnose depression. This will mean a dignification of the pathology. Never again will it be doubted, and those affected will not have to endure value judgments towards their disorder, nor will they be branded as lack of character, fragility or not knowing how to face life.
Also read: How to show love to a person with depression
Many people complain that their environment thinks they have reached this point of their own free will or due to lack of effort. In this sense, people with depression will be able to demonstrate the veracity of their discomfort through a physical examination.
However, we would like to draw attention to the importance of emotional support in mental disorders. When someone suffers from depression, everything around them turns gray and their self-esteem drops. If your family and friends also show misunderstanding of your illness, the problem will worsen. This is similar to twisting an arm when it is broken. The pain and injury increases. Nobody deserves to go through it.
So let’s make an effort to support, listen to, and understand people with depression. After all, having someone willing to help can be a very powerful force in overcoming this deep emotional state.
