Characterized by stress, anxiety and often unmotivated worries, mood disorders frequently affect individuals with more or less recurrent episodes which, especially in particularly stressful periods, can become almost continuous.
What is meant by mood disorders We
speak of anxiety and mood disorders when a subject has some recurring characteristics, which are:
- restlessness;
- difficulty concentrating;
- sleep / wake rhythm disturbances.
These are neurovegetative manifestations whose etiology depends on a functional alteration of the neuromediators, substances present at the level of the nerve endings responsible for the transmission of impulses. In order to be able to speak of real mood disorders, the events must last for a few months. Otherwise, it could be only momentary behavior and destined to disappear in a short time.
When, on the other hand, the mood remains altered for a certain period, functional anomalies have probably occurred in the psycho-emotional sphere ., which can manifest themselves in different ways. These alterations can trigger a subjective psychological distress which is then also reflected in interpersonal relationships.
These disturbances are manifested above all in the presence of contingent destabilizing situations. Just like the current one caused by the health emergency, which is putting the entire world population to the test. In particular, the profound changes in lifestyle , rhythms and isolation have contributed to generating an ever greater perception of uncertainty and vulnerability.
Listen to your body and understand the symptoms
Mood disorders and anxietythey are two closely related aspects, since both depend on an altered function of the autonomic nervous system, independent of the will of the individual. But we can listen to our body and understand the symptoms it sends us in order to find a perfect mental balance .
- Restlessness . Characterized by a state of psycho-motor agitation that manifests itself in the need to remain continuously in motion, restlessness and a condition usually associated with stressful sensations. Sometimes restlessness is accompanied by dysphoria, a mood disorder characterized by sadness, restlessness, frustration and pessimism, which can cause the onset of psychophysical tension.
- Difficulty concentrating . The lack of inner balance can also reflect on the ability to concentrate, especially in subjects dedicated to professions that involve the intellectual sphere. In fact, attention is a mental function that allows you to develop a specific interest in specific objects or topics. When the ability to elaborate a concept in a clear and precise way is lacking, the ability to concentrate necessarily becomes deficient, conditions predisposing to the onset of an anxious syndrome.
- Disturbances in the sleep / wake rhythm . Speaking of sleep disorders , we tend to consider only insomnia, while other types of disorders such as hypersomnia, parasomnia or deterioration in sleep quality can be highlighted. There are therefore people who sleep too much or too little, or who sleep badly. In all these situations, the quality of life is heavily deteriorated as sleep represents a physiological state essential for the well-being of the organism. Almost all mood disorders are linked to a worsening of the quality of night’s rest and therefore to the onset of anxiety.
But what is meant by anxiety
“Anxiety” derives etymologically from “angere”, a Latin verb meaning to tighten. In fact, constriction is the typical feeling of the person suffering from anxiety disorders. There is a type of physiological anxiety consisting in a state of psychophysical tension, which the subject feels in emergency situations. In these cases it functions as an alarm aimed at activating all the resources of the individual (both physical and mental) to face an imminent danger. It is therefore a reaction directed towards a stimulus that really exists and that must be addressed.
Pathological anxiety, on the other hand, arises when the subject experiences these sensations in the absence of an objective stimulation of danger. It consists in a state of distressing uncertainty with respect to the future, which is not attributable to any reason. Anxiety usually arises from the presence of unresolved conflicts which in most cases have been removed as responsible for suffering.
Stress, anxiety and natural remedies: the importance of magnesium
A fundamental trace element for the well-being of the organism , magnesium is a mineral capable of regulating the permeability of the cell membrane by acting on the fluxes of potassium, sodium and calcium. In addition to numerous other beneficial activities, it shows a marked efficacy againstanxiety and mood disorders , as it ensures proper propagation of nerve impulses .
The decrease in its blood concentration causes insomnia, decreased ability to concentrate, nervousness and restlessness. This is why it is important to include natural food supplements containing magnesium in your diet to counteract mood disorders and states of anxiety . Magnesium , in association with vitamin B6 , contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue , to the normal functioning of the nervous system , psychological function and energy metabolism.
