In recent months, due to certain known external factors occurring in the planetary, world and social reality, people everywhere admit to themselves, their loved ones or friends that they are dealing with depression, using the following phrases: “ I’m depressed,” “I’m in a prolonged depression,” “I’m overcome by depression, I don’t want anything,” and the like. And of course, rarely does anyone think, when stating their unpleasant permanent or temporary condition, that they are diagnosing themselves with a serious mental illness. Even the most conscientious attempts by experts to explain the term “depression” evoke mixed feelings. It has been almost impossible to scientifically popularize the correct professional understanding of depression over several decades; most people call anything and everything depression for any reason. It is confused with cyclotomic mood swings (sharp changes in the emotional background over a short time, for example, several hours), senile deprivation (a feeling of being deprived of one’s importance/recognition), with apathy (lack of desire for any activity), with abulia (lack of strong-willed urges to even perform basic actions: get out of bed, brush your teeth), with dysphoria (a constant feeling of hostility towards the world around you, a persistent gloomy perception of reality, painfully low mood), hypothymia (a decrease in the intensity of mental, emotional and motor activity, lethargy reactions). There are many options for deciphering the term “depression,” but in order to understand the key sign, it is better to use this one. So, depression is a state when none of the usual mechanisms of help or influence no longer works. If the client has tried all the methods and nothing has helped, this is a sure sign of clinical depression, characterized by a complete lack of psychological resources. The types of various depressions that I give below are more related to temporary depressive states that are amenable to drug and psychological therapy. Neurotic depression (dysthymia). Associated with a feeling of unfulfillment and underappreciation by others. It begins with a tendency to feel sorry for oneself and be disappointed in others. Increased tearfulness, general weakness, hypotension, sexual disorders, pessimism, low self-esteem, chronic lack of energy appear. Seasonal depression. It is mainly associated with a serious lack of solar radiation and manifests itself in late autumn, winter and early spring. The light of the sun plays an important role in the synthesis of “happiness hormones”. Changes in circadian rhythms, vitamin deficiency, and stress are also imposed here. More often appears in middle age. But in recent years there has been a tendency for children and adolescents to become increasingly susceptible to seasonal depression. Psychogenic depression. The impetus here is a major negative event: separation from a loved one, loss of a job, someone’s death, revelation of a secret, rape, etc. In this case, sharp fluctuations in mood, special painful sensitivity and an acute reaction to irritants are noted. The condition worsens rapidly and easily becomes severe. Postpartum depression. It is one of the types of female depression. Associated with hormonal attacks, overwork and drastic changes in life. Characterized by fatigue, nervousness, and sleep disorders. May cause hostility towards the child or his father even for no apparent reason. Alcohol depression. Associated with the cessation of alcoholic beverages in alcohol dependent people. Life loses its colorfulness, there is a sharp lack of stimuli, and interest in everything that happens is lost. Somatogenic depression. It is secondary in nature, as it appears after the discovery of a serious illness or severe physical injury. A person worries that the disease cannot be overcome and everything seems unfair and meaningless to him. Female depression. Associated with cyclicprocesses in women and is caused by hormonal surges and pain. It often develops in the premenstrual period and directly during menstruation. Irritability, tearfulness, melancholy, sleep disturbances, anxiety, bad mood are observed. Atypical depression. It is characterized by symptoms unusual for this condition: increased appetite, sudden weight gain, constant drowsiness, unnaturally violent emotional reaction to positive events. Circular depression. As a rule, it is expressed in mood fluctuations during the day. It starts with sleep disturbances. A person wakes up very early and is tormented by dark thoughts. Symptoms can be different: apathy, hysteria, anxiety, hypochondria (inventing terrible diagnoses for yourself, high fatigue). That's how many types of depression there are! And in most cases, of course, no one forbids diagnosing oneself; only most likely, it will be a temporary depressive state that can be eliminated. And the main condition here will be, first of all, the desire to understand the reason that caused the depressive state, to change the attitude towards for this reason, and then work with time structuring. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, since the relationship is clearly visible here: we correctly structure time - the depressive state is transformed first into a neutral one, then stable satisfaction with one’s reality returns (which is different for everyone). According to Eric Berne, the following ways of structuring time are known: 1. Care - this is when a person withdraws into himself, as it were, he can physically remain in a social environment in interaction with other people, but at the same time often be in a passive position. 2. Ritual - habitual, repeated actions. They can be informal (for example, greetings, farewells, thanks), but they can also be formal (for example, diplomatic etiquette). The purpose of this type of communication is the opportunity to spend time together without getting close. 3. Pastime is talking about problems and events that are known to everyone. They are not as predictable as rituals, but have some repeatability. Examples include a party where the participants do not know each other well, or conversations while waiting for a formal meeting. Pastime is always socially programmed: during this time one can speak only in a certain style and only on acceptable topics. The main goal of this type of communication is the structuring of time not only for the sake of maintaining friendly relationships, but also partly social selection, when a person is looking for new useful acquaintances and connections. 4. Activity is a special way of active (professional) interaction with the outside world, for example, with colleagues on work. In the process of activity, tasks are completed and goals are achieved. 5. Games. Berne considers them the most important and complex way of structuring time, since in games each party unconsciously tries to achieve superiority over the other and receive a reward. For example, if a person honestly asks to be consoled and receives consolation, his goal has been achieved, which means he is satisfied. If someone asks to be consoled, and, having received consolation, turns it against the consoler, then this is a game. 6. Intimacy, closing the series of ways of structuring time. Bilateral intimacy can be defined as game-free communication, which presupposes a warm, interested relationship between people, excluding profit-seeking. True intimacy begins when social patterns, ulterior motives and limitations fade into the background. Human intimacy must be the most perfect form of human relationships. It brings incomparable pleasure when people can completely safely abandon roles and games and each be themselves. Exercise: Divide this circle into sectors that represent portions of the time you typically spend each day doing 6 things