Introduction
In the context of a depression, aggression occurs under certain circumstances. Aggression is defined as an attack-oriented behaviour towards other people, oneself (auto-aggression) and towards things. This behaviour cannot be tolerated under any circumstances, just as with people who are not mentally ill. Disciplinary methods are used for treatment, which are determined in medical institutions. The focus of coping is on recognising and tackling the underlying problem.
Why does aggressive behaviour occur in depression?
Aggressive behaviour in depression is caused by a variety of reasons. Depression as a disease caused by environmental influences, such as assaults, past traumas, social isolation, as well as genetic predisposition, shows a variety of reasons for the onset of the disease. Because of the mostly lonely personalities, the form of aggression can serve to gain attention.
The lack of attention is thus bridged and surrounding people show an increased willingness to talk and commitment. Accompanied by emotional fluctuations, aggression can be caused at any time by lost emotional control. The patient’s fears play a major role here.
If these are not perceived by the relatives, the patient can be put into situations that pose a threat to him/her. A further aspect of aggression can often be the therapy that has been planned, in which the patient sees no benefit and therefore rejects it. However, doctors and relatives expect strict adherence to the therapy, which from the patient’s point of view leads to an apparent immaturity and thus leads to aggression due to a lack of stress management. You can find more information on the topic of depression here
How does aggression manifest itself in women
On average, women suffer from depression just as frequently as men, as new studies show. A more intensive search for help can usually help women to recognise the illness as depression more quickly. This is because women often show a strong willingness to talk about the depression.
If this is not the case, episodes of aggression may also be present as symptoms of depression. On average, women with aggressive experiences are younger than depressed women without aggression. The course of the disease is more severe than without aggressive behaviour.
This means that it is a severe depression that is already chronic and is also more difficult to treat. The woman’s aggressions are to be seen as rather indirect, which means that they are not fully conscious. It is rather hidden and hides behind the helplessness in the depression.
The potential for destructive manifestation is nevertheless high. This probably also shows the high rate of suicide attempts in depression. The form of indirect aggression is due, among other things, to the fact that society demands a high level of expectation of a “female goodness” in the context of family cohesion and the upbringing of children.
All articles in this series:
