Depression

About Depression

World Health Day is on April 7 and the theme for 2017 is 'Depression: Let's Talk'.

The term depression is used to describe a long period of sadness. If such sad feelings stay on for more than 2 weeks it is diagnosed as Depression. It is important to understand, that there are broadly 2 types of depression- Biological depression & Reactive depression. As the name suggests, Reactive depression refers to the sadness that is experienced in response to various causative factors like the death of a near one, financial insecurities, a broken love affair and others. Alternatively, Biological depression may have no evident cause for those depressive feelings, except for the neurochemical imbalances. Medicines have a more significant role to play in biological depression, while counselling helps immensely in the reactive depression types. It’s important to remember that major depressive disorder is an illness and needs to be treated just like other ailments. Here's what you should know about depression – understanding it is half the battle won.

Depression can affect a person emotionally as well as physically. Common symptoms of depression include unhappiness, loss of interest in activities which were earlier pleasurable, loss of appetite, lack of energy and motivation, difficulty in concentrating, inability to make decisions and sleep problems (mainly insomnia). Chronic, untreated depression can induce suicidal thoughts in people. But it can be treated well with antidepressant drugs if people accept their problem and consider taking treatment.

In this section, you'll find articles on common triggers of depression like lack of sleep, hearing loss, migraine and obesity. You can find several options like exercising, meditation and certain food like yogurt, to prevent stress in your life that can lead to depression. Read to know what Dr Fabian Almeida, Psychiatrist & Counsellor, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan has to say about depression.

Types

Depression is usually characterised by long periods of sadness. It is usually categorized into –

Major or clinical depression: People suffering from this type show signs such as – loss of appetite, low levels of energy, frequent nightmares, sleep disorders, despair and loneliness and unwillingness to do the simplest tasks. Did you know these 8 interesting facts about depression?

Persistent depressive disorder: A depressed mood that lasts for at least 2 years. A person diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder may have episodes of major depression along with periods of less severe symptoms, but symptoms must last for 2 years.

Some forms of depression are slightly different, or they may develop under unique circumstances. They include:

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): It is characterised by the onset of depression during the winter months when there is less natural sunlight. Here’s the relation between vitamin D and depression.

Bipolar disorder: Also called manic-depressive illness, is not as common as major depression or persistent depressive disorder.

Postpartum depression: It is much more serious than the ‘baby blues’ that many women experience after giving birth.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: It is common in females of reproductive age. However, have you ever wondered why do women suffer from irritability and depression during PMS? Here’s the answer.

Causes

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact causes that lead to depression but there can be several reasons for it. Some common ones include:

Trauma or grief
Work stress
Love and relationship problems
Family history
Alcohol and other addictions
Lack of exercise
Obesity

Here are 5 health conditions that can lead to depression.

Risk factors

If you constantly feel low and sad, the chance that you may actually become depressed depends on the presence of certain physical, genetic, psychological and environmental risk factors. Let’s take a look at 10 things that increase your risk for depression.

Family history
Gender
Stressful life
Socio-economic status
Marital status
Sleep disorders
Overuse of medications
Mental or physical ailment
Extremely low birth weight
Past experience
Tobacco and alcohol

Here are tips to tackle depression during pregnancy in a better way.

Symptoms

People with depressive illnesses do not experience all similar symptoms. The severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms vary depending on the individual and his or her particular illness.

Here are 7 signs and symptoms of depression you shouldn’t miss –

Persistent sad, anxious, or ‘empty’ feelings
Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
Irritability and restlessness
Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
Fatigue and decreased energy
Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
Overeating or appetite loss
Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment.

Treatment

The treatment options normally employed to deal with depression are –

Medicines

The newest and most popular anti-depressants are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Fluoxetine, sertraline, escitalopram, paroxetine, and citalopram are some of the most commonly prescribed SSRIs for depression. Here are all your queries about antidepressant drugs that are answered.

Therapy

Yes, counselling sessions are a huge help, if the right kind of therapy is used, and combined with medicines, depending upon the type of depression and receptivity of the person. Two main types of psychotherapies —

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) – helps people with depression restructure negative thought patterns.

Interpersonal therapy (IPT) – helps people understand and work through troubled relationships that may be causing their depression or making it worse.

Read about can laughing gas treat severe depression?

Complications

Depression is a serious disorder that can take a terrible toll on individuals and families. Untreated depression can result in emotional, behavioural and physical health problems that affect every area of one’s life. Here’s how you can beat stress, fatigue and depression with laughter yoga.

Complications associated with depression may include:

Excess weight or obesity, which can lead to heart disease and diabetes
Alcohol or substance abuse
Anxiety, panic disorder or social phobia
Family conflicts and relationship difficulties (Read: tips to deal with depression after being fired from your job)
Work or academic problems
Social isolation
Suicidal feelings, suicide attempts or suicide
Self-mutilation, such as cutting the wrist
Premature death from other medical conditions

Natural remedies

Please do have your medicines if your psychiatrist advises you to do so. But don’t forget to help yourself with the various non-pharmacological options too, as suggested by such therapists:

Get your daily dose of vitamins
Spice up your life with black pepper
Try music therapy
Gorge on fish and nuts
Go for a walk
Love your bed, get your sleep
Keep peace with meditation and yoga
Soak in the sun
Beat stress with essential oils

Here is detailed information on natural antidepressant options you should try!

Prevention

There’s no sure way to prevent depression. However, these strategies may help.

Take steps to control stress, to increase your resilience and to boost your self-esteem. Here are 5 simple tips to prevent stress-related depression.
Reach out to family and friends, especially in times of crisis.
Get treatment at the earliest sign of a problem to help prevent depression from worsening.
Consider getting long-term maintenance treatment to help prevent a relapse of symptoms. Read about 8 ways to prevent depression.

The best preventive strategy is early recognition of the symptoms and early intervention with the help of a professional mental health caregiver.

Moreover, today stress is the number one direct or indirect killer amongst various age groups. The shame and stigma associated with taking help for mental health problems are at times, a more difficult challenge compare to the mental health illness itself! It is about time that we empower people with such problems to come forward, share their problems with their significant caregivers, and take help and support to come out of such problems. Caregivers, on the other hand, should enhance their levels of knowledge about mental health problems, and make those suffering from such problems feel less guilty or remorseful about their illness.

The content has been verified by Dr Fabian Almeida, Psychiatrist & Counsellor, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan, Mumbai.

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