What Is Depression?
Our emotions go up and down in life at
times we are happy cheerful and hopeful for a bright tomorrow. other times we
get sad disheartened and even a little hopeless.
There are many reasons why we may
feel low whether it's due to hardships of life, breaks in relationships, loss
of a loved one, or failures we may come across.
How do we know when sad feelings
become a medical condition of depression?
Depression is a common problem
affecting people of all ages. almost one in three people experience an episode
of depression in their life. but oftentimes it is not recognized or treated.
What is normal grief and what is depression?
All of us experience grief at some
point in our lives feelings of sadness and emptiness are normal human responses
to any loss that can be in the form of a family member, a break in the relationship,
an unexpected failure, a calamity, or for other reasons. normal grief is
usually short-lived and after a while, we're able to bounce back.
These events may leave us with sad memories
and such experiences help us grow in life. on the other hand, depression is a medical
problem it may start as normal grief after a significant event in life or it may
begin without any apparent reason. the feeling of low mood and sadness becomes
too intense and overwhelming. it goes on for a long and affects regular life.
There's also a deep sense of hopelessness
helplessness and low self-worth.
the person gets stuck in negative thoughts and in a low mood, the chemicals in the brain are also disturbed. Some chemicals and
neurotransmitters are reduced and others may be too much.
these changes prolong depressive
mood and negative thoughts and without treatment, it's not easy to come out of this
condition.
There are effective ways to manage
and treat depression
Unfortunately many times symptoms of
depression are not recognized and appropriate treatment is not provided making
the person suffer for a long time.
What are the signs of depression and
what can we do if we are concerned that someone is suffering from it?
Depression can present with a
variety of different features each
person may be different from another.
Symptoms of Depression
- Symptoms of depression include a low
mood that persists most days of the week and goes on for more than two weeks. along
with the slow mood, the person may be having feelings of hopelessness and at
times a sense of guilt. - they may also experience low energy
and motivation and struggle with concentrating everyday activities like reading
or watching tv. - they lose interest in things that
they used to enjoy before. - they may also have difficulty with
sleep and appetite sometimes eating and sleeping too much and other times being
unable to sleep and having a poor appetite.
Depression can affect women, men,
young, and old sometimes it's hard to recognize and people may not be comfortable
in sharing their feelings.
Identify Of Depression
This is why it's important for
doctors and family members to look out for symptoms of depression by asking two
simple questions we can identify people who may be at risk of having depression.
- Over the last two weeks how often have
you felt depressed feeling down or hopeless? - In the last two weeks, how often have
you had very little interest or pleasure in doing things that you used to enjoy?
A score is given based on how
frequent these feelings were not at all several days more than half the days or
nearly every day. if the total score is three or more then doctors should
investigate further to see if the patient is suffering from depression and see
if they need further workup and treatment.
as family and friends if we are concerned
about someone who may be suffering from depression then checking in with them
can be an important part of getting the help they need talking to them in a
non-judgmental way with care and empathy can help reduce the stigma that many
people feel when struggling with the mental health condition.
Is a Depression Sign Of Weakness?
keep in mind that having depression
is not a sign of weakness. rather it's a medical condition and it's not the
person's fault. encouraging someone to seek professional help can make a
difference. sometimes people who suffer from depression begin to feel that
things are so hopeless and will never change that they start having thoughts of
wanting to die.
In some cases, they may even begin to
have thoughts of harming themselves it's important to ask about these thoughts
if you are concerned that a friend or family member may be depressed. if
someone is struggling with such thoughts then providing emotional support and
encouraging them to seek professional help quickly can be life-saving.
How is depression treated? does it
go away on its own?
Sometimes an episode of depression
can get better by itself. but most of the time it needs treatment especially when
it interferes with day-to-day life. treatment usually includes a combination of
medicines counseling and talk therapy and building life habits that promote good
mental health like daily exercise, social connection, and good sleep.
Treat With Medicines
We now have effective medicines to
treat depression these medicines regulate the chemicals in the brain to help
them bring back to normal balance.
They enhance the effects of
chemicals that promote a good mood
There are many different medicines
available which medicine is right for
you will depend on what other symptoms or medical problems you may have.
It is important to know that these medicines
take time to have their effect typically it takes six weeks to have their full
effect. your doctor may adjust the dose add another medicine or change to a
different medicine if symptoms are still not controlled.
Do not stop the medicines all of a sudden
as they can cause problems with severe mood change rather discuss it with your
doctor if you want to stop any medicines.
Remember depression is a common
illness and can be very serious at times we all need to play our part in
helping those who suffer from it by recognizing the signs providing emotional
support and facilitating and seeking the right therapies.
Important Thing Of Regular Life
Regular exercise can be an important
part of treatment for depression and may help prevent future episodes exercise has
many benefits for health and mood. So make some time to exercise for 30 minutes
four or five times in a week go for a run or a fast walk, ride a bicycle hike
on a trail swim, or play sports that you enjoy to stay healthy and help others stay
healthy.
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