Important Facts about Clinical Depression

"How's your mood today? This is a question that we get asked, and most often we cannot pinpoint on a particular emotion. An emotional state is like a wave, we experience a range of emotions each day. When the range becomes restricted to a pervasive low mood it qualifies as Clinical Depression. Some people are more prone to depression than others. Researchers are not decisive about the exact causative factor, as they feel it can be a culmination of a number of factors. Research has implicated everything from physical and chemical differences in the brain to social and environmental risk factors. However, it is a complex state of mind, and needs time to be detected.  Dr.Vasanth R, Psychiatrist, Fortis Malar Hospital enlightens us more about clinical depression, its symptoms and treatment.

We all feel sad about many things in our walk of life. However, clinical depression is a mental illness that can show more symptoms than just a melancholy mood. Infact, persistent sadness can snow ball into depression. Depression is a real illness that researchers believe is caused mainly by imbalances in certain chemicals within your brain called neurotransmitters. Few experts are even starting to frame depression as a systemic disease. Many of us ignore its gravity but it can have dire outcomes. It is vital to understand that it can happen at all age; even children are not immune to depression. Stress, traumas are the side effects of modern day living, so it is better to understand the symptoms in order to get immediate help.

Symptoms of depression:

• Easy fatigability
• Loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities
• Disturbance in sleep and appetite
• Trouble with concentration, memory, and decision-making
• Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and worthlessness
• Suicidal ideas
• Low self esteem
• Agitation
• Physical symptoms (such as headaches, digestive issues, body aches, and pain) that don’t subside with treatment.

Having enumerated the features above, if a person continues to have these symptoms throughout the day for more than 2 weeks then we call it Clinical Depression.

Treatment:

• The first and foremost, it is important to identify these symptoms by the individual or his family members/friends.Any change in one's behaviour must always be noted and addressed.
• Clinical Depression is a medical condition and it requires professional help. Meeting a mental health professional helps as they will be able to assess you and decide the further management of the disorder.
• Various treatment modalities exist, medications and therapy being the main. Of course as adjuvants, lifestyle changes such as practicing yoga, exercising, listening to music and having a proper work life balance are recommended.
• Mental illness is common and treatable, but it can take time to find the safest and most effective treatment. Having adequate patience and following the advice of the expert is an absolute necessity.

Always Remember, depression is not something that you need to be scared or worried about, early treatment can help you to overcome this mental state.

Book Appointment: Dr.Vasanth R, Psychiatrist, Fortis Malar Hospital