Dr. FIZAH HAMID
In a world of chaos, with growing science and technology, people have merely become subject to all the innovations and technologies. Even having all the necessities, yet there is unhappiness. Happiness is a thing which can’t be brought. It is one of the most precious things, but there must be the effort to take and give it. The highly advanced technology has made our life a lot more comfortable and easy, but it has taken a toll on social interaction in our country. There was no technology, no high tech gadgets in the past, yet people were happy and healthy, they were socially interactive, they tended to live together, have long discussions, have a pure bond, but in today’s era, this has become just a mere history.
In today’s world, Depression is one of the most common and serious medical illness affecting a huge number of people. Globally, the total number of people with depression was estimated to exceed 300 million in 2015, equivalent to 4.3% of the world’s population. In India, the National Mental Health Survey 2015-16 revealed that nearly 15% Indian adults need active intervention for one or more mental health issues and one in 20 Indians suffers from depression. (WHO)
Depression is ranked as the single largest contributor to global disability (7.5% of all years lived with disability in 2015). At its worst, depression can lead to suicide; over 800 000 people die due to suicide every year. It is the second leading cause of death in 15-29-year-olds (WHO). According to WHO report, India has the highest number of depressed individuals in the world, which means that one out of three individuals in India suffers from depression. A survey conducted by UNICEF and Gallup in early 2021 with 20,000 children and adults in 21 countries found that the young in India seem reluctant to seek support for mental stress. We have to understand this serious issue, so that we can lend them a helping hand. It’s not only about medicine, medicine only can’t treat depression, but providing them a helping hand, counseling them, even having a healthy conversation can help them to cope up with this problem.
Let’s know what depression actually is- Depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think, or the way you act. It is the most common psychiatric problem in the world, and most common cause of suicide. It affects our daily lifestyle; it leads to a variety of emotional and physical problems, and can decrease the ability to work properly.
Depression results from a complex interaction of Social, psychological, biological factors (Decreased serotonin, Epinephrine, Dopamine, Hypothalamus Pituitary axis disturbance), People who have gone through any adverse life events which includes- (Unemployment, bereavement, traumatic events like deaths of any close ones) are more likely to develop depression, also physical inactivity, alcohol abuse, and drug use are also known risk factors for depression. Social Isolation which is a household problem nowadays is also one of the main causes for this issue. Certain drugs may also cause depression as an Adverse Effect like Beta Blockers, Steroids, Chronic use of Benzodiazepines etc.
The symptoms of Depression can vary based on the severity
Low Mood (Feeling Sad) all the time, Loss of interest in all those activities once enjoyed, low energy(lethargic, tiredness), Increased or Decreased sleep, feeling worthless or guilty, loss or gain of appetite, negative thoughts(thoughts of suicide, harming own selves), lack of concentration etc. These are some of the main symptoms present in Depression.
To be noted, Depression is different from Sadness or Grief/Bereavement, the duration of the symptoms plays a huge role while diagnosing the illness , because as a human being it is physiologic and natural to have these symptoms sometimes, like having sadness if someone close to us expires, having guilt whenever we make any mistake etc, so it’s important not to correlate the diagnosis with these physiologic and natural human behavior, but the symptoms must last at least two weeks and must represent a change in your previous level of thinking and functioning in order to make any diagnosis.
Whenever a person feels any of the symptoms, he/she should never be ashamed or hesitate to reach out to their loved ones or a doctor. It has been a social stigma not to spoke about depression, and we should stop this social stigma and normalize the illness, and speak out whenever you are going through this, or if you see someone going through this illness. It should be our responsibility to help out those who are suffering from this. ‘Nothing brings greater reward than to serve humanity to the fullest capacity, the truest fact in this world is that the more you do for someone else, the more you boost your own individuality and character”. We should understand the medical condition of that person, and not merely make fun of them or to criticize. We should help them with open hearts, as merely a good talk can help them to get through this. It is a treatable illness, and with proper management and care, it can be treated.
Isn’t it sometimes better to keep our phones away , switch off the Television, laptops etc and spend some time with our family , our loved ones in the way it’s meant to be. We all have been blown away by growing technologies, in such a way that being together in a closed room yet we feel lonely.
There are many ways in the management of Depression e.g. psychological treatment and medications.
Effective psychological treatments for depression include
- Behavioral activation.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy.
- Interpersonal psychotherapy.
- Problem-solving therapy.
- Antidepressant medications include SSRIs like Fluoxetine etc.
Self-care
Self-care can play an important role in managing symptoms of depression and promoting overall well-being. It includes-
– to keep doing activities you used to enjoy, stay connected to friends and family, exercise regularly, stick to regular eating and sleeping habits, avoid or cut down on alcohol and don’t use illicit drugs, talk to someone you trust, seek help from a healthcare provider.
Remember you are not alone; never hesitate in reaching out to your loved ones or a doctor
To all those who are suffering from Depression, never lose courage, courage makes the heart glad and the soul strong. Always have faith, for faith is the ability to believe you have won even before you have!!
”People who look down never get much of an idea of the sky where the stars are set. Get your eyes off the ground. Look ahead. Keep your chin up”. (From the book ‘You Can’)
Keep Spreading knowledge and awareness. Keep helping people.
(Ref. WHO, American Psychiatric Association)
(The Author is MBBS Graduate. Email: [email protected])
