Depression is the mental illness where a person is not able to concentrate in his/her daily activities. When the concentration of this illness keeps increasing, the patient can arise tendencies of suicide and sees no worth for his/her life.Depression can affect anyone, of any culture, age or background. About twice as many women as men seek help for depression, though this may reflect the greater readiness of women to discuss their problems.One thing that may make it hard for doctors to recognise depression is that people with depression often complain of physical problems, commonly headaches, lethargy, stomach upsets or joint pains, rather than low mood, sometimes because these can be significant symptoms, but sometimes because they find it difficult to admit to feeling emotionally distressed for reasons they may not even be able to identify. But this can be psychosomatic.
Signs and Symptoms-
Those who suffer from signs of depression and related disorders may know the warning signs symptoms of depression all too well. They also know that these disorders tend to manifest themselves as repeated episodes of the depressive condition with the typical patient having many distinct episodes during their lives.Signs and Symptoms vary accordingly with individuals but the most common among patients sufferring from depression are as follows:
1. Difficulty sleeping or other disruptions of sleep patterns
2. Overwhelming feelings of anxiety and/or sorrow at inappropriate times
3. Loss of interest in pastimes formerly enjoyed
4. A sensation of hopelessness, lack of self esteem and feelings of guilt
5. Fatigue and overall lower energy levels
6. Loss of appetite or abnormally large appetite, leading to weight loss or gain
7. Suicidal thoughts and recurring thoughts about death
8. Irritability, restlessness and short temper
9. Memory lapses and an inability to concentrate
10. Difficulty in maintaining close or romantic relationships
Depression signs can derail careers and relationships, cause school work to go downhill and lower quality of life. The feelings of despair, sadness and frustration can make it impossible to function normally and relate to others. In many cases, depression goes undiagnosed due to the stigma borne by mental illness or failure of medical professionals to correctly diagnose or treat the problem.
Causes--
As like the signs and symptoms do vary according to individuals so as the causes. But most frequently, the environment where the person grows or spends his/her childhood plays major role. We learn to live from where we spend our childhood. The base of what we are now, is our childhood and the surroundings and environment around us. So, if a person has experienced negative environment in growing phase, this can be the good cause for him/her to be sufferred from depression. Technically, a chemical imbalance in brain due to these reasons is the cause. But the major risk factors for depression are;
Age
Though major depression typically occurs in people between the ages of 25 and 50, those over the age of 65 are particularly vulnerable for various reasons.
Gender
Women are about as twice as likely as men in the United States to be diagnosed and treated for depression. About 20-25% of women and 12% of men will experience a serious bout of depression at least one time in their lifetimes. Among children, depression seems to happen in equal numbers of boys and girls. Then, as the sexes reach adolescence, girls tend to become more depressed than boys do. This gender imbalance with major depression continues into older age.
Women are both historically more likely to seek treatment for depression and negative feelings that may be occurring, such as feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, though even more recent stats show an increasing number of men seeking self improvement therapy sessions.
Marital Status
People who are unhappily married, separated or divorced have high rates of major depression. The rates of major depression are considerably lower for those who are happily married.
Risk factors do not ensure that someone will develop a depressive episode, and everyone has the susceptibility of developing depression from time to time. Risk factors are just a way of saying that of those that had the worst depression symptoms the listed features were present as well.
Treatment-
Depression treatment usually targets tthe particular chemical imbalance and tries to correct it. However, doctors realize that depression treatment can often have side effects as the medication is strong. A study in Canada found that the bones of patients undergoing depression treatment were less dense than others, leading to brittle bones.
-Natural foods in the Treatment of Depression -
Cardamom and asparagus are two natural foods that are used in depression treatment. Other foods known to be beneficial in the treatment of depression include lemon balm, cashew nut and rose petals. It is also recommended that drinking a lot of water - at least eight glasses a day - and cutting down on (or preferably cutting out) red meats can support the treatment of depression. “Cooling foods,” such as many citrus fruits and most vegetables, are also thought to be useful in the treatment of depression because they bring down acidity levels in the body and so keep the mind calm.
-Supplements and Vitamins for the Treatment of Depression -
Vitamin B has been shown in trials to be very beneficial in the treatment of depression. It tends to increase serotonin, a hormone known to improve mood, levels in the brain. Omega 3 is also very beneficial in depression treatment as it keeps the spirits high. It must be remembered that certain situations can hinder the effective absorption of vitamins and minerals into the body; for example, vitamin absorption decreases with age. Always consult your physician or health professional for tips on optimizing supplement absorption in the treatment of depression.
-Holistic Treatment for Depression -
Depression treatment should also include breathing exercises, workouts and relaxation exercises. Deep breathing has proved to be useful, as has meditation. Other alternative treatments include aromatherapy, massages, reflexology and acupuncture. Depression treatment has to take a holistic view so that all the visible symptoms of can be addressed.
Therefore a combination of conventional medicine, alternative treatment, and good nutrition are recommended for the effective treatment of depression.
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