WHAT IS DEPRESSION

Depression is a common but serious illness that often goes undiagnosed for long and also it usually doesn't go away without treatment. Depression can be caused by several factors, event specific depression such as job loss, death or separation from a loved  can come on suddenly. But, most of the time, depression develops slowly and gradually gets worse. Signs of depression can be subtle, and a person can be depressed and not know it at first. Men and women often experience depression differently. Men often feel anger, irritability, and have sleep or substance abuse problems. Women often feel sad, guilty, and worthless. Mild depression may go away on its own. However, depression usually doesn't go away and often gets worse without treatment. Severe depression can make it impossible to function and cause suicidal thoughts.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION?

Depression can present itself in multiple ways and the symptoms often vary from person to person. The list is long and typically includes more than one symptoms such as:  Anxiety, decreased appetite, problem in sleeping, memory problems, restlessness or irritability, weight loss or weight gain, mood swings, impaired judgement, crying, lack of motivation, sadness, alcoholism and binge drinking, loss of productivity at work, disinterested, inability to care for self, poor personal hygiene, constipation, fatigue, personality changes, attention deficit, difficulty concentrating, unusual behavior,frightening thoughts, low self-esteem, socially withdrawn, short-term memory loss, erectile dysfunction.

DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT

Diagnosis: The Diagnosis can be done by review of symptoms, medical history, detailed physical examination and psychological evaluation by a doctor along with blood and other tests to to rule out a physical cause.

Treatment: Treatment with counseling or psycho-therapy along with antidepressants can help most people with depression. Therapy may be time consuming, so it is very important to stay positive and be patient through the course of the treatment. Electroconvulsive therapy may be used for severe depression in case antidepressants don't work.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1. Most depression patients don’t know if they are suffering from depression, so it is important to look for signs such as prolonged feeling of sadness, loneliness, not getting joy in things that once made you happy. Having suicidal thoughts etc. Seek immediate medical attention

2. Eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, reducing stress, talking with friends, and being patient with the progress of treatment can help cope with depression better.