A mental disability caused worldwide irrespective of age is commonly called depression. It involves loss of presence, sad feelings and disorderly mood swings. People periodically experience depression when they are mentally weak which is different from the fluctuations that occur on a daily basis. The major events that people face in life like joblessness, improper understanding among their dear ones, failures in life, leads to depression, wherein the doctors only consider the grief to be it. This state of condition is not a passing one in life, it is an ongoing issue faced by every living being which lasts for several days.
Irrespective of gender, depression exists, but it differs in its symptoms.
Common Symptoms of Depression
- Gloomy mood all the moment is seen
- No interest would be shown in fun activities
- Less or no appetite
- The fondness of sleep all day or very little sleep
- Slow in reactions
- Difficult to concentrate, suicidal thoughts leading to death, etc.
Symptoms are seen in Females
- Anxious about things
- Feeling annoyed
- Love to live in negative thoughts
Symptoms are seen in males
These are the signs of depression in men
- Intake of alcohol in excess
- Work continuously without a break
- Uncontrollable reactions or behavior toward others.
As said earlier, irrespective of age the symptoms of depression vary which include the students, children, etc.
Ways to treat Depression
Depression is a treatable issue. The people suffering from depression need a lot of support i.e; by aiding them with practical solutions. There are some ways to cure it by the patient itself, by mentally understanding the situations, possible causes and many more. Different therapies can get involved in treating the depressed person like psychotherapy or talking therapy. It involves interaction with a counseling process to cure the hurt of the patient. The other way of treating the depression is through medication. When the patient exceeds the level of treatment through talking therapy, then the antidepressants come into existence. They involve selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, monoamine oxide inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, atypical antidepressants.
The above-mentioned medications should not be taken without the prescription of the doctor. The better results are shown only when the medication is taken continuously if not the results are seen. Regular interaction with the doctor adds as an advantage to cure depression.
Treatment – Natural ways
Herbs cure the depression when it is in the initial stage or in the mild- to moderate case. But for the herbal products, there is no confirmation of the cure or takes a long time to see the changes in the patient. Some well-known herbs that treat depression are St. John’s wort, Ginseng, Chamomile, lavender. Supplements are taken to cure the mild to moderate depression but they are to be taken under the doctor’s prescription only.
Treating depression with proper Diet
Taking a lot of junk food is not a healthy way of lifestyle for any person, which is even applied for depressed people. The food we take affects the mental health of humans. Studies have found that the intake of plenty of fruits can lead to a way to reduce depression.
Other foods like:
Vegetables
Fish
Olive oil
Fruits
Lifestyle Changes
It is vital for you to make changes to your lifestyle when you are suffering from depression. Though this mental health problem doesn’t let you live peacefully and make you lethargic, it is your responsibility for you to take care of yourself. Always remember one thing in your life and that is nothing is permanent. Small modifications to your lifestyle can help you to ease the symptoms of depression. When treating mild depression, physicians don’t recommend drugs to their patients, they just suggest them to change their lifestyle.
Doing exercises regularly can be very helpful in order to treat your depression problem. Exercises have the capability of boosting feel-good chemicals in your brains such as serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, and other feel-good chemicals. Due to this reason, we would advise people to make small changes to their lifestyle in order to reduce the severeness of their problem.
You wouldn’t believe you will notice a lot of differences when you start making changes to your lifestyle. It will also work in the same way just like antidepressants in order to release the feel-good chemicals in your brain. You don’t need to do heavy workouts, just a half-hour daily walk is enough for some people.
Maintain Contacts with People
In order to ease the symptoms of your mental health problem, you need to maintain a strong relationship with people. We would advise you to trust your loved one and also if someone is offering you help don’t hesitate to take help from them. Try to involve in extracurricular activities and play some games that you like the most. Ask someone to assist you if you are in need of help and also don’t neglect your family members. They should come first in your priority list and speaking with them daily can have a huge impact on your mood. If you are experiencing a bad mood, then call your loved one and tell them that you are suffering.
Because they are the only ones who can respond to your calls. Due to this reason, we would people who are suffering from depression to maintain good relations with the members of their family.
Avoid Stress to treat Depression
You need to make some efforts to deal with stress. Because it is not an easy task for people who are suffering from depression to manage stress. Too much stress can create problems in your life. That is why it is vital for you to deal with stress. People experience stress at some point in their lives and this feeling of stress became normal in some people’s lives.
People should know how to manage their stress levels. It is important especially when they are suffering from depression. Stress is also one of the symptoms of depression. In order to manage your stress levels, you need to find out what causes stress in your life. It may be work pressure or personal problems. First, you need to focus on that and think about the solution.
Talking Therapy
If you think lifestyle changes haven’t worked, we would advise you to have a word with your physician. Because your condition may be severe and due to this reason lifestyle changes didn’t show effects on you. Consult your health care provider is the best option for you and your doctor will try to rule out all the underlying conditions and recommend your medications based on that.
If there are no underlying medical conditions contributing to depression, then there are chances that your depression problem can be cured with talk therapy. It works for everyone and the main motive of this therapy is to make you feel better and to prevent this mental health illness.
There are many therapies available for you to manage your condition. These include
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Interpersonal therapy
- Psychodynamic therapy
Cognitive behavioral Therapy
The main objective of this therapy is to identify the thought patterns that are influencing the person brain’s negatively who are suffering from depression. It will help the people to control their own thoughts and gives confidence to the people who are suffering from this mental health condition. This therapy is useful for people who are suffering from Anxiety, Anger, Phobias, panic attacks, addictions, and eating disorders.
People are able to control their own thoughts after taking this therapy and it is best among all the therapies. We would advise you to have a word with your physician before opting for this therapy.
Interpersonal Therapy
Interpersonal therapy focuses mainly on you and how you are maintaining relationships with other people. The main objective of this therapy is to improve your communication with other people and helps you to stay connected with your loved ones. There are many relationships ruined just because of depression. Interpersonal therapy is just as effective as antidepressant medication and a lot of physicians recommend this therapy to their patients along with the medication.
Psycho-dynamic Therapy
The main aim of this therapy is to explore the person’s needs, urges, and wants. This therapy lets people know what they want. This therapy is considered as the least preferred therapy for the people who are suffering from depression.
Antidepressants for Depression
People who are in the severe stage of depression, have to take antidepressant drugs. Generally, people who have tried all the attempts to reduce the severeness of their problem and didn’t get the desired results they want and for them, antidepressant drugs are the best option. Antidepressant drugs work well and are able to ease the symptoms of depression. There are many types of antidepressant drugs and your physician recommends based on the severity of your condition. All antidepressant drugs come with potential side effects and due to this reason, we would people to contact their healthcare provider before taking these drugs.
Conclusion
Depression can kill your positive thoughts and it is not an easy task for you to manage the symptoms of depression. But there are many effective treatments that are available for you to reduce the severeness of your condition. It is a complex problem and you shouldn’t make the decision on your own. Have a word with your physician before opting for any kind of treatment.
Sirisha B 
Raju Ch