DEPRESSION

 

A mental health disorder characterised by persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life.

Possible causes include a combination of biological, psychological and social sources of distress. Increasingly, research suggests that these factors may cause changes in brain function, including altered activity of certain neural circuits in the brain.

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.

Depression nowadays is a term used frequently and yet very few people actually understand the complexity of the disorder. Dr Anuj Khandelwal, a celebrated Psychiatrist from Surat says, “Depression is a mood disorder that might last for a few days to months to some years. A person suffering from depression usually suffers through a feeling of persistent sadness and hopelessness. This is different from people being upset about a small event in the day. These feelings are so strong that they hamper the patients’ daily activities such as work, social life, daily chores, recreation etc.”

Treatments

Treatment consists of antidepressants

The mainstay of treatment is usually medication, talk therapy or a combination of the two. Increasingly, research suggests that these treatments may normalise brain changes associated with depression.