What is depression?
Depression is the most common problem in this era. It was first used in the 19th century to replace melancholia, which means dispiritedness. Depression can simply be defined as a change in mood, i.e., a change from the normal condition of human beings. It can simply be defined as unhappiness in life, but in its broad sense, it is related to the sick mind of a man that is sometimes harmful for himself or herself, and sometimes the people around him or her suffer.
Depression is actually a universal problem. It affects all human beings of all ages and emerges when humans feel a lack of confidence in them. Depression is reflected in low spirits, sadness, loss of interest, running from enjoyable moments, and feelings of darkness in life. It can also be called mental confusion that leads to negative thinking, such as the feelings that one can’t do anything in life, feelings of hate from other people, thinking that one is doing wrong, that his or her work is not acceptable, and so on.
Depression is a serious medical illness that negatively affects life. Everyone looks at it differently. For example, in psychology, it is an emotional condition of a person marked by feelings of guilt and looseness. Medically, it’s a chronic feeling of sadness that reduces feelings of gratification and meaningless existence in the universe. Basically, depression interferes in all aspects of life. A man seems to find his struggles worthless; he gives importance to negative points and revises them again and again. A mentally depressed person is always angry and impatient.
TYPES OF DEPRESSION
1. Atypical depression:
It’s related to mood changes, handling rejection, and sadness in the evening. This type of depression is cured by psychotherapy or medication. But sometimes a combination of treatments is required, depending on the man’s condition.
2. Persistent depressive disorder, or dysthymia:
It is a type of disorder relating to hungriness or overeating, unhappiness, laziness, and insecurity about respect. It can be treated by medication or psychotherapy collectively or separately.
3. Seasonal affective disorder:
It describes the mood changes from season to season that become causes of headaches, lack of concentration, changes in appetite, thoughts of self-harm, and so on. To decrease this depression, light therapy is considered the most effective treatment.
4. Postpartum depression:
This type of depression develops after delivering a baby. Affected parents face trouble handling the newborn baby. It can be treated with the help of some therapies and medication.
5. Bipolar disorder:
It is related to emotional instability, which leads to changes in mood, sleep, lack of interest, and tears without any reason. It can be cured through medication.
6. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder:
It is related to a woman’s menstrual cycles, which emerge as the woman’s cycle begins. Women feel headaches, difficulty sleeping, aches, and changes in mood like anger, laziness, and so on. It can be treated with protein foods and, sometimes, medication.
7. Psychotic depression:
It is a major depressive disorder that relates to the illusion, figment of the imagination, and delusion. It can be treated by antidepressants and antipsychotic medication
Signs and symptoms of depression:
Depression fluctuates from man to man, but there are some familiar signs and symptoms that, if they increase from 7 days in the eyes of science or medicine, must be cured according to its level, gender, and most of all age group. Let’s go through all those well-known signs and symptoms separately.
- Feelings of powerlessness and bleakness.
- Lack of inquisitiveness in routine work.
- Hungriness, or gluttony, and weight changes (more than 5% in a month).
- Traumatizing events like the death of someone special, an accident, and so on.
- Sleeplessness or oversleeping.
- Anger or impatience, and sometimes act violently by losing temper.
- Feeling exhausted, lethargic, and bodily weak.
- Self-doubt and guilt.
- Careless attitude.
- Lack of decision-making and memorizing things.
- Incomprehensible pains and aches.
- Seasonal depression.
- Insecurity about self-respect.
- Lack of confidence to attend social gatherings.
Signs of depression in women:
Signs of depression in women are more common than in men. The reasons behind this are some genetic, social, psychical, biological, hormonal, environmental, and psychological factors.
There are some signs of depression in women. Some of them are listed below.
Premenstrual disorder:
These signs of depression in women start a week before their menstruation. For example, women may feel irritation, upset, annoyed without any reason, frustration, muscle pain, etc. However, these signs of depression in women reduce after the circulation starts and disappear after the completion of the menstrual cycle.
Prenatal disorder:
To become parents is most happy moment of life, especially for women. As a mother, women feel happiness, but caring for a new-born baby is also a challenging task, which sometimes leads to depression in women. New mothers face exhaustion, sleeplessness, and worry about caring for the baby, which are common signs of depression in women. However, this common depression lasted for two or three weeks when women adjusted to the situation.
Physical and mental health disorders:
A woman is the most important part of the family. She has to deal with parents, children, relatives, and her partner. She has to fulfill all her responsibilities, but if she fails to manage all her roles, she will face criticism, which will take her to depression. And most of all, she faces painful moments due to infertility, the death of a child, and miscarriage. In this situation, she faces violence, abuse, criticism, and divorce. These entire depressive scenarios negatively affect women’s mental and physical health conditions. She feels insecure in her life. She loses her confidence, which forces her to think about suicide or a desire to die.
Treatments for depression and anxiety:
The 21st century is a scientific era. There is nothing left in the world that can’t be cured. Women are the softest part of a family. A depressed woman can’t balance all her roles and responsibilities. Some of the treatments for depression and anxiety are suggested in the following headings:.
Home Treatment: The first and most important treatment for depression and anxiety can be provided at home. Women must be treated softly. Provide an encouraging environment, help her fulfill some household tasks, and give her proper support if she is passing through any such depressive time period.
Psychological Treatment: The second option of treatment for depression and anxiety is psychological treatment. It provides mental treatment through some counseling and some cognitive therapies to the depressed woman if needed.
Medication: Medication is the third important treatment for depression and anxiety. It started when no other treatment had an impact on the mental health of a woman. Antidepressant and mood-stabilizing medication started according to the situation.
Self-help: Self-help is also very important. If a patient is not ready for the treatment, she will not improve her condition. Proper counseling at home and by the caretaker changes their mood to urge life and improve their health condition.