Depression is a neurological condition that results in nervousness, stress & irritability. It can affect the daily routine of a person. It has proved as a crucial health dilemma worldwide. Fortunately, it is curable if treated on time and consulted by a psychiatrist. However, if untreated, it would lead to a mental breakdown and suicide. According to the annual reports of the WHO, around 0.7 million people die from depression. It is the third most global burden of disease.
How do we identify depression?
Depression is a mental disorder that can affect anyone of any age, race, sex, or ethnicity. It has various symptoms;
- Behavioral change.
- The feeling of sadness without any reason
- Low self-esteem and sense of worthlessness.
- Lack of social interaction/Social isolation.
- Disturbed sleep patterns or even insomnia.
- Loss of energy/fatigue.
- Weight loss/ weight gain.
- Suicidal thoughts.
It is better to consult a psychiatrist if these symptoms persist for over two weeks.
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How to pinpoint the cause of depression:
In the past few decades, depression has become a global health concern. Due to this, it has been the prime focus of research for scientists.
Environmental and psychological factors play essential roles in the prevalence of mental illness. Financial crises, physical abuse, chronic disease, and domestic violence are the major risk factors for depression. Nowadays, TV news channels play a negative role in developing stress & anxiety, and studies have proved that constant exposure to violent news harms our psychological health.
Types Of Depression:
Based on the signs and symptoms, healthcare practitioners categorize depression into three types.
It is a severe kind of depression, also known as major depressive disorder (MDD). Clinical depression results in a persistent low mood, discouragement, and lack of interest.
- Perinatal depression:
Perinatal depression is an emotional disorder that occurs during pregnancy. If these symptoms remain after pregnancy, it will be otherwise called postpartum depression. The primary cause of this depression is imbalanced hormones. Characteristics of both of these depressions are the same. For example, no interest in newborn babies, feeling cranky and angry.
- Dysthymia:
Dysthymia is also called persistent depressive disorder (PDD). It is less chronic than clinical depression. But, its symptoms last for years.
Treatments For Depression:
For a person experiencing mental sickness, the following therapeutic approach might be helpful.
- Self-care:
Taking care of your body is the fundamental approach to curing stress. Regular physical activity, meditation, a healthy diet, and proper sleep help decrease your stress level.
During exercise, your body releases endorphins, which help reduce stress and make you feel better.
- Psychotherapy:
Consulting your psychiatrist would help you to cope with mental illness. With the help of this therapy, you can express your thoughts and emotions to your mental health practitioners, which would ultimately decrease your stress level and make you feel better.
- Medications:
Antidepressants and tranquillizers are medicines used to treat depression. These medicines increase the chemical level called neurotransmitters, which are responsible for happiness.
- Exercise:
Physical fitness is the natural remedy for all diseases. In a few scenarios, exercise works as an antidepressant by reducing pain sensation. Exercise promotes neuroplasticity and mitigates emotional and physical pain by releasing Endorphins, which are neurotransmitter that acts as blocking agent for feeling pain.
- Acupuncture:
It is a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which helps to treat neurological, hormonal, and metabolical diseases. The basic technique in TCM is to insert needles at specific acupoints to stimulate connective tissues all over the body by releasing endorphins, which help reduce aches and pain.
Prevalence of depression in Pakistan.
Pakistan is a developing country suffering from various crises: economic hardship, financial instability, terrorism, social adversities & corruption. These factors destroy your mental health, and every 3rd citizen of the country suffers from mental sickness. Express Tribune published a report that declares that approximately 57% of women and 25% of men in Pakistan have mental illnesses. This report shows that females are more vulnerable to emotional instability than men.
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The reason why females are at high risk of depression?
According to research, every other woman out of four develops depression once. Some biological and environmental factors contribute to the prevalence of depression in girls, and here we pinpoint some of the major factors that cause depression in females.
- Imbalance Hormonal:
Estrogen is a hormone that helps in dopamine synthesis. Dopamine is a stress-releasing chemical that maintains our mood and keeps us energetic. Any decline in the level of these hormones can cause anxiety and stress.
When a girl reaches puberty, the body produces certain chemicals. These hormones fluctuate during pregnancy, post-pregnancy, periods, and menopause, and these hormonal imbalances lead to anguish and stress.
- Mental instability:
Many women experience domestic violence, physical torture, emotional abuse, divorce, and harassment. These traumatic experiences deteriorate their mental health. Apart from that, many women rely on their partners or friends for emotional support. Hence, when they do not receive love from their companion, they feel depressed and isolated. These conditions induce an adverse effect on women’s mental state.
- Pregnancy And Infertility:
During pregnancy, around 7% of female experiences depression, and it is because of dramatic hormonal fluctuations in their body. This inconstancy in hormones causes depression in many pregnant women.
The chances of depression in infertile females are twice as in normal childbearing women. Research suggests that couples who are having complications in pregnancy are at higher risk of developing depression. Constantly asking the couple why they don’t have the baby would cause them shame and frustration. Instead, try to avoid such conversations with the couple.
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