Depression

Clinical Depression can not be prevented. Eat a healthy diet, get regular exercise, and take time out for fun and relaxation. These will help you prevent a depressed mood. However if the depressed mood continues for more than 2 weeks, do see a doctor.   

While there are no tests for diagnosing depression, doctors may administer a questionnaire to determine if the condition is depression. Doctors may also prescribe lab tests to determine if the depression is caused due to some other underlying illness.  Head trauma Central nervous system tumors Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Stroke Multiple sclerosis Syphilis Some cancers 

Apart from getting the right treatment, you should also follow these suggestions to manage depression:  Food and nutrition There is no specific diet for depression but evidence suggests that good nutrition is essential for our mental health and number of mental health conditions may be influenced by dietary factors. Do eat regularly even if you do not feel like eating. Try to eat a healthy diet that includes the following:  Lots of nutrients to keep the body functioning optimally…

Treatment varies based on the severity of Depression Severe or moderate depression Antidepressant medicines: These are commonly used to treat moderate or severe depression. Antidepressants can take 2-4 weeks before the effect builds up fully. The newest and most popular antidepressants are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The following are examples:  Fluoxetine Sertraline Escitalopram Paroxetine Citalopram Psychological (Talking) Treatments Cognitive behavioural…

Depression can manifest itself in many different ways. Learn to recognise signs of depression in a friend or a family member.  Counsellor Animitra Ghatak shares the surprising signs of depression and how you can help.   Depression is a mood disorder that may affect any of us at some point in our lives. This can be triggered by setbacks in life, bereavement or a chronic illness. Depression is not just about feeling sad or down. It affects the mind and the body. It…

Depression is a major mental health issue that affects many men and women worldwide each day, but it's not uncommon for their symptoms to be confused with chronic fatigue syndrome. In her book The Exhaustion Breakthrough, Dr. Holly Phillips touches on why this diagnosis can be so tricky. She also shares in this interview with Huff Post Live  "One of the most common signs of depression is fatigue, a lack of motivation, a change in mood, a change in appetite, but also if…

36% of Indians suffer from depression according to WHO. 100,000 people commit suicide every year.  Deepika, her mother Ujjala, and her doctors Dr. Anna Chandy and Dr. Shyam talk about it, about the need for family support, the need to talk about it and ask for help and to undergo counselling and treatment Deepika: I think physically what is happening is this weird pittish feeling, emptiness. My breathing was different, it was not a deep breath, it was very shallow, uneven breath,…

By Dirk de Korne for the Straits Times. The writer is a Dutch health scientist working in Singapore. -  It's time to remove the stigma attached to mental disorders - they are illnesses, not character flaws. He and his wife made us feel at home in Singapore. We shared many meals and enjoyed fellowship in what we called our "238 community", referring to our table number at the Old Airport Road Hawker Centre. Not everything in his garden was rosy. From his student years on, he had…

Women's emotionality is a sign of health, not disease. Whether a woman needs medication should be a medical decision, not a response to peer pressure and consumerism.. Women are twice as likely as men to receive a diagnosis of anxiety disorder and depression than men are. For many women, these drugs greatly improve their lives, but for others its not necessary. In the days leading up to menstruation, emotional sensitivity is heightened , women may feel more irritable, less insulated. But that…

In collaboration with WHO to mark World Mental Health Day, writer and illustrator Matthew Johnstone tells the story of overcoming the “black dog of depression”. Probably the only dog video on the Internet that will make you reflect. Millions of people around the world live with depression, a frightening, debilitating condition at its worst. Many of these individuals and their families are afraid to talk about their struggles, and don’t know where to turn for help. Recognizing depression and…