Depression Tests and Diagnosis

Zeenat Jahan, advanced life coach, takes us through the myriad benefits of positive psychology that reverses the focus from negative to positive and can benefit people at different stages on the mental health spectrum. At a recent conference on Bipolar Disorder, you spoke about how positive psychology can help adults with depression or bipolar. What exactly is positive psychology? Positive psychology is a scientific approach to studying human thoughts, feelings, and behavior with a focus on…

Shayonee, 30, a lawyer from Mumbai ignored the signs of depression for a very long time. A diagnosis of chronic depression and the identification of triggers and stressors, led to re-framing of priorities. She strongly believes there is a need for greater openness about mental health at the workplace.  Trigger Warning Suffering from clinical depression (CD) was not a choice I made. It came into my life as an uninvited guest who overstayed her welcome. One of the psychiatrists I…

For International Women's Day, in line with the UN Women’s theme for 2019 we highlight a few women innovators and social entrepreneurs who have contributed to "Think equal, Build smart & Innovate for a change." We asked these three women entrepreneurs and innovators what drove the innovation and how it benefits the community.  Aditi Gupta, Founder - Menstrupedia Making it cool for young girls to talk about menstruation We created Menstrupedia to fight the widespread unawareness…

Dr. Shivaprakash Srinivasan, Child Adolescent  and Adult Psychiatrist at SCARF puts the spotlight on the growing trend of cyberbullying, the impact of cyberbullying on adolescent mental health and what parents and educators/teachers can do to prevent cyberbullying and spot signs. The internet since its introduction to the public in the early 1990’s has been changing the world at a really rapid pace. It has been making communication with persons around the world astoundingly easy and also…

Sangeetha Param, a 24 year old living with bipolar disorder and depression, is a successful employee, has authored two books and is no longer afraid to talk in public about her mental health issues. Read her reflective piece. "I have bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder”. “Do you know what they are?" I ask. The general responses are – "I don't know". "They are just mood swings, right?" "I have the exact same thing". "I know what you are talking about. I read it online that it's…

Males suffering from depression have an increased vulnerability to dying by suicide. Clinical psychologist Smriti Sawhney advices it is important to seek professional help and lists out tips to alleviate depression. Boys are not supposed to cry. And, if you cry you are weak. And, being emotional is so ‘girly’. Most boys tend to hear these and other similar statements during their growing up years. Internalising such statements can make it difficult later on for men to express or share their…

Trveen Dhillon reviews Gayathri Prabhu’s intensely personal memoir of her conflicted relationship with her father who had depression ‘if i had to tell it again’ and relates to her own experience as a caregiver to her father. Gayathri Prabhu’s ‘if i had to tell it again’ is a memoir about two beings who greatly influenced her life and continue to do so even after their passing - her father, SGM Prabhu, who refused to accept or name his illness (clinical depression), and Chinna, a beautiful…

And how you can help. Clinical Psychologist H'vovi Bhagwawar has put together a guide on teen self harm and how parents can help their children. This is based on her experience of counselling teenagers. #WorldMentalHealthDay Myra, a bright Std 11 student, had begun withdrawing from her parents and friends. When she insisted on wearing long-sleeved outfits in the humid heat of Mumbai, her mother suspected something. Myra then showed her mother the cuts on her wrists. Her mother was at first…

Dr Ankit Patel, a Pune based psychiatrist, who himself has dealt with depression, says his mission now is to educate people about mental illness and reduce the stigma associated with it. According to World Health Organization 56 million people suffer from depression and another 38 million people suffer from anxiety disorders in India. Which would you classify as the 5 most common psychiatric disorders? Depression Generalised Anxiety Disorder OCD Panic Disorder Schizophrenia/ Psychosis Are…

When R had suicidal thoughts and a feeling of hopelessness, she finally sought help and was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety disorder. Read on to find out how she coped with her illness and how it relates to chronic pain due to migraines and sinus. I am 39 years old and academically trained as an engineer. I lost my mom at a very young age. My childhood consists of first few years in USA and then later on in India.  I was diagnosed with severe depression along with anxiety…