Depression : Causes,Symptoms and its Natural Treatment
17-09-2020 | Posted By: Admin | 6606 View(s)
How many times in your life have you been afflicted by the feeling of being miserable, hitting an abysmal low in your daily routine, or feel sad, unhappy and dejected without being able to pinpoint any reason? While all of us go through the above-stated symptoms from time to time, some people experience the same for the longer duration. Many of us are capable of overcoming this feeling while many cannot get over it for days or even months. Depression is this serious disease, much beyond just a sombre mood, which has a profound impact on both the body and mind. Signs of Depression emerge and then it becomes important for the person or those close to them to acknowledge the problem and take corrective action.
Depression is one of the most common diseases that almost everyone goes through at some point of time in their life. It is the most common effect on humans when things are not going well in life and there is some problem. Every human differs in the level of tenacity to fight with various kinds of odds in their life, and, therefore, the level of depression differs too. It is always said that life is a roller coaster and there will be good and bad phases. After knowing everything also, we get depressed at times which affects our mind, body and work to a great extent. It is important to understand the symptoms of Depression so that corrective actions can be taken.
Depression is a major mental illness that can affect almost anybody leading a modern active lifestyle. People hesitate to talk about depression and sometimes are not even aware of the fact that they are depressed. Most of the times, depression is mistaken for stress.
People suffering from depression tend to refrain from being social and stay gloomy most of the time. They also experience a lack of appetite and often overeat despite not feeling hungry. Being sleepless at nights, restlessness and fatigue are the common symptoms of mental illness. In extreme cases, a depressed person may even feel suicidal.
Depression has got social stigma associated with it. People don’t want to confess that they are depressed while patients don’t want peers to know that they are under psychiatric supervision. All this worsens the condition of the patients. It is important to empathise more than sympathise to help patients recover from it.
Causes of Depression?
The causes of it generally vary from person to person. There can be several reasons ranging from studies, jobs to personal and family problems too. More severe the problem is, the higher is the level of depression.Also, the period of the problem and the amount of time it takes to get the problem solved is an important factor for determining it. Failure to achieve something with repeated efforts generally causes it. At times, we also face some situations which are often not in our hand, and we cannot change it, which also leads to depression.
It is tough to pinpoint on a single factor that can cause depression, but research and analysis have shown that it gets triggered by a series of events or personal trauma. Some people go through prolonged hardships in their lives like solitude or isolation over an extended period, being jobless for many years or handling continued pressure and stress at work. All these can build up depression. In fact, at times, some ‘life-altering’ moments like a close family member’s or a pet’s death, continuous marital violence or physical torture, molestation, criticism, low self-esteem- anything can trigger this illness. Childhood events like being bullied at school, sexual abuse or negligence by parents or peers make a lasting impression in a person’s life. These experiences are a trigger to mental illnesses.
Various other life events financial issues, job search, marriage and childbirth also trigger depression. These are life-changing events, and the changes are difficult to accept often, and this is where depression creeps in.
Depression can even be genetic and because of Family History. It can be due to the personality trait of an individual at times- introverts, perfectionists, self-critical or overly sensitive people suffer from depression more.It can be triggered as a side effect to some clinical illness a person is suffering from- like terminal diseases or some congenital disorder which has very less chance of survival. People who are addicted to alcohol or drugs can also feel depressed due to the continuous overdose of something which is harmful to the body.
It is often associated with substance abuse also. One should use anti-depressant drugs strictly under medical supervision. Time to time counselling and assessments helps one keep the mental illness under check. One should always speak up about any event that’s causing stress and socialise well as being more vocal about such issues prevents them from making you depressed.
Living up to the expectations of ourselves, our families, friends, and society too can cause this damage. Sometimes it is easily identified and sometimes not, but one must keep their guards up in case one starts to show the symptoms.
Signs of Depression in Seniors:
It is a common notion that depression among adults is a natural phenomenon which develops with age. Millions of adults across the globe are depressed, but only ten per cent of the same goes for clinical help. There are a few factors which enhance the risk of it in older adults. They can be the loss of a spouse, being divorced, loneliness, lack of financial support, etc. Sometimes suffering from a prolonged illness like diabetes, neurological disorders like Dementia, Alzheimer’s, stroke, chronic pain or life-threatening diseases like cancer can aggravate the risk of depression in elderly people.
Depression Symptoms
There are various symptoms that a person goes through in or during the depression. Being insomniac, or sleeplessness is considered one of the primary signs of having it. People find it difficult to easily fall asleep despite being tired at times. This can be due to the mental tension and worry which goes on in the subconscious mind. Long term depression can give chest pain which may, in turn, give heart-related problems. One should immediately get the issue checked by a doctor to avoid any severe issue.
Signs of Depression can be a feeling of nervousness, anxiety, forlorn and suffering from very low self-esteem. A deeply rooted dissatisfaction, a helpless feeling that life is pointless and lack of sleep over a prolonged period can be treated as danger signs. Consult a doctor and let him know about your condition. The doctor can suggest whether you need to see a counsellor or take some medicines to combat with your depressed state.
Associated Health Problems that accompany Depression:
Long term depression can lead to various kinds of health-related problems and can make us severely sick in the long run. One can feel fatigued and tired all the time because we always think too much about the problem at hand. Depression and tiredness together can be fatal and make us bedridden for a long time even. One also goes through a severe headache all the time and depression also affects the digestive system of the body. Severe vomiting and nausea are common with depression for the long term. The food habits of the individual get affected, resulting in weight gain or loss. Severe body aches and muscle pains are also related to depression.
Can Depression make you Fat?
Although there is no direct, medically proven relation between depression and obesity, research has found out that teenagers who have shown indications that they are depressed, perhaps have more chances of becoming fat within the next couple of years. This is probably because depressed people tend to overeat and avoid any form of physical activity. However, it has been found that during depression Treatment some of the medicines prescribed could lead to weight gain
Moreover, it has been shown that people who have successfully shed weight and won back their confidence and zest for life, have battled depression quite well. Even a Bariatric surgery to burn those extra kilos has yielded phenomenal results in coming out of it. So, depression and obesity are indeed interlinked.
The Link between Depression and Insomnia:
Depression and insomnia are very often interlinked and rightfully so. Studies have found that it can lead to a lack of sleep. Alternately, insomnia is a familiar sign of depression. In fact, people who sleep less than six hours a night are more likely to suffer from severe depression than those who sleep between six to nine hours. Depression and sleeplessness can both be incited by a disturbance in the rhythm of the body, and both are related to sleep and wake cycle pattern that the person follows. A depressed person may suffer from different kinds of insomnia, and he must be treated with proper care and understanding so that this does not become a lifelong disorder.
Natural Ways to Deal with Depression!
The ordinary highs and lows of life make everybody feel miserable or elated occasionally. Simply traversing the day can be overpowering. Regardless of how sad you feel, you can show signs of improvement. Understanding the signs, reasons, and treatment of depression is the initial step to beating the issue. Each of these anxiety alleviation tips is capable of pulling you out of your mental lows and make you feel and stay better.
While your doctor will put you on medicines and may also have some sessions, there are certain things which you can do at your end which can have a positive impact on fighting depression. Let us look at a few natural Depression treatment that you can apply to fight this demon:
1.Exercising
Exercising has a significant impact when it comes to fighting depression. Exercising makes the body fit and happy from within. This doesn’t mean that you have to indulge in heavy exercising. You must do what you like; it could be something as simple as walking or a sport that you like or even going to the gym. Even if you have an extremely busy schedule try and take out half an hour for yourself.
2.Contemplate and Meditate:
The power of meditation cannot be underestimated. Meditation focuses your energies positively.Spend just a small period of time in a day meditating and help yourself ease out tension. Sit up straight and keep both your feet on the floor. Then keep your eyes closed. Centre all your concentration on a single positive thought. Place any of your hands on your gut to match up the positive mantra with each breath you take. Let any distracting introspections glide by like mists.
3.Inhale Deeply:
Enjoy a 5-minute reprieve and concentrate on your relaxation. Sit up straight with eyes shut and with one of your hands on your paunch. Gradually breathe in through your nose, feeling the breath begin in your belly and work its way to the highest point of your head. Reverse the procedure as you breathe out through your mouth.
4. Eat Healthily and on Time:
You can see the importance of time again and again. Instead of having three meals, you must break it into five meals. This would mean, breakfast, snack time, lunch, snack time and dinner. Divide the time into equal intervals. Not only healthy eating will make you feel good about yourself but also the breaking of meals will cut down the food binging that one tends to do during this period.
5.Have a Regime:
The first rule to cut down the low feeling is to have a routine and to strictly follow it. Having a routine will put you back on track in life. While in depression you might tend to have the feeling of not wanting anything or have mood swings, having a regime will forcefully keep you active and up on your feet. You will have something or the other to do at different hours of the day.
6. Be Present:
Moderate down and take 5 minutes to concentrate on one and only behaviour of yours while being focused. Try realizing the feel of the air when you stroll and also how each of your feet feels at the moment it hits the ground. Prepare yourself to praise the surface and the very taste of every chomp of nutrition. When a person invests his energy in the present moment, concentrating on all his faculties, he certainly feels calm and less strained.
7. Take charge of Things:
This starts with taking charge of your life. Take up responsibilities and commit yourself. Stick to those commitments. This way you’d feel much better about yourself.
8.Roar with laughter to ease Depression :
Laughter, as they say, is the best medicine, a decent stomach snicker doesn’t simply ease the burden rationally. It brings down cortisol, which is the body’s anxiety hormone and supports mind chemicals called endorphins, which help your disposition. In case you find difficulty laughing, take help by tuning into your most loved sitcoms or video or by talking with somebody who makes you grin.
9.Sleep Well:
Depression can show both the symptoms, of wanting to sleep at any time or not feeling sleepy at all. While you may have erratic hours of sleeping, you must let go of that habit. Since you will have a busy schedule the entire day, you must give yourself 8 hours of sleep every night. Sleeping well at night rejuvenates the body. However, ensure that you sleep on time.
10.Indulge in Newness:
Learn new things. Do something different. New things add the spice to life. You could learn a new language or try a sport which you have never played before or learn to play an instrument. Anything that you learn new will stimulate the brain.
11.Hang out in Groups:
Don’t try and be aloof. You have to make a deliberate effort to be in a group. While personal space is important but you must take out time to hang out with a group of friends or you can make it more constructive by joining activity groups. Staying in a group can be a kind of support group and can be a very effective natural depression treatment.
Communicate wholeheartedly with others. Share what actually is going on in your life. You are often likely to learn new and interesting viewpoints when you keep your entire association solid.
12. Say No! :
This NO! is only for negative thoughts. Every time you have a negative thought learn to push it away. There is a small exercise which if you master can work wonders. Every time you have a negative thought reprimand yourself in your mind by sternly saying NO!
Last but not the least always think positive. Never think about giving up cause legends are carved out of struggle and hardships, not an abandonment of situations.
Feel the fear, face it. Don’t run. Let it come to you. For the more you run away, the more, it comes to you. Weaker battles are won by losers, but stalwarts create a trail for the common man to follow. So stand up for your own good and don’t be ashamed to feel what you are suffering from.
13.Play with a Pet:
If you stay Depressed -Then go for a pet. Do you know that playing with pets is so very relaxing? It is a proven research that cuddling with a pet helps in reducing stress levels.
14.Learn to enjoy life:
You must learn to enjoy life. We have one life to live it all. You must be happy, be with the people who make you smile and laugh, grow up to be a better person each day. This constant positivity is sure to pull you out from depression.
These are important tips for natural depression treatment; one must follow along with the medicines, to get rid of the difficult phases of their life, and moving ahead in life. However, if in spite of best efforts if it does not yield results-Do not hesitate to visit a Psychiatrist.
While your doctor will put you on medicines and may also have some sessions, there are certain things which you can do at your end which can have a positive impact on fighting depression.
How to Handle Depression?
1. Identify Depression Symptoms:
The first and foremost thing is to recognise the signs of depression. If one feels consistently sad or hopeless for a long period, he is suffering from depression. It can have associated symptoms like changes in the pattern of sleep, loss of appetite, lack of concentration, etc. If you have constant suicidal feelings or thoughts of death, you surely have serious depressive disorders.
2. Understanding the Types of Depression
There are many types of depression, which can be categorised into
i) major depression due to some death or sudden loss,
ii) Bipolar disorder,
iii) Dysthymia and even
iv) Postpartum depression.
Whatever the type may be, it is crucial to understand the cause and start treatment. If you feel depressed and down for a considerably longer duration of your life or exhibit any signs of depression, you should consult your Physician or a Psychiatric and can even go in for counselling. Counselling helps the patient in opening up which helps the doctor and family of the patient to understand the cause of the depression.
One can also resort to psychotherapy, medication like anti-depressants and even therapy involving current shocks depending on the severity of the illness. Change in lifestyle and regular counselling helps in beating depression without the use of any drugs. Do whatever it takes but do not hide any symptom, because the candid behaviour is of utmost importance in this treatment.
It is of great significance to accept the fact that you are suffering from a disorder and seek medical help to cure it. It should never be ignored, and most importantly, one should make lifestyle changes like maintaining a proper diet, regular exercise, yoga, etc. to assure that it never comes back. Having a loving and caring family or a good support system also goes a long way to ensuring that you beat depression.
Thus, we can say that although very few people resort to proper medical help to fight depression, one must remember that proper diagnosis, counselling and treatment can help in the complete cure.
Overcoming Depression:
One should always try to remain cheerful during such a period of dullness and no hope. One should always be optimistic about the life ahead and believe that there are much better opportunities and results waiting for them ahead. Reading inspiring quotes by famous people and good music can be used to pass such phase of life. One should also exercise regularly so that the period of depression does not affect them physically. Being around positive people who give us encouragement is also very important. Proper and timely food and spending good time with the people who love us can also be a great remedy to fight out the odds of the phase.
Mental health is one of the top or rather should be one of the top concerns for one and all. Why do people term only diabetes, hypertension or stroke as diseases and something as crucial as mental health which is the basis of human existence is often termed as “ oh, it’s just a state of mind” snap out of it!
To those people, who think or rather have the stereotype that Being Depressed is a state of mind or mental illness means that the person is crazy or mentally unstable, then show them the doors to enlightenment and prove how strong can you be against all the odds. Those who have been Depressed, know the pain? What makes you different is how you deal with it! Whether to take a chance or let the issue overwhelm you.Till then take care adios!! Stay Healthy, Stay Happy and do not forget to get yourself a Health Checkup once in a year or so!
