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DEPRESSION is a common, but serious problem that is often dismissed as something temporary or situational. It is essential to talk about it and seek professional help if there is a doubt about a person being depressed. With the right therapies and homoeopathic medicine for depression, it can be treated and managed; enabling the person to lead a healthy life.

Depression is a very common psychological health condition characterized by the persistence of severe sadness, unhappiness, low mood, lack of a feeling of well-being, and an aversion towards doing any work. In some cases, the person suffering from depression may cut off from the society, and isolate themselves completely. In severe cases, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts are also noted.

HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION

The homoeopathic system of medicine carries an excellent scope to treat depression in a very safe, gentle and effective manner. Made from natural substances, homoeopathic remedies are deep acting medicines that work at the psychological level to bring about recovery from depression.

Homoeopathy offers an excellent treatment for all stages of depression, especially in the early stages. Homoeopathy can take care of various symptoms of depression. Extreme cases of depression or the cases where the patients are on high doses of the conventional medicines for a long time (drug dependency) may not find good results using homoeopathy.

Homoeopathy can positively influence personality traits that are working at the base of disease. The important aspect is that depression is a disease in which genetic make-up is topped with environmental stress resulting in disease. Homoeopathic medicines are very deep acting and having the potential to counter genetic tendencies. Homoeopathy gets into the root cause of the disease and hence prevent the relapse and recurrence of the condition. Homoeopathic medicines are absolutely free from any side effects as opposed to most of the conventional medicines like anti- depressants and anxiolytics.

The results achieved using homoeopathic treatment of depression can be augmented with supportive measures like counselling and psychotherapy.

KNOW YOUR DISEASE

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in things and activities you once enjoyed. It can also cause difficulty with thinking, memory, eating and sleeping. There are several types of depressive disorders. Clinical depression, or major depressive disorder, is often just called “depression.” It’s the most severe type of depression. Without treatment, depression can get worse and last longer. In severe cases, it can lead to self-harm or death by suicide. 

SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

The symptoms of depression can vary slightly depending on the type and can range from mild to severe. In general, symptoms include.

  • Feeling very sad, hopeless or worried. Children and adolescents with depression may be irritable rather than sad.
  • Not enjoying things that are used to bring joy.
  • Being easily irritated or frustrated.
  • Eating too much or too little, which may result in weight gain or weight loss.
  • Trouble sleeping (insomnia) or sleeping too much (hypersomnia).
  • Having low energy or fatigue.
  • Having a difficult time concentrating, making decisions or remembering things.
  • Experiencing physical issues like headache, stomach-ache or sexual dysfunction.
  • Having thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

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DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS IN CHILDREN AND TEENS

Common signs and symptoms of depression in children and teenagers are similar to those of adults, but there can be some differences.

  • In younger children, symptoms of depression may include sadness, irritability, clinginess, worry, aches and pains, refusing to go to school, or being underweight.
  • In teens, symptoms may include sadness, irritability, feeling negative and worthless, anger, poor performance or poor attendance at school, feeling misunderstood and extremely sensitive, using recreational drugs or alcohol, eating or sleeping too much, self-harm, loss of interest in normal activities, and avoidance of social interaction.

CAUSES OF DEPRESSION

Researchers don’t know the exact cause of depression. They think that several factors contribute to its development, including:

  • Brain chemistry. An imbalance of neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine, contributes to the development of depression.
  • Genetics. If you have a first-degree relative (biological parent or sibling) with depression, you’re about three times as likely to develop the condition as the general population. However, you can have depression without a family history of it.
  • Stressful life events. Difficult experiences, such as the death of a loved one, trauma, divorce, isolation and lack of support, can trigger depression.
  • Medical conditions. Chronic pain and chronic conditions like diabetes can lead to depression.
  • Medication - Some medications can cause depression as a side effect. Substance use, including alcohol, can also cause depression or make it worse.

RISK FACTORS OF DEPRESSION

Depression often begins in the teens, 20s or 30s, but it can happen at any age. More women than men are diagnosed with depression, but this may be due in part because women are more likely to seek treatment.

Factors that seem to increase the risk of developing or triggering depression include.

  • Certain personality traits, such as low self-esteem and being too dependent, self-critical or pessimistic
  • Traumatic or stressful events, such as physical or sexual abuse, the death or loss of a loved one, a difficult relationship, or financial problems
  • Blood relatives with a history of depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism or suicide
  • Being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, or having variations in the development of genital organs that aren't clearly male or female (intersex) in an unsupportive situation
  • History of other mental health disorders, such as anxiety disorder, eating disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • Abuse of alcohol or recreational drugs.
  • Serious or chronic illness, including cancer, stroke, chronic pain or heart disease
  • Certain medications, such as some high blood pressure medications or sleeping pills (talk to your doctor before stopping any medication)

DIAGNOSIS OF DEPRESSION.

Your doctor may determine a diagnosis of depression based on.

  • Physical exam. Doctor may do a physical exam and ask questions about your health. In some cases, depression may be linked to an underlying physical health problem.
  • Lab tests. For example, your doctor may do a blood test called a complete blood count or test your thyroid to make sure it's functioning properly.
  • Psychiatric evaluation. Your doctor asks about your symptoms, thoughts, feelings and behaviour patterns. You may be asked to fill out a questionnaire to help answer these questions.
  • DSM-5. Your doctor may use the criteria for depression listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you're pregnant or breast-feeding, some antidepressants may pose an increased health risk to your unborn child or nursing child. Talk with your doctor if you become pregnant or you're planning to become pregnant.

You can’t always prevent depression, but you can help reduce your risk by:

  • Maintaining a healthy sleep routine.
  • Managing stress with healthy coping mechanisms.
  • Practicing regular self-care activities such as exercise, meditation and yoga.

If you’ve had depression before, you may be more likely to experience it again. If you have depression symptoms, get help as soon as possible.

Everybody tends to get sad and feel low at some point, and that is a temporary phase that tends to come and go. But when sadness and feelings of hopelessness persist for a long time and start affecting one’s personal and professional life, then it is more than sorrow and stress.The main difference between stress and depression is that the latter is a more severe and long-lasting condition that requires professional help. The symptoms of depression are much more intense than stress or sadness. It can cause powerful mood changes (extreme despair and sadness), exhaustion and an inability act. Stress, on the other hand, is short-lived, and once the factor causing stress is dealt with, the person tends to get better. Some people even do well under stress, when it acts as a motivating factor.

Yes, homoeopathy can help you gradually stop taking antidepressants, no matter how long you’ve been using them. However, it is a gradual process, and it is not advisable to stop the antidepressants all of sudden since that can cause withdrawal symptoms.Initially, when you start with homoeopathic medicines for your depression, you will have to continue taking the antidepressants side by side for some time. Once your body starts responding to the homoeopathic medicines, a gradual decrease of the dose of the antidepressants is recommended until you can stop taking them entirely.