Depression, isn't that quite a common word nowadays? Unfortunately, it is. Be it men, women or even teens; most of us suffer from depression. At times we know about it, at times we do not. But the sad part is that whenever something bad happens, we associate ourselves with having depression. The moment something unusual happens, be it work stress or family stress, we feel sad and low. This is just a phase which passes with time and things become normal. But, most of the times, these normal stressful situations force us to think that we are into depression; which worsens everything. It is hard to differentiate between temporary sadness and depression; if anything lasts for more than two weeks, it is time for you to visit a specialist.
Depression is not your regular sadness or moodiness; it is a serious mental illness which should not be taken lightly. When someone feels low and is not able to concentrate on various things for quite a long time, it might because he/she is suffering from depression. This illness is basically changes in the brain chemistry which force people to stay gloomy, sad and stressed for a long period of time. It can cause due to various reasons and can also lead to various other physical illnesses; hence, avoiding it is not acceptable. Moreover, if someone is suffering from depression, then his/her relationships with others also get affected. Problems in family, marriage, work or friendship might get affected because of this illness. Another fact to understand is that anyone can suffer from depression; there is no discrimination. Men, women and even children can fall into the trap of depression. Depression can also lead to anxiety, high levels of stress and even sleeplessness; it can not only lead to physical diseases, but also other mental conditions. Also, depression is recurring in nature; someone who has already suffered from it can suffer again. To know about it further, let's take a look at some of the most common cause of depression.
One must be sure of the cause of their depression so that it becomes easy for the doctor or a psychiatrist to help to overcome it. Following are some of the most common cases of depression:
Don't we hear people saying it's all in the genes? People have a higher chance of suffering from depression if someone in their family is suffering from it as well. For example, if your parents or grandparents suffered from depression, then chances are that you might fall into the trap as well.
Hormonal changes can lead to serious depression. Postpartum depression or depression after giving birth is the most common depression caused due to hormonal changes. The mother goes through a tornado of changes in her body and hormones, which can lead to depression. Hormonal changes caused due to menopause, thyroid or other illness can also lead to depression.
There are a lot of problems that one comes across throughout his/her life, and some these problems can be so emotionally and physically damaging that one falls into depression. Abuse is of the most common causes of such a type of depression. Women might get into depression due to marital abuse or molestation; children also suffer from depression may be due to physical abuse or problems in the family. Unemployment or a financial crisis can lead to depression, and sometimes it even forces the victim to commit a suicide. Soldiers after coming back from a war suffer from a post-traumatic stress disorder, which is a type of depression that hits after an unfortunate event in life. People who have just been diagnosed with a life-threatening disease also get into depression, making it harder for them to cope with it.
A person's personality is also a reason for depression. It will be quite rare to see an active and happy-go-lucky person to be in depression; while someone who is always sad and worries a lot has a higher chance of suffering from depression. A person who is always tensed and worried tends to get depressed at even the smallest of the hurdles, so he comes across a major hurdle in life, he breaks down and falls deeper into the well of depression.
So now that we have a brief idea as to what is depression and what might cause it, let's take a look at some of the most common symptom of depression, making it easier for people to distinguish between temporary sadness and depression.
It is not necessary that a person in depression would show all these symptoms, neither is it necessary for a person showing these symptoms is suffering from depression. One must visit a doctor if these signs and symptoms are prolonged and continue for more than two weeks.
It is important to diagnose depression at the earliest so that treatment can be done easily. If someone you know shows the above symptoms, make sure you take them to a doctor. Also, one must open up in front of the doctor and share each and everything he/she is feeling, good or bad, embarrassing or not, your doctor should be aware of everything. It might be difficult for the victim to open up and talk about something they have been hiding for a long time, but it is the best way to heal.
Recovering from depression is not an easy process and it may take a lot of time to overcome it. It all depends on the willingness of the victim; whether he/she is willing to overcome or not. It is important for their close ones to help them overcome depression. Family and doctors play an important role in helping the victim; they need to be very tolerant and patient while dealing with the depressed. There are a lot of self-treatment tactics that can be tried out to overcome depression. Read on for some easy tips to follow which will surely help in overcoming depression.
The foremost step to overcoming depression is to visit a doctor or a therapist. It maybe a little embarrassing for you to see a therapist, but don't be ashamed as it is the way to heal yourself. Visiting a therapist doesn't mean you are mentally sick; it is just a condition which needs to be taken care of immediately.
The best way to overcome depression is to indulge yourself in a different thing, in other words, staying busy. So, take a notepad and write down a daily schedule to follow, from morning to night. This will keep you busy and prevent you from overthinking the situations of life.
Set your goals right! When someone is suffering from depression, the victim feels lost and disoriented. They would not feel like working or doing anything, hence setting their goals is quite important. This will give them a direction.
Wake up every morning and go out for a stroll in the fresh air. This will help in boosting up the working of the brain, and make you feel happy and delighted. You can also do some yoga and meditation to help yourself calm down and clear your thoughts.
Sleeplessness is a major result of depression. The person suffering from depression might find it hard to sleep or sleep a lot. The disturbed sleeping pattern is common in depression. Sleeping well will help the person feel relaxed and calm.
Overthinking about a situation can worsen the person's state. Try fighting all the negative thoughts and avoid overthinking. Talk to someone close to you about it, it will help you relieving your mind.
A depressed mind has thousands of thoughts and worries that keep bothering it. Take out a pen and a diary and write down everything that comes to your mind. Just go with the flow and write down everything; one page, ten pages; doesn't matter, just keep writing. Write down daily or occasionally, but just write. You don't need to be a writer for this, your thoughts on a page, that's all that matters!
Just thinking about a spa treatment or a massage, relaxes my mind. Imagine the level of relief you can get by actually getting one massage? Oh, somebody massaging that tensed forehead, those tensed muscles; a pathway to relaxation!
Might sound odd, but this works. Oils like rose oil, lavender oil, lemon oil, cinnamon oil, fennel oil and chamomile oil help a great deal in relieving stress and depression. Just pour a few drops of any of these oils on your shower floor, and let the amazing aroma relax your mind, body and soul. You can also use a scent diffuser in your office or at your home and let the aroma do its work. Good essence will make you feel light.
If you ask me, no matter what the situation, your favourite comedy movie or television series can relieve you like nothing else! Binge watch a comedy series that you love, and yourself laughing like you used to!
Go out on one-day trips or a vacation from time to time and let your mind relax. Go to the beach, or to the mountains, whichever you prefer; but a small vacation is a must!
When in depression, people either eat a lot or eat very less. Talk to your doctor about your eating habits and sort it right. Eat your favourite pizza once in a while, but not every day! Fresh fruits and vegetables are good for health and also help in relieving your mind and heart.
Those who drink coffee every day, tend to increase their consumption during their depression phase. Avoid increasing your intake as the caffeine takes your mind on a stroll, and would definitely not help you relax.
Go to any nearby store and ask for herbal tulsi tea. Tulsi turns out to be a very good stress reliever, for it calms down the brain, improves the functioning of the digestive system and also enhances the immune system.
There are several other ways to overcome depression, but it still depends on the willingness of the person to overcome it. Visiting a doctor or a therapist is a must no matter what others say or how embarrassed you are. Trying out the above methods can definitely make you feel a lot better if not completely help you in coping with it. Give it time, give your effort and see yourself soon!
There are some homoeopathic medicines suggested by Dr Mohit, a specialist in homoeopathy, which will help in overcoming depression and the associated troubles.
Acid phosphoricum (30/200) is a medicine that works for everything; be it stress, anxiety, sleeplessness or depression. This is very effective for people who suffer from hair fall due to stress. Acid phosphoricum is more of a lifestyle medicine; tends to soothe an individual from all kinds of lifestyle problems like stress, anxiety or depression.
Ignotia (30/200) is a medicine for brooding. A person can get into depression due to some mishap, so to prevent the patient from thinking again and again about that unfortunate event, this is the best medicine. It will also help you sleep better and maintain your sleeping pattern.
Lycopodium (30/200), this medicine works well for people who suffer from prolonged sadness which leads to depression. They might even lose their confidence and try to hide their weaknesses from others. This medicine will help you overcome those fears and loss of confidence, automatically relieving you from stress, anxiety and depression. This medicine can also be taken by students who have a lot of stage fear and exam fear.
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