More InFo on Depression

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DEPRESSION "I'm feeling depressed!" This is a common feelingexperienced by people of all ages from time to time. If short lived,this is a perfectly normal reaction to failures and disappointments inlife. The problem arises when depression become pathological i.e itbecomes the permanent and pervading mood of the person. This problem is commoner than might seem. Every one in20 persons is found to be suffering from depression at any given time.Infact, more than one in five persons is likely to suffer

fromdepression in their life time.Who is likely to suffer from Depression: This disease knows no boundaries of age/gender. Howeversome people are more likely to develop depression eg. following thedeath of a lived one, loss of employment, teenagers, menopausal femalesand elderly people - specially those living alone.How to recognise Depression: This is persistent sadness of mood. The person has lossof interest in onself, surrounding occupation and daily activities.Forgetfulness and irritability are frequent. The person has recurringthoughts of death and feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness. Thegeneral attitude is one of apathy.Depression in Children: Though it seems unlikely, depression is a common entityin children. In fact, even a 6 months old infant is liable to sufferfrom it. The commonest age however is at the onset of puberty. At thistime, due to hormonal and physical changes, the teenager suffers frommental turmoil. At the same time, increasing pressure of studies coupledwith unrealistic parental expectations, add to their stress and mightprecipitate depression. In fact the months from March to June see a highspurt in cases of teen suicide, as most of the major exams are held, andresults declared, during

this period.The Role of parents in Preventing Depression: Parents can be the biggest support and emotionalanchor for their children. Perhaps the best thing they can do is tohelp the child to build up good self esteem. Avoid belittling thechild, specially in front of outsiders. It is advisable to not put undue emphasis on academicperformance alone. Every child cannot be a genius, and yet each childhas some unique talent or gift. Rather than furnishing on what hedoesn't do well - the stress should be on what he can do well and thenencouraging him to grow in that direction.. Be your child's friend - and be ready with a patient earand helping hand whenever he needs

it.What to do when Depression strikes: If any of the above mentioned symptoms are exhibited bysomeone close to you, do not delay in taking them to a qualifiedpsychiatrist. The doctor will make a definitive diagnosis and treat thecase as required - with counselling, psychotherapy and/or medicines. The role of relatives and friends is to ensure that thepatient attends the counselling sessions and also takes medicines asprescribed. Besides, its very important to maintain a cheerfulatmosphere and to boost the patients morale. In conclusion, we can see the depression is a treatableand curable. One should not attach social stigma to

it. The road torecovery may be long and at times, disheartening, but the final out comewould have been well worth the effort.

 

Disclaimer from me, as this is a forwarded article to me,

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