Each and every human being feels dejected in life some or the other time. It is a natural response to life’s strive or loss. But when it turns into extreme sadness which makes you feel helpless, hopeless, useless and there is a negative effect on the way of feeling, thinking and behaving then it is termed as depression. It arises the emotions of anguish or lack of enthusiasm in several activities. It can be the reason for several emotional and physical issues and can be the reason to reduce a person’s potential to operate at work or home. Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and includes:

• Feeling sad or having an unhappy mood always
• Loss of interest or satisfaction in activities once used to enjoy.
• Differences in appetite whether it is increased or decreased or it can be sudden weight gain or weight loss.
• Lack of or excess of sleep
• Increase in tiredness and loss of energy
• Feeling useless and culpable
• Facing problems in thinking, concentrating or decision making
• Formation of mental thoughts about suicide or death

Causes of depression

The medical society is still not able to figure out the causes of depression. There are numerous possible causes and at times different factors combine to give rise to symptoms. Some of the factors which are the main reason to cause depression are:

• Genetic traits
• Changes in the brain’s neurotransmitter levels
• Environmental determinant
• Psychological and social reasons

How to cure depression?

Depression is one of the major treatable of mental disorders. In the case of depression before its diagnosis or treatment, the doctor must conduct a rigorous diagnostic evaluation, which should include an interview and probably a physical examination. With the help of the following ways, it is possible to cure depression:

1. Medication

Imbalance of brain chemicals can be one of the reasons to trigger an individual’s depression and may factor into their treatment. To balance the chemicals of the brain antidepressants are prescribed if required. These antidepressant medications are not sedatives or tranquilizers. In the general run of things, these medications do not have any stimulating effect on people not experiencing depression. These medicines may provide recovery within the first week or two of intake. Complete well being is not visible for two to three months. If the patient feels that the medicines are not giving any result they should consult their psychiatrist, he/she can alter the dose or make a change in the medication. Once the patient feels relaxed and good with the medicines still the psychiatrist recommends them to take medicines for another six or more months. Long term treatment is suggested to reduce the chances of it happening again or to eliminate the chances of high risk.

2. Psychotherapy

It is also known as “talk therapy” and sometimes used for mild depression treatment; in case of moderate or severe depression, it is usually used along with antidepressant medications. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a well-known way of treating depression. It helps people to identify distorted thinking and then change in behavior and thinking. The duration of psychotherapy is completely dependent on the severity. Generally, the improvement can be seen in 10 to 15 sessions.

4. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

It is a medical treatment most frequently used for patients with major cases of depression which cannot be cured with other treatments. It includes a quick electrical stimulation of the brain by putting the patient under anesthesia. This treatment is provided to the patient twice or thrice in a week. It is performed by different medical professionals which include a psychiatrist, an anesthesiologist, and a nurse or physician assistant.

4. Self-help and coping

There are several ways in which people can try out to reduce the symptoms of depression. For many people, routine workout helps in creating a positive feeling and to improve the mood. Taking sufficient quality sleep on a daily basis, having a healthy diet and staying away from alcohol is an undemanding way to lessen the symptoms of depression. As per the World Health Organization, there are certain things prevailing in the world related to depression we have listed some of them:

1. It is a common mental disorder. Worldwide more than 264 million people of different age groups are undergoing from suffering from depression.
2. It is a major cause of disability globally and is a considerable contributor to the comprehensive global burden of disease.
3. The ratio of women is more as compared to men in cases of depression.
4. It can be a major reason for suicide.

Source: who.int Depression is an exceedingly complex disease and the specifications for its cause are still unidentified but it takes place because of several reasons. It is a continuous problem that does not pass out with time. It can last for the number of weeks, months or years. Conclusion: Depression is an actual illness and help is possible. With apt diagnosis and treatment, the vast majority of people with depression can overcome. If any person undergoes or realizes that they have symptoms of depression, they should immediately consult their family physician or psychiatrist. Communicate your concerns and ask for an in-depth evaluation.