DEPRESSION AND ALL THE CALAMITIES IT CAN CAUSE!!!

[Abbas Bubakar El-ta'alu]

         The terms depression or being depressed refer to pycho-somatic instabilities - pathologically chronic or severe levels of sadness, perceived helplessness, disinterest, and other related emotions and behaviours. It is often used to describe when someone is feeling 'low', 'miserable', 'in a mood'. There are many types of depression, "ranging from dysthymia (low-grade, chronic depression) to so-called bipolar disorder or manic depression". In between those two extremes are many other types of depression. "About two-thirds of people with major depression are not treated, even though the disorder carries about a 15% risk of suicide (in non-muslim areas), as well as an increased risk of heart attack and stroke".

Common Causes of Depression: Health experts' understanding of depression has come a long way in the last few decades. In many cases, depression doesn't have only one cause. It often results from a mix of biology, psychology, and stressful or traumatic events. Reasons for depression include:
Physiological:  Some experts say depression often results from an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters. Antidepressants work by affecting the levels of these chemicals — bringing them back into balance.
          Almost anybody can develop the illness; it is certainly NOT a sign of weakness. There are no particular 'personality types' that are more at risk than others. Men and women are equally affected. Only that women are twice as likely to get depression as men, and bipolar affective disorder is less common than depressive illness with a life-time risk of around one to two per cent. But the hormonal changes that women go through at different times of their lives may be a factor.
          However, depression also has a genetic connection: Some risk factors have been identified, these include inherited (genetic) factors, such as having parents or grandparents who have suffered from depression and non-genetic factors such as the death of a parent when you were young. Therefore, if depression runs in your family, you have a higher chance of becoming depressed.
          Having other general health conditions or diseases can increase your risk of depression. For example, if one has a heart attack, he has a 65% risk of becoming depressed afterwards. Conditions such as cancer, heart disease, thyroid problems, and many others increase your risk of becoming depressed.

Psychological: Some researches show that people who have a pessimistic personality are more likely to become depressed. This does not mean that getting a "better attitude" will resolve your depression:
•   Stressful events -Many people become depressed during difficult times. Losing a family member or close friend, being diagnosed with a serious illness, going through a divorce, being cheated by 419-ners, or any other traumatic event may trigger depression.
•   Medications and substances - Many prescription drugs can cause the symptoms of depression. Alcohol or substance abuse is common in depressed people. It often makes their condition worse.
          Some people have a clear sense of why they become depressed. Others do not. The most important thing to remember is that depression is not your fault. It's not a flaw in your character. It's a disease that can affect anyone.

Physiological Symptoms of depression: Most of us know about the emotional symptoms of depression. But you may not know that depression can cause physical symptoms, too. To be candid, many people with depression feel pain or other physical symptoms. These include:
•   Headaches - These are fairly common in people with depression. If you already had 
               migraine headaches, they may become worse if you're depressed.
•   Back pain - If you already suffer with back pain, it may get worse if you become
               depressed.
•   Muscle aches and joint pain - Depression can make any kind of chronic pain worse.
•   Chest pain - Obviously, it's very important to get chest pain checked out by an expert
                right away. It can be a sign of serious heart problems. But chest pain is also associated with
                depression.
•   Digestive problems -You might feel queasy or nauseous. You might have diarrhea or
                become chronically constipated.
•   Exhaustion and fatigue - No matter how much you sleep, you may still feel tired or worn
               out. Getting out of the bed in the morning may seem very hard, even impossible.
•    Problems with sleeping - Many people with depression can't sleep well anymore. They
                wake up too early or can't fall asleep when they go to bed. Others sleep much more than
                normal.
•   Change in appetite or weight - Some people with depression lose their appetite and lose
                weight. Others find they crave certain foods, like carbohydrates, and weigh more.
•   Dizziness or lightheadedness -  Many depressed people never get help, because they don't know that their physical symptoms might be caused by depression. A lot of doctors miss the symptoms, too.
These physical symptoms are not "all in your head." Depression can cause real physiological, as well as anatomical changes in your body. For instance, it can slow down your digestion, which can result in stomach problems.
   Depression seems to be related to an imbalance of certain chemicals in your brain. Some of these same chemicals play an important role in how you feel pain. So many experts think that depression can make you feel pain differently than other people.

How depression is diagnosed: Unfortunately there is no brain scan or blood test that can be used to diagnose when a person has a depressive illness. The diagnosis can only be made from the symptoms. Generally speaking a diagnosis of depression will be made if a person has a persistently low mood that significantly influences their everyday life and has been present for two weeks or more, and there are also three/four or more other symptoms of depression.
Treatments for depression: Sometimes when we are going through a 'bad patch' in our life, it is enough to talk through our problems with a friend or relative. However, this may not be enough and we may need to seek professional help. The important thing to remember about depression is that it is treatable. There are many different types of treatment. Those that can help you include:  General practitioners (GPs), psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and even  community psychiatric nurses (CPNs).

[gogannaka]

Nice piece Dr.
Jazakallah.

[symoand]

I am not a doctor, just sharing my personal experience as I have had depressions and anxiety for sometime. The best way to get over anxiety and depression is to take a break from your regular schedule, go out, and take good sleep. This helps in clearing the mind and try consulting a specialist who can suggest you as how you can get over your problem. There are various prescription drugs to get over anxiety and depression, but these should only be used in accordance with the instruction of a physician. There is a lot of fake selling of such medicines on internet, so before you can order it online just make sure it is a real pharmacy.

[Abbas Bubakar El-ta'alu]

Hi Mr./Mal. Symoand!
                    Depressin and anxiety, in all their ramifications, are psyco-somatic pathologies, and nowadays, drugs are prescrived, but are not best, especially when the instability is psychological, and  as you mentioned, a change in one's extramural activities are one pathway to addressing the delemma!!! May God Guide us in all our worldly activities, ameen.