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DEPRESSION -synopsis

Depression is a very common experience. Everyone feels fed up, miserable, or sad sometimes. Usually the reason seems obvious – a disappointment, frustration, losing something or someone important – but not always; sometimes we are ‘in a mood’, ‘have got the hump’, ‘feel blue’, ‘got out on the wrong side of bed’, and we really don’t know why.

In some people, depression can be so severe that it dominates their lives, which seem barely worth living. Depression of this degree is an illness and needs treatment.

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SYMPTOMS

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Certain characteristic symptoms can give you, your family or your doctor a clue that you need professional help:

• Lack of motivation and fatigue that makes even simple tasks and decisions difficult or impossible.

• Agitation and restlessness.

• Loss or gain in appetite, with loss or gain in weight.

• Sleeplessness or excessive sleeping.

• Loss of outward affection, going off sex.

• Loss of self-confidence, avoiding meeting people, feeling useless, inadequate.

 

CAUSES

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Circumstances at the time you are stressed play a part. If you are alone, friendless, have many other worries or are physically debilitated, then you may get seriously depressed where in happier times you would cope.

One in four women and one in five men suffer depression some time in their lives.

Depression is a common accompaniment to physical illnesses, especially those which threaten life, like cancer and heart disease, or are long and painful, like arthritis, bronchitis or stroke.

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SEEKING HELP

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So it is when depression is more severe or goes on and on, then you might expect that you need some help.

You also need help if the depression seems to affect your work, interests and feelings towards family and friends, or if you are starting to have thoughts that people might be better without you.

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TREATMENT

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 Your Doctor may suggest some form of Psychotherapy, Anti-depressant tablets, or both treatments, depending on your symptoms, the severity of the depression and the circumstances.

Sometimes it is hard to express your real feelings even to close friends but talking things through with your Doctor,or therapist  who can really listen and understand and offer you an appropriate and specific therapy, thus bringing tremendous relief.

  

Dr. Akeel. A.Abdul Wahab

Fellow & Member of The Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK)

FRCPsych. (UK), MRCPsych. (UK), Board NeuroPsych. (London University ,UK), Dip.Psych. (London University, UK), MB.ChB.(Basra University , Iraq )

Formerly Senior Consultant Psychiatrist  & Clinical professor

Metal Health Public awareness/Depression    /AAW/2021