AM I DEPRESSED ?

” Am I depressed ?” We can’t ask ourselves ? Indeed, we can’t understand consciously when we are in depression. Truly, it comes to us very stealthily. Very silently and stealthily this disease makes it room in the mind of modern people.

With more than 350 million people are suffering from depression worldwide. So government and ngos should take stringent steps to address the seriousness of depression. If it’s not, the illness may soon become the next global epidemic.

India has 1,500 depression people per 100,000 inhabitants. So, approximately 5 percent of the global population or 1 in every 20 people across the world is depressed.

The United States has the largest number of depressed people worldwide per 100,000 inhabitants at 1,454. India ranks a close fifth, with 1,400 depressed people per 100,000 inhabitants.

It is not uncommon of us to come across a family member or friend who avoids social gatherings or occasion or seem reluctant during social interactions.

Most of us tend to take such episodes lightly, brushing them off as rudeness or introverted behaviour. So depression is a topic that is rarely acknowledged, and seldom spoken of openly. This has resulted in depression becoming a global mental health issue that needs urgent recognition and intervention.

It’s fact that compared to other physical diseases, the diagnosis and treatment of depression is difficult to come by, and tackling it becomes even difficult.

Unlike physical diseases such as Cancer, Hypertension,Diabates – which high global numbers, the awareness about depression and its effects and treatment options are really low. Therefore, despite depression being completely curable, the number of people suffering from it remains so high.

EXPERT OPINION:

Eminent Doctor and Professor of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. Rajesh Sagar expressed his views:

” The global scenario for patients suffering from depression remains a matter of concern. People are yet to recognise depression as a serious mental health issues which has widespread psychological and biological implications.

The problems in engaging in conversations about depression and accessing proper counselling or medication have resulted in a large number of people suffering from depression but being unable to talk about it.

AFFLUENCY IS NOT REASON:

Countries with solvent financial status are not necessarily the happiest in terms of mental health and its diagnosis. The US, for all its medical advancement has the maximum per capita cases of depression, since people there have better access to mental healthcare systems than countries which are more conservative about such issues.

As a result, globally depression has been known to render more than 250 million people as disabled in the age group of 40 to 60.

Untreated symptoms of depression can cause difficulties in leading a normal life. Especially as a person gets old. With depression, lack of self- confidence, trauma and prolonged period of sadness sets in, affecting day -to- day activities of life.

SYMTOMS OF DEPRESSION :

Generally depressed people who undergo prolonged periods of sadness and anxiety gradually became unproductive at work. They don’t speak to the nearest one about their condition.

Naturally they are fighting within themselves for a long time. But it’s only after proper diagnosis that depression can be confirmed and due treatment can start.

DEPRESSION ACCORDING TO WHO:

There are so many causes behind depression. WHO is firm in providing multiple possible causes for the occurrence of depression?

Research findings from expert psychiatrists worldwide have been able to identify negative parental influence, hereditary presence of depressive genes and socio- economic conditions as the most commonly identified cases of depression.

DEPRESSION A SILENT PANDEMIC, RABIBDRANATH TAGORE IN DEPRESSION,

Negative parental influence such as peer pressure, alcohol abuse by parents, dysfunctional relationship with parents can cause depression to set in very early and lasts for a lifetime.

Parental influence of shapes up how a kid ends up leading a life. A parental influence of negativity and fear makes children prone to depressive tendencies. It might cripple their chances of leading a normal life.

In USA, 6,000 of 20,000 surveyed people cited negative parental influence as the core source for them developing depression. Factors such as excessive migration, domestic abuse and underage marriage are some of the contributing factors towards the development of depression.

Next we would try to discuss about the depression in India.

To be continued