Depression

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Of course, depression is associated with any age, but it can make you feel, act, and look older fast. For one, depression is tied to cardiovascular aging. In one study, men and women who had heart disease and depression had 69 percent higher rate of death from heart disease than those who simply had heart disease and no depression. And in another study, depressed women were found to have lower bone density than those who weren’t, presumably from high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, found to be increased in the blood of depressed people. But perhaps the biggest reason is the indirect effect it has on aging. Depression leads to behaviours that accelerate the aging process. Depressed people are less likely to eat well, exercise, or take other actions to improve their health.

TREATMENT

          Depression is a silent epidemic against which there is no immunisation. There is no definite cause for the disorder. The very commonality of depression makes it harder to diagnose and separate from the regular emotional highs and lows we invariably face in life. Depression can affect anyone at any time. It can inflict even the most cheerful, successful and satisfied individuals. Depression is not just misunderstood, it is often ignored. It has long been perceived as a lifestyle disease that afflicts the Western countries more than India; nothing is further from the truth. Psychiatrists and doctors are increasingly diagnosing this illness among all ages in urban as well as in rural India. But very few go out and seek help for it. Experts feel that this is due to a range of reasons; it could stem from a lack of awareness, or for fear of social backlash. It could be as simple as the perception that if you suffer from any form of mental ill-health, you are nuts! At the very least, depressed people find it harder to control social pressures and expectations and don’t like being perceived as incapable of handling their daily lives. Perhaps the biggest challenge is in getting a patient to seek help for depression. Most people simply don’t see it as a medical condition. Depression is just another illness like diabetes or heart disease for which you normally seek medical treatment. Generally people don’t seek treatment thinking that depression is a character flaw. This makes many hide their problems. One must understand that just as there can be problems with your body, there can be problems with your mind, too. Depression brings suffering not only to those who suffer from it but also to those who are close to them. Whatever the cause of the deep sadness, you can’t just “snap out of it”. So there is no reason to feel ashamed to seek professional help for depression. It is critical to recognize the symptoms and seek treatment. Without help and treatment, depression will continue to cause psychological and even physical damage.