Depression

Question 1

What is depression?

Answer 1

Depression is a common and treatable illness. Research evidence shows that up
to 25% of the population may suffer from this disorder at some time in their lives. Most
cases of depression are mild, but about one person in 20 will have a moderate or severe
episode.

Question 2

Who does it affect?

Answer 2

It can affect people from any age group and females are affected more commonly
than males.

Question 3

What are the symptoms?

Answer 3

Feeling miserable, loss of interest or pleasure
in usual activities, which you used to enjoy, loss of appetite with excessive loss of
weight, loss of interest in sex, loss of energy, and greatly decreased levels of activity, loss
of sleep despite feeling exhausted, Bleak and pessimistic views of the future and insome
cases thoughts of killing or harming yourself

Question 4

What causes it?

Answer 4

No one knows exactly what causes depression. There is no one cause for depression and it varies greatly from one person to another
Possible causes- hereditary factors, chemical imbalance, stressful life events,
vulnerable personality

Question 5

Treatment

Answer 5

For moderate depression medications such as antidepressants and talking treatments may be needed.
For severe depression, antidepressants are usually necessary before talking treatments can be of help, and it usually needs the help of a specialist, a -
psychiatrist.
Only a small number of people with depression ever need admission to hospital.
They tend to have depressions that are life threatening or are just not getting better

Question 6

How long do antidepressants take to work?

Answer 6

Antidepressants do not relieve your depression straight away.
These drugs take some time to have an effect on your mood.
It may take six to eight weeks before the
maximum benefits of antidepressant medication are noticed.
Therefore, you should not expect to notice the benefits from this medicine too quickly
 Continue taking the medication for about six months to one year after recovery.
The general rule is that you should carry on taking antidepressants at least for 6 months after your depression has lifted.

Question 7

Therapy

Answer 7

There are three useful forms of psychotherapy:Cognitive therapy. Behavioural therapy and Interpersonal therapy.
 Interpersonal therapy; This form of therapy aims to help people resolve one or more of their interpersonal problems that may be causing or prolonging symptoms of
depression. For example, interpersonal therapy may target the adjustment to difficult life
situations and may help with the resolution of interpersonal disputes (e.g. marital
problems or disputes with family members at home (or) with colleagues at work).