It is one of the most upcoming troubles in the present world. We can refer this as ‘common cold’ of the mental disorders. This shows how common it is in mental disease. Almost all the people are affected by depression in their hectic scheduled life indirectly or directly at least once in their life. There is a confusion surrounding many other types of depressions like seasonal affective disorders, maniac depression, dysthymia, biological depression etc. one can say that the depression is nothing but a set of feelings, which follows the perfect pattern of the event right from the desired happenings to the idea or project getting flopped.
Depression is most common psychiatric problem nowadays. Depression can occur at any stage of the life, from childhood to the old age. This can result in plenty of different factors, which may lead to chemical changes in the brain. Inherited predisposition, chronic stress, biological changes, aging, trauma, isolation of social matters etc are most common trigger factors for the depression. In women, menstruation plays an important role in depression. Apart from this, heavy social responsibilities are also well known for the same.
This disorder is known as vishaada in Ayurveda. It can be defined as the illness that involves body, thoughts, mood that affects the dietary habit, behavior and sleep pattern. It is not a condition that can be avoided and it is a sign of personal weakness. The people with depression go vain and can't merely pull themselves together and get better in their routine work schedule. If depression is left untreated, it can last long up to days, weeks, months or sometimes even years. Appropriate treatment can help many of the people.
There are many types of depression but broadly they can be classified as below.
Psychotic depression
People who suffer from this type of depression start seeing and hearing those sounds, voices and things which are imaginary or don’t exist. One can refer this as hallucination. These symptoms are more common with a person having schizophrenia. Hallucinations are not positive and give bad impact on others. This type of depression brings imagination of negative and frightening images and sounds.
Atypical depression
In this, a person sometimes feels happiness and moments of elation. But it is never for a long period. Symptoms of atypical depression include overeating and sleeping, weight gain and fatigue. Person with this type of depression believes that outside events control his or her mood. These outside events can include praise, success and attention. The episodes of this type of depression can vary from a person to person. This can be up to several weeks, months or even a year.
Dysthymia
It is quite common that many people who just walk around seem depressed. They are at sea all the time and remain sad, blue or melancholic. If you as them, they have been in this situation since years. This is the condition in which, there are people who are not aware of this but they just live with the depression as daily routine. For them, it is a part of life. They generally go through life feeling dissatisfied, unimportant, waste and dissatisfied. It is quite tough for them to enjoy the life and never find life as in interesting mood.
Maniac depression
This type of depression falls under emotional disorder indicating lots of changing in mood. This can also vary in depression to mania and quietly rapid. This is dangerous condition as people with this type of depression are susceptible o commit suicide. For them, life is a mystery and will remain unsolved till the die. The strong desire of their love, exams, test is always in their mind.
Bipolar depression
Bipolar depression includes both; low and high mood swings. This type of depression may have variety or set of symptoms that may not be present in other types of depression.
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Ashwagandha
It relieves stress. As per ayurvedic idea is concerned stress is a state that occurs in our body due to vata dosha vitiation. Ashwagandha helps our body to accomplish such stability particularly where vata imbalance is concerned.
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Brahmi (Bacopa)
Brahmi is known to improve memory and relieve stress naturally as the herb nourishes the neurons that in turn improve retention ability and to get rid of unwanted anxieties and depressions. The herb has calming effects on brain and therefore is used in treatments of depression.
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There are many reasons that give raise to depressions. Family history is an important factor. Researches show that genes do play an important role in passing the depression to the next generation.
Other reasons include stress and trauma. Break up or death of the beloved may cause depression. Financial problems, pressure for the sales may also end up into depression. Frequent change of job and unstable recruitment ma also lead to depression.
There are many symptoms those differ from person to person and degree to degree of depressions. Though some of the common symptoms include.
- One can feel life as unfair and bore.
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Person may find that it is difficult to think in a positive manner.
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Sadness and miserable thoughts.
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Person may experience anxious sometimes.
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Lack of confidence.
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The sleep pattern gets disturbed. There will be more sleep or less sleep depending upon the type of depression.
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Exhaustion almost all the time with no energy is commonly seen in patient with depression.
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The restlessness is common feature for a person having depression.
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The social activity turns to be burden and therefore, a person with depression starts avoiding it.
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Depressed person feels disturbance all the time. He or she fears of failures and feel guilty most of the times.
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Smallest task becomes a huge project and it takes time to get done.
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Anger and irritability in mood is prior symptoms compare to all.
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Lack of sexual desire and feeling that as boring subject.
There are lot many anti-depressant pills are available. Ayurveda believes this to be mental disorder and there are internal as well as external therapies for depression.
Some Ayurvedic herbs like Brahmi, Ashwagandha, Mandookparni, Shatavari, Guduchi, Aamlaki, Vacha, Shankhapushpi are considered to be best drugs that can treat mental disorders. Ayurvedic therapy like Panchkarma is practiced to treat mental disorders since years and have great positive effects. Some massage on head with medicated oils is beneficial for treating mental disorders.
One of the most important treatments for depression is Yoga and meditation. Along with this, mental counseling is the best way to treat depression.
