“Every thought a person dwells upon, whether he expresses it or not, either damages or improved his life” ~ LUCY MALLORY
But what makes a difference is whether it had a good impact onto you or bad. We are 24×7 inclined to perceive several impressions via external stimuli and in response to this our actions speak up what our mind has received.
Depression is the deep impression of any thought, feelings or behaviours encountered by an individual under the surroundings he dwells in.
“It’s so difficult to describe depression to someone who has never been there, because it’s not sadness everytime. Sadness is to cry & to feel. But it’s that cold absence of feeling- that really hollowed out feeling” ~JK ROWLING
By saying depression the image formed in our mind is always of a sad, gloomy, melancholic individual. But it does not hold true. Every time with the patients there are varieties of traits or characters revealed under depression varying from individual to individual. The patients present with underlying sadness, melancholia, gloomines as the the prime symptoms. The individuals are found suffering from physical illnesses as well. Somatic symptoms include lethargy, drowsiness, body ache, acidity, weight change(loss or gain), appetite disturbance(increased or maybe decreased). Sometimes the patients are either insomniac or hypersomniac varying from individual to individual. Constipation, Amenorrhoea, Low libido are associated symptoms likely to be found.
Psychomotor symptoms include retardation, agitation almost everyday. Hopelessness, helplessness, feeling blues most of the time, low self-esteem, loss of interest or pleasure in anything, guilt, poor concentration, pessimism, depersonization, social withdrawal, lack of energy etc. are significantly seen in depressive personalities.
Suicidal thoughts are the fatal & life threatening form of depressive episodes. The exact ailment of depression isn’t known. It’s multifactorial affecting the functioning of mind and body. Sometimes hallucinations and delusions prevails in patients and is termed ‘psychotic depression’.
Both men and women encounter same symptoms of depression but the prevalence is found 2 times more in females then males. Females are affected by various social factors leading to high levels of irritability and anger. At times mood swings occur prior to menstruation and the condition is termed as PMS (Pre- menstrual syndrome) and with onset of menstruation, disappearance of symptoms have been noted. When the symptoms prevail for more than 2 weeks – psychiatric help is needed and must sought a psychiatrist.
DYNAMICS OF DEVELOPING DEPRESSION AND MELANCHOLIA – Individuals having low-threshold to tolerate stress are more susceptible to the development of melancholia and depressive episodes. Their capacity to handle and cope tension (the emotional counterpart of unresolved conflicts or dilemma) is low. Any stress – physical, physiologicall &/or psychological exacerbates this tension & can lead to onset of this type of psychiatric disorder.
It’s been found in pathology that changes in neurotransmitters viz.,Serotonin, Dopamine, Nor – epinephrine in the body is associated with various on & off mood swings leading to depressive episodes.
Dr UROOJ FATIMA
BHMS INTERN
HAHNEMANN HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICAL COLLEGE & HOSPITAL, BHOPAL ( M.P )
