Depression – Is it A State of Mind, or a Disease?

Depression is a very common word people use these days. Almost every other person is suffering from its menace. It’s a state of mind where someone feels dull or uninterested most of the time. Clinical depression is the name given basically to the state of mind which makes one feel sad and upset.   It may be mild or severe depending upon other associated symptoms and the severity of sadness. It basically includes:

• Feeling unwanted and hopeless

• Sleeping and appetite disorder

• Feeling restless and tired.

• Negative thoughts about everything around.

• A feeling of isolation and insignificance

• Suicidal thoughts.

These are some major symptoms which must last for at least two-three weeks for a diagnosis of depression else it would be called simply a situation of sadness and grief. 

Online Doctor Consultation

Depression should not be associated with sadness or grief every time. Since there are several other reasons for depression as well.  For instance - Death of a loved one, financial crisis, failing in an exam or break up in a relationship are some situations where one feels sad and upset which is natural in such situations. But this is not depression. Continue feeling the same way for some time may lead to the start of depression and if not controlled at a proper time may lead to a state of mind which is suffering from depression.

Depression is not a body disease which can be cured with certain medication or ointments, it’s something related to someone’s state of mind. How mind feels and behaves is what defines the degree of depression.

 The dull and unwanted feeling may lead to isolation and then ultimately may cause a situation where someone is all alone, low and depressed. On the other hand, one who is surrounded by friends and family feels the feeling of belongingness and don’t usually suffer this phase of depression.

Depression may be caused due to various reasons:-

• Some may be caused due to past unfortunate events while for others it may be due to Brain Disorders. Depression can be genetic also for example if one identical twin faces depression there is 80% chance that the other may also face it at some point of time in his life. 

• Most people realize about their depressive state of mind later in life but it can always be diagnosed through various ways. Treating depression is not an easy, understanding one's state of mind and then measuring the degree of depression for proper diagnoses requires a set of skills and ability.

Depression can be treated using various methods:

• Medication: In the medication process various antidepressants are prescribed to the patients. These are not sedatives and don’t lead to habit forming. Usually, the practitioner suggests using this medication even after the improvement of symptoms. These are free from the effect of any side effect and eventually help in taking care of this easily. 

• Psychotherapy: It’s talk therapy and is used for the treatment of the mild depressive state of mind. Here you can talk to yourself and try to eradicate the root cause of Depression. 

• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT): Mainly used for patients suffering from severe major depression or bipolar disorders who have not responded to other treatments. This is taken in the worst case scenario and should not be used in case of ordinary depression cases. 

Apart from the above treatments, one can always help himself to stay away from such disorders by doing something that you love. 

• Getting surrounded by people, who make u feel happy and significant are some instances which help in curbing depression at the very initial level. 

• Whatever treatment you take there is always a room for scope and improvement; you always need to find some time for yourself to improve your state of mind. 

• Meditation and relaxation of body and soul are very much required if you are recovering from depression.

• Tension and stress can lead to a worse situation and can intensify your feelings of depression. 

• Dedicating more time to hobbies and other things which u enjoy doing can lead to a happy state of mind. Thus indulge yourself in various activities in order to lead a happy and comfortable life. 

Source URl: https://key2connect.code.blog/2019/03/22/depression-is-it-a-state-of-mind-or-a-disease/

Read More

Ways to Enhance Your Brain Health

The human body consists of a number of parts and organs which have their own functions to perform. Together they help us in living a normal life but like every machine has a controlling part so does our body. This controller is known as the brain. It is the important work that it performs because of which it requires extra protection which is given in the form of a skull. No matter what work we do, it is the brain that sends the signals to each of the respective parts regarding what to do. Not only this, it is responsible for our memory, creativeness, and intellectual abilities. This is the reason that we need to take care of it and maintain its health.

Ask a Doctor Online Free

Eat Good Food:

Food is one of the basic necessities that we need for living. Nature has offered special food for each organ in bounties to us, and all we need to do is to eat them. Involve food which is good for your brain’s health, i.e. something which is rich in omega 3 such as salmon, trout, and sardines. Vegetarians may go for flaxseeds, walnuts, kidney beans, spinach, etc. Try to eat more fruits and vegetables as they are full of antioxidants which act as a shield for your brain cells. Drink green tea which is again a very good source of antioxidants. Try to limit the intake of food with saturated fat such as butter, red meat, etc. You may learn more about the proper diet through a chat with the professional doctor.

Have Fun:

Avoid stress as much as you can, learn to accept changes, forgive yourself and others. The reason is, stress is said to damage the hippocampus which is responsible for building up new cells in our brain. Whenever you feel overburdened, take a break, go for a walk, dance, sing, paint, do anything that makes you happy and contented. A very important note, do what you love and not something for which you have to force yourself without your own will. Spend quality time with family, go out for a movie with friends, laugh till your stomach aches. In short, say goodbye to stress and hello to healthy mental health. If you are unable to deal with mental stress, then you may get an online solution by doctors.

Stay Positive:

As it is said, change is the only constant, try to deal with it gracefully. No matter what, understand that no problem is more important than your own well-being. Be positive in whatever you do; this helps your brain remain relaxed and function properly. An unnecessary burden is injurious to your mental health; therefore, distance yourself from anything negative that seems like a threat to your mental peace.

Sleep Well:

Resting is important, and sleeping is a vital part of it. Generally, 8 hours of sleep is considered to be the ideal number of hours for an adult. Sleeping helps your mind freshen up, save important facts, and build new cells. It boosts creativity and improves one’s problem-solving skills which are very important in today’s era. One must have a proper sleep schedule and must try to go to bed happy to have a good sleep. In case you are having a problem in taking proper sleep because of undergoing stress, have a free online chat with the doctor.

Meditate:

In the current time, when life has become hectic and stressful, it is important to take out some time to connect with one’s own self.  Meditation is a great way to do this; it helps relieve stress and de-clutter one’s life, thus helping in gaining focus. This practice is said to increase the grey matter in the brain which contains neuron cell bodies which enhances the memory. It helps one remain calm and deal with life situations in a much-sorted way.

Be Active:

To remain fit physically, we do exercise, same way to make our brains healthy, we need to do exercise for it as well. Wondering how you can do it? All you need to do is solve puzzles, try to answer tricky questions, rejumble the sentences, do something creative, let the ideas fly when you do these activities, a positive change will be experienced by you. These kinds of activities help in raising the IQ level of our brain and thus in remaining active.

Reduce Alcohol and Quit Smoking:

Drinking alcohol in limit is fine but having it excessively is not at all a healthy choice. Studies show that people who drink a lot have a problem remembering things; the reason is that it affects your brain badly. Therefore, it is recommended that one must drink only in limit till it is fine for your health. Talking of cigarettes, it has been found that people who have a habit of smoking two packets or more in a day itself are likely to have twice the chances of suffering from dementia in their older days.

Indulge in Healthy practices:

Just like your body, the mind needs exercise too; they are incomplete without each other. A dysfunction in the body can affect the brains functioning by increasing stress level while the unhealthy mind can affect the functioning of the brain. There are a number of practices which should be followed to have a strong brain. The best way to have a healthy brain is by conducting regular intellectual exercises, taking a special healthy diet over regular intervals, and making meditation a part of life. Don’t forget to take a sound, timely sleep of 8 hours at least daily to let your brain relax and refresh.

Summary:

It has been observed that increased interaction with your family members by spending quality time with them can help you in remaining grounded and at peace. Making friends with people who bring out the best in you is yet another way of having mental well-being. Try and remain away from negative people as they may suck out the happiness from your life making you sad and angry. Having a good lifestyle becomes a habit over a period of time if you train your brain in a smart way.

If you have a habit of smoking and drinking excessively, then watch out, as it is not at all good for your brain. If you wish to have a good memory and protect yourself from the risk of dementia, throw away your cigarette right now. In the end, it all depends on how and what you do keep the controller of your body healthy!

Source URL: http://bit.ly/2RtIx5R

Read More