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How to Beat Depression

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	How to Beat Depression Stress of long working hours, managing a home, arguments with your spouse could all lead to mild...

Stress of long working hours, managing a home, arguments with your spouse could all lead to mild depression. It affects many around us and mostly goes unnoticed due to unawareness. Dr. Shamsah Sonawalla talks to iDiva about understanding it for what it is.

Causes of mild depression
First off, a cause should be differentiated from a trigger. The cause is an underlying biological or psychological factor for the predisposition to depression. A trigger on the other hand, is an external environmental factor that sets off the depressive behaviour. Examples of the most common triggers are exam stress, a relationship ending, financial trouble, etc.
It must be stated clearly that depression is a biological problem. There is a genetic factor involved, and hence if any of your immediate relatives suffer or have suffered from depression, you are at risk of the same. It has been proven that there is a bio-chemical imbalance in the brains of those who suffer from this illness.
Psychological factors primarily include temperament and personality disposition. For instance, it has been seen that people with obsessive-compulsive tendencies are more susceptible to suffering from depression in varying degrees.

Symptoms
Depression as an illness must be differentiated from a depressed mood that everyone goes through on and off. To be classified as a depressive, one should be consistently depressed most of the time, for a length of two weeks. The symptoms are as follows:

• Loss of interest in daily activities and hobbies
• Low self esteem
• Feeling of guilt without reason
• Loss or gain or appetite
• Loss or gain of weight
• Insomnia or sleeping too much
• Mild forgetfulness
• Mild aches and pains
• Lack of confidence

In the case of mild depression there are typically no suicidal tendencies. People’s daily functioning is affected to a certain degree but they can get by.

Types
Dysthymia-This kind of disorder falls under the spectrum of depression. It is considered to be more chronic but less severe because you display fewer symptoms but it lasts longer for longer periods of time. It can start from a 2-year-long spell to a lifelong struggle. It presents itself as a low-grade sadness, with 2 or 3 other symptoms and more often than not a person suffering from this disorder has some kind of health issue as well.

Recurring Deep Depression- This kind of depression is defined by shorter but more frequent bouts of depression. Instead of the normal definition which states 2 weeks, this kind happens for as little as 2 days and then goes away. As with dysthymia, this too displays fewer symptoms and is categorised as a minor depression.

Treatment

• Mood charting helps you to clearly identify and be aware of your moods. The crux of the issue when it comes to mild depression is that people are unaware that it is an actual problem, and just believe that that is who they are.
• Exercise aids the release of endorphins which are proven to uplift your mood. Coupled with a balanced diet and enough sleep, it can regulate your moods tremendously.
• Reducing work-stress and making lifestyle changes will also keep you less at risk.
• Increase awareness by reading about the illness
• Good social support is very important and can help a lot, but only to an extent. People who are not trained can sometimes misdirect you and make things worse.
• Consulting a trained professional in structured psychotherapy can help you to delve deeper and deal with your problem.

A few stats
10% to 15% of the population suffers from mild depression
60% to 70% of the candidates are women