Depression
What is depression?
Everyone feels sad or “down in the dumps” at times, but the sadness usually goes away. However, for some people, these sad feelings remain for a long while. A person who feels bad for a very long time might have depression or anxiety or both, called Anxiety-Depression Disorder. Depression is disease that affects a person’s moods. Moods are the way a person feels and how he or she expresses those feeling. Someone who suffers from depression may feel sad, angry, irritable, tired, confused, guilty, or worthless. A person who is depressed may lose interest in almost everything he or she used to enjoy.
Depression can cause physical changes in the body, too. A person with depression may have aches and pains and other health problems. Depression also changes the way a person acts. Somebody who is depressed may yell and throw things. He or she may not eat enough or eat too much. This person might have trouble sleeping or feel so tired that he or she stays in bed most of the time. Depression can have a serious effect on a person’s life. It can cause problems with school, a job, family, and friends.
Depression is not a weakness or a personality problem. It is painful for the person who has it. The disease can also be difficult for the person’s family and friends. The good news is that a person with depression can be helped. There are a number of treatments that a doctor can use to help him or her feel better. There are also things a person with depression can do to get healthier. While there is no one single cure for depression, there is help and there is hope. No one with the disease should suffer alone.
Depression may now be defined in terms of the following attributes:
A specific alteration in mood: sadness, loneliness, apathy
A negative self – concept associated with self-reproaches and self-blame
Regressive and self-punitive wishes: desire to escape, hide, or die
Vegetative changes: anorexia, insomnia, loss of libido
Change in activity level: retardation or agitation
Emotional features:
Depressed mood, “blue”
Irritability, anxiety
Anhedonia, loss of interest
Loss of zest
Diminished emotional bonds
Interpersonal withdraw
Preoccupation with death
Cognitive features:
Self criticism, sense of worthlessness, guilt
Pessimism, hopelessness, despair
Distractible, poor concentration
Uncertain and indecisive
Variable obsessions
Somatic complaints (particularly in elderly)
Memory impairment
Delusion and hallucinations
Vegetative features:
Fatigability, no energy
Insomnia or hypersomnia
Anorexia or hyperrexia
Weight loss or gain
Psychomotor retardation
Psychomotor agitation
Impaired libido
Frequent diumal variation
Diagnostic criteria for depression
Depressed mood almost every day
Markedly reduced interest or pleasure in all
Significant weight loss or weight gain when not dieting
No organic cause
No delusion or hallucinations in absence of mood symptoms for as long as 2 weeks during the course of the illness.
Not superimposed on schizophrenia or other psychosis.
Signs of depression
Stopped and slow moving
Tearful sad faces
Dry mouth and skin
Constipation
Homeopathy for Depression and Anxiety
In the treatment of depression cause of depression has to be finding out.
Homeopathy for depression and anxiety – Homeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity by using holistic approach. This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the sign and symptoms from which the patient is suffering. The aim of homeopathy is not only to treat depression and anxiety but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. As far as therapeutic medication is concerned, several medicines are available for depression treatment that can be selected on the basis of cause, condition, sensation and modalities of the complaints. For individualized remedy selection and treatment, the patient should consult a qualified homeopathic Doctor.