Unhealthy sexual behavior:
Making unprotected sexual relationships is quite common for the depressed teenagers. Some get themselves engaged in such ill relationships only for coming out from the feeling of depression temporarily. This habit leaves them at extreme risk of developing sexually transmitted diseases.

Self-harm:
A teenager suffering from depression often performs acts like burning or cutting oneself. In the last 5 years it has been found that majority of the depressed teenagers are opting for self-harm. Majority of the teens try keeping such behavior of them a secret; for instance: if they make cuts on their arms, they wear long-sleeved clothes for hiding the marks. Self harming nature of depressed teens should be treated immediately to prevent more severe outcomes.

Suicidal tendencies:
Teens with depression often get engaged in activities like discussing about suicide, imagining about death, making plans of suicides, showing suicidal gestures or even attempting to take their own lives. Each of the activities mentioned above is a warning sign and they must be professionally handled for ensuring that they don’t become successful in taking their own lives. These teens must be supervised by a mental health doctor. Undergoing psychological counseling might also help them.

• Blurred vision: It is worth noting that in the start when these medications are just started, blurred vision is common. So, do not become hyper or angry for that.
• Constipation: Antidepressants may lead to constipation in some people. And therefore it is vital that while you are on these medications, have lots of fiber rich foods.
• Problems in conjugal relations: Since this problem may have effect on relationship and married lives, it needs to be discussed with the doctor.
• Daytime sleepiness: Depression medications have side effects like daytime drowsiness and sleepiness. And therefore patients must avoid driving or doing too tedious tasks at such times.
• Insomnia: in some patients depression medications may lead to insomnia.
• Apart from the above side effects other common side effects of depression medications include excessive urination, headache, agitation, anxiety. When apart from such common side effects if there are other serious things that come into picture then talk to the doctor immediately.

Depression medications can cause the following drug interactions:

• SSRI medications for depression have serious drug interactions with other antidepressants. And that’s why doctors usually do not combine SSRI antidepressants with other depression medications.
• When there is drug interaction between SSRI antidepressants and antihistamines there might be treatment reversal and the antidepressant may lose its effectiveness. Also, there might be symptoms like chest pain and irregular heart rhythm. It is also seen that interactions of SSRI antidepressants with diabetes medications may lead to imbalance in sugar levels.
• With blood pressure and heart medications it is seen that SSRI antidepressants may lead to toxic effect creating mental confusion, changes in blood pressure levels, angina.
• SSRI has drug interactions also with other psychiatric medications like benzodiazepines, mood stabilizers, anticonvulsants.

Shatavari :

Scientifically shatavari is known as Asparagus racemosis. This herb belongs to Liliaceae family. Shatavari is primarily found in the jungles of India. In Ayurveda, this herb is the most frequently used medicine for the women. Shatavari acts as a revitalizing tonic for both men and women. This herb is often prescribed for the treatment of anxiety and nervousness in patients with depression. Shatavari works by reducing the negative emotions and boosting the positing ones.

Bhringraj :

This herb is mainly known for its ability of preventing graying of hair and improving liver health. However, bhringraj also possesses the ability of soothing our nervous system. Thus often Ayurvedic doctors prescribe dosage of this herb to patients suffering from depression. A study conducted in the year 2005 showed that the neuropharmacologic effects of bhringraj can successfully combat the effects of anxiety and stress on our nervous system.

Brahmi :

This herb is known for its ability of promoting mental clarity and learning power, increasing memory and offering many other benefits to our mental health. Consuming prescribed doses of brahmi is also believed to increase rate of transmission of nerve impulses. Studies have also revealed that this herb can reduce symptoms of depression and cognitive loss.

Guduchi :

This herb is found in every deciduous forest of India. Guduchi is a climbing plant having a length of more than 30 ft. This herb offers rejuvenating effects and also increases the strength of our immune system. The other prominent benefits offered by the herb include its ability of enhancing memory and cognitive functions. All these properties of guduchi make it an effective treatment of mental sluggishness, which is common in most depression patients. Short-term use of this herb is not known to cause any side effect; however if one uses this herb continuously for a long period of time, he or she might experience certain adverse effects.

A number of studies conducted on links between estrogen production and brain functions have revealed that lack of estrogen often results in depression in women. According to statistics obtained from these studies, the level of estrogen starts dropping by 50-75% before menopause actually occurs. This makes depression a common condition among women in their postmenopausal age. The same factor is responsible to make women 2 times more susceptible towards developing depression compared to the men. The condition may deteriorate so much that hospitalization may also be required.

Depression due to decrease in estrogen levels is also seen in women in their menstruating age. A research has revealed that 35% women suffer from depression and other mild physical symptoms due to drop in estrogen levels during the premenstrual period. The production of estrogen also decreases following pregnancy. As a result of this 50 to 70% of the women suffer from postpartum depression. Postpartum depression occurs within the initial ten days after delivery. 10% women can also develop major depression after delivery due to estrogen deficiency.

Our brain requires neurotransmitters for functioning normally and staying healthy. The amino acids are designated as the precursors of these neurotransmitters. As the levels of amino acids in our body drops, our brain fails to function properly due to lack of neurotransmitters, which can lead to mental disorders like anxiety, depression etc. Depression is specifically caused by drop in the levels of serotonin. The amino acids required by human body for production of serotonin are choline, tryptophan, 5-HTP, tyrosine, phenylalanine, valine, leucine, lysine, methionine and threonine.

The first step of amino acid therapy involves a urine test. This urine analysis is done for measuring the number of neurotransmitters the patient possesses. This test will allow the doctor to understand which neurotransmitter is depleted. Based on this the doctor will identify the amino acid required by your body. Patients also need to undergo urine analysis after 2 to 3 months of undergoing the therapy. The second analysis is done for checking whether the treatment is producing results or not.

The next step of the therapy is consuming supplements containing amino acids. The medical professional will determine the kind of amino acid supplement and concentration of supplement one should take. After taking some dosage of these supplements, the depleted neurotransmitters will start replenishing. The doctor will also prepare a schedule for the intake of these supplements; a patient should follow the schedule meticulously to get maximum benefits from the amino acid therapy.

Postpartum depression is not a new term to most of us. We’ve oft heard about the mothers who become a tad depressed soon after the birth of their baby. But have you heard of daddy getting the baby blues too? A recent research claims that this seems to be the case as well. Men can, as much as women, fall prey to the claws of postpartum depression.

What is postpartum depression?

Postpartum depression is a serious illness which is known to occur, especially in women, a few months after their baby’s birth. It may also occur in cases where women have had miscarriages or have experience a stillbirth. This sort of depression is, more often than not, brought about due to hormonal changes in the woman post her pregnancy.

Symptoms of Paternal Postpartum Depression (PDD):

• Sadness
• Sleep problems
• Loss of interest
• Low energy
• Withdrawal from matters
• Constant irritability
• Disengagement from the family

Daddy and Baby Blues:

As per the research, men were likely to fall prey to PDD at any stage between the first trimester and the very first year of their baby’s life. The levels of depression were known to peak at around the 3-6 months post birth stage.

Paternal Postpartum depression was seen to be more common among men whose wives were grappling with postpartum depression as well. There was a direct correlation, as the study put it, between the severity of depression being experienced by the mom and by the dad.

Whether it was the moms leading the way or the dads is a fact that is still not clear. The child’s behavior could also have something to do with it. As per the research, men who dealt with PDD caused for their infants to have lower vocabularies by the time they reached the age of 2.

Reasons/Causes for PDD:

Here are some probable reasons that might cause men to fight depression just after the birth of the very baby they’d waited for –

Increase in responsibility:
New fathers will find the extra member to be a challenge all of a sudden. This might get worsened by the fact that they were already in a tough economic situation to begin with. The increased responsibility, might, in some cases lead to frustration and depression.

Increase in expenditures:
This point is a direct take off from the previous point we’ve discussed. Bringing up a child is anything but easy; and financially, it could be quite a challenge. New born babies can be very demanding on the pocket; and this could spell ‘bad news’ for someone who is already financially stretched.

Sexual Abstinence:
Sex will have to wait for a couple of months right after the baby has been born. In normal circumstances, sex will work as a stress reliever and abstinence from sex could have the exact opposite effect.

Poor Communication:
In most cases, women tend to suffer from a number of hormonal imbalances right after her delivery. This will automatically make them poor communicators. They will be constantly nagging and scolding; and this might worsen the depression that the men are already grappling with. This might end up with the father venting out the anger on the innocent little baby.

Competition:
Some women may become extremely possessive and obsessive about their new baby. This would mean that they might make the man feel unloved and neglected. This unfair sort of competition for the woman’s attention will push the man over the edge and make them seem mad.

Sleep like a baby:

Sleep generally deludes people suffering from depression. They will tend to have a tough time falling asleep. This will, automatically, lead to problems when it comes to waking up in time. In short, most people inflicted by depression will be unlikely to be morning people.

On the other hand, depression could become worse due to lack of sleep, which leaves the idle mind with more time to build its devil’s workshop. If depression is treated, it can automatically improve the sleep patterns of the person in question.

Love is in the air:

When people are on antidepressants, they are most likely to suffer from side effects like dampened libido. All said and done, this is going to affect their love life.

However, some experts claim that libido is not the real culprit to a dying relationship. Depression may be the real culprit that stands as a roadblock to a happy and loving relationship with your better half. According to one study conducted on a group of people hit by depression, it was found that around 70% of them had a lower sex drive even without being on medication of any sort. If depression gets treated, it could help in repairing the self-confidence of the person and it could strengthen ties between you and your partner.

Relief from pain:

If depression is treated, it could make the person feel a little more emotionally secure and it will manifest itself in the form of lowered levels of pain. Depression is known to contribute to the discomfort that is caused by any sort of pain. When a person is already depressed, the slightest pain will get magnified and in some cases, the person will end up victimizing himself/herself.

According to research, people who suffer from pain-inflicting conditions like a migraine or arthritis are said to suffer from higher levels of pain if they’re depressed. They magnify the pain to such an extent that they make it seem disabling. If they seek correct treatment for depression, it might help in providing them relief from their pain.

You’ve just gotten a raise:

If a person is depressed, it’ll be extremely tough for him/her to hold a job. By being depressed, it would entail a person to lose focus while working. This would mean that the person is more likely to fall prey to mistakes. If you do believe that your case of depression is taking a toll on your work performance, now might be the time to take some action.

Believe me when I say this; you don’t epitomize Humpty Dumpty who just can’t get out of a nervous breakdown. That just isn’t you!

Read on with me; and learn about the simple things that can help you get your awry life back on track.

Laugh your guts out –

Have you realized this one thing? When you watch a person laugh or cry from around 10 feet away, you might not instantly be able to tell the difference. But that doesn’t make the effect of the two any similar. A good laugh and crying for the right reasons (letting go) could make a world of difference to you and your mental state.

The best way of using laughter is by twisting it into the form of sarcasm, say some. I say, I agree! Sarcasm makes for the best method of self defense when the world seems like it has turned against you. Wit, I say, is the most essential element contributing to sanity; and a good dose of comedy can keep anyone out of the psych ward.

Pump it up –

If you’ve been an alcoholic at any point in your time or you’ve been addicted to any other form of substance abuse, you’d know what I am talking about. You love getting a buzz. It makes things around you seem good; doesn’t it?
So this time, trade in for a buzz that will do you good instead of bad – Exercise! A good workout that will get your heart beat rate over the 140 beats per minute radar will do you good. This is a safe way of making you feel better about yourself without affecting your sobriety. Exercise is one activity that is capable of altering your mood; and it ups it for the better of your own health and your relationships with friends and family. If you indulge in the right kind of activity or exercise, it could release the right amount of serotonin in your brain; and this would have that calming; almost euphoric effect on your body. This is one of the best ways to combat stress.

Eating Correctly –

What goes inside determines how you feel on the outside. Confused? It means your diet affects your mood.

The bad boys would be nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, processed food and white flour. Ensure that your kids don’t get hooked onto processed food; because they’re the easiest prey for this kind of unhealthiness.

The heroes or the good guys would include protein in the form of eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt, chicken, fish, nuts; complex starches in the form of beans, whole grains and potatoes; and vitamins. These should keep you happy for longer.

Getting some Zzzzzzzzzzs –

The importance of a good night’s sleep has often been undermined; and for the wrong reasons. Lack of sleep can lead to aggravation and mood swings. In extreme cases, it could lead to mood disorders as well. With little or no sleep, the brain doesn’t get a chance to do what it has to, without having your thoughts interrupt it all the time. When you don’t finish a task assigned to you, it could lead to a backlog which makes things irritating. The same happens with your brains; when it can’t finish its tasks, it will remove the frustration on you.

According to a newly conducted study, a sleep deprived brain works more or less like an intoxicated brain. You wouldn’t want to be dafter than a drunkard, would you now?

Light my world up –

Have you noticed yourself getting crankier when November and December arrive? Do you realize you become crummier during the dank wet nights of winter? The logic is simple – the amount of sunlight a person gets has a lot to do with the way he/she feels. It messes or works (either ways) with the circadian rhythms of the person’s body (internal biological clock). The lesser the exposure to sunlight, the crankier the person will be. This is the same logic that applies to SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which is a common mood disorder.

Grief, bereavement and depression are inter-related. Learning to cope with the first two could lead to avoidance of the third. Read on to learn more about how the lines get blurred sometimes.

UNDERSTANDING GRIEF –

Grief, as a term, is used to describe the feelings that one goes through after a period of bereavement.

WHAT IS BEREAVEMENT? –

Bereavement, as a term, is generally used to describe an event that would include a feeling of loss. This could refer to loss of a job or a death of a person. In this write-up, however, we’re going to focus on coping with the loss of a near/dear one.

It is important to understand one thing; there is no correct or wrong way of dealing with the death of a person. Different persons will react to a death differently, depending on their relationship with the deceased person.

According to recently conducted studies, people with a recent case of bereavement were likely to show changes in their modes of functioning and these disruptions could be put into 4 categories – cognitive disorganization, health deficits, dysphoria (sadness or the opposite of euphoria) and disruptions that affect the social and occupational functioning of the individual.

These signs are common during the first year of bereavement and have been seen to hit a decline post the one year mark.

THE FACTORS –

According to experts, a number of factors would come into play and determine the extent of grief and/or depression that a person feels –

• Relationship to the deceased
• The closeness of that relationship
• Social support
• Family history of a mood disorder
• Personal history of depression
• Age
• Sex
• Race
• Financial status
• Religious involvement

PHASES OF GRIEF –

It has been seen that grief could pass through while undergoing changes due to bereavement –

• A stage of Numbness
  During this stage, the essential things of a person get done; but he/she will hardly have any memory of doing so. Symptoms of anxiety and depression may begin to surface. This is likely to last around a few days at a maximum.
• A stage of Depression
  This stage is likely to last almost a few weeks and in some rare cases would continue for up to a year. The feelings of irritability and restlessness are apparent by this time. The common symptoms of depression are likely to follow.
• A stage of Recovery
  When this happens, the bereaved is finally beginning to accept the death of their loved one. This will happen around 4 months to a year post the death. There will some level of return to normalcy and the usual ways of functioning.

GRIEF AND DEPRESSION – THE DISTINCTION –

Grief and depression are very often confused with each other. The reason behind this is that both of them are extremely similar in their symptoms. But the truth of the matter is that it is possible for a person to grieve without being depressed; but vice versa isn’t possible.

According to reports, around 33% of people who are bereaved are likely to head for a depressive illness around a month after their loss has occurred. The symptoms that would indicate depression in a bereaved person are as follows –

• Intense feelings of guilt, which are more often than not related to the bereavement
• A constant preoccupation with the concept of dying, which could in turn lead to suicidal thoughts or actions
• Feelings of absolute worthlessness
• Inability to function normally when it comes to the social setting (inability to show up at work, or to enjoy a leisure activity or socialize with people)
• Slow movements and slurry speech
• Lying in bed all day, refusing to do anything
• Hallucinations about the deceased

Watch this space for more. In following write-ups we’ll talk about how to cope with bereavement related depression.

Depression is nowadays the most common emotional disorder. This may vary from a mild gloominess to huge misery and rejections. It is actually a combination of many physiological and emotional disturbances. Definitely, it is not pleasing phase that any individual would like to experience.

Many symptoms which will help you to recognize the disorder are as follows:

• Acute sense of loss
• Inexplicable sadness
• Tiredness
• Sleep disturbance
• Loss of appetite
• Itching
• Nausea
• Agitation
• Giddiness
• Constipation
• Body pain
• Lack of concentration

As you may check your symptoms there are many factors that lead to depression. But the main factor that causes depression is the depleted functioning of adrenal glands. Usually the irregular and unbalanced diet habit cause digestive troubles which lead to the assimilation of fats. An excessive intake of carbohydrates like white sugar, tea, coffee, cereals, chocolates and comparatively low consumption of vegetables and fruits in diet results in indigestion. The indigestion releases tremendous gases in the digestive tract which causes compression in the area of heart and lungs. This is turn reduces the supply of oxygen to the tissues which raises the level of carbon dioxide thus causing depression.

Even the intake of certain drugs destroys the body system that leads to irritation and depression. Nowadays many modern medications treat the depression. But these medications also cause many harmful side effects that actually kill a person softly. These drugs even damage the liver system. Hyper sensitivity, hallucinations, insomnia and fall in blood pressure level are the side effects of these medications.

We believe that the food is the simple solution to all the problems. A well balanced diet is the road to healthy and happy life. A good food diet is said to cure many ailments. It is just that you need to follow the diet chart and the problems are solved. People suffering from depression usually lose interest in eating and gulping down good food. They eventually munch on anything that is available and many a times they skip their meals. But that won’t work out. It will worsen the matter and apart from it they feel more tired and lousy.

Here we provide you with well balanced diets that will you out in getting rid of depression. The diet chart is followed:

• The victim has to fast on juices for three days. Consume a glass of fruit or vegetable juice in every two hours that should be diluted with water during the day. Cleanse the bowels with mild warm water enema.
• All- fruit diet should be followed for next three days. Take some fresh juicy fruits at the interval of five hours.

Thereafter the person may adapt well balanced diet:

On waking up
Eat twenty five black raisins that should be soaked overnight in water. And soak them in copper vessel.

Breakfast
Consume fresh fruits with a glass of milk and handful of unsalted nuts.

Lunch
Grab a bowl of steamed vegetable with two to three whole wheat chapattis and drink a glass of buttermilk.

Mid Afternoon
Drink a glass of fresh fruit juice or vegetable juice.

Dinner
Consume a large bowl of fresh green vegetable salad dressed with sprouts and lime juice.

The food stuff that has to be avoided is as follows:

• Flesh food
• White sugar
• White flour
• Tea or coffee
• Carbonated drinks
• Condiments
• Refined food
• Pickles and processed food

Rather measures that will eliminate out depression:

• Drink at least eight to ten glass of water daily
• Bath with cold water twice in a day
• Opt for exercise especially yogic asanas
• Have a brisk walk for almost forty five minutes
• Eat and sleep properly
• Get yourself involved in some hobbies that will divert your mind.

Live a healthy and happy life that will keep you away from all the depressions. Food is the most essential element for the body and that keep you healthy and wise.