What is depression?
Depression is a broad term that contains many diseases under this umbrella. To be precise these all diseases contain two symptoms that help in diagnosing depression;
1. Low mood
2. Loss of interest in daily activities
These symptoms should remain for 2 weeks at least to label it as depression.
Common signs and symptoms of depression
Symptoms of depression are divided into 2 categories
Key symptoms (2)
i. Depressed mood
ii. Diminished interest
Other symptoms
i. Changes in weight and appetite (both can either increase or decrease)
ii. Sleep disturbance (increase or decrease in sleep, difficulty initiating sleep, frequent awakening during sleep)
iii. Psychomotor changes (agitation/irritability or retardation)
iv. Diminished concentration or inability to make a decision
v. Feeling of worthlessness or guilty
vi. Loss of energy or fatigue
vii. Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
Severity of depression
The severity of depression is decided by your physician on the basis of the presence of signs and symptoms and impairment in daily life activities due to these symptoms.
Management of depression
Depression can be managed with or without the use of medicines on the basis of the severity of depression.
Here we will discuss the 7 best ways to cure depression naturally. These will help in treating mild to moderate depression.
1. Herbal treatment: St John Wort/goat weed
2. Exercise
3. Activity scheduling
4. Brief problem solving
5. Strong Belief and Faith
6. Support from the near ones
7. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
1. Herbal treatment: St John Wort / Goat Weed
St John Wort is a flowering plant with yellow small flowers. It is scientifically proven for many conditions including depression. It is widely prescribed for the initial treatment of depression in Europe.
2. Exercise
Vigorous exercise produces some hormones including endorphins and dopamine, which helps in stabilizing your mood and making it pleasant.
In people over 60 exercise has the same role as anti-depressants medicines.
A balanced exercise including aerobic and anaerobic is ideal.
3. Activity scheduling
Basically in depression, patients feel very low due to which they are withdrawn. They don’t go to work, don’t like to meet people, and don’t care for themselves.
So, keeping this in mind, patients are asked to follow a schedule with small goals like
i. Wakening up at 8:00 am.
ii. Having breakfast at 9:00 am.
iii. Reading the newspaper at 10:00 am.
iv. Watering the flowers at 11:00 am.
v. Meeting a friend, brother, or any relative at 11:30 am. And so on……
After completing each activity patient will mark a tick on the paper with the timetable.
This will make the patient feel satisfied and will have a feeling of accomplishment, and the patient will think Yes I can do the other things as well.
4. Brief problem solving
In this technique, the patient is asked to assume himself in a scenario similar to his condition and then he is asked to give a solution to that problem.
Explanation
“Our patient Tom is suffering from depression due to loss in business, due to which he stopped caring for his family, he is reluctant to meet anyone and he is not taking care of his hygiene as well.”
Scenario
There Is a friend of mine named Ali. He lost his job recently. Now he is refusing to meet me and his wife complains that Ali is not looking for a new job, he even didn’t take care of himself. The school fee for our children and the rent of our house is pending.
Now tell me Sam what should you suggest to Ali in this situation?
Now apply this in your case too.
5. Strong Faith and Believe
It is seen that individuals who have strong beliefs and faith are less prone to depression. As seen in the case of Muslims; They believe in One God and they believe that whatever happens either good or bad, is done by the only God and He is the One who will remove this problem.
6. Support from the near ones
This is the keystone in the treatment of depression, the patient should be given support from the family or colleagues in this hard time and they will provide assistance where needed. And they will also convince him that everything will be OK soon.
7. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a sort of interview done by a psychologist in which the patient is asked different questions and is told how to cope with the problem in this situation.
RED FLAG SIGNS
It is necessary to visit your physician if there is gross impairment in daily activities or the patient Is having suicidal thoughts or has a history to attempt.