We are much aware of ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ terms as we use these in our daily life. We often say ‘I am depressed or I feel depressed’ and ‘I feel anxious that I can not even breathe’.

 

Depression is a common and serious medical illness (if it is moderate or severe level)  that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.

 

Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:

• Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Loss of energy or increased fatigue
• Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech (these actions must be severe enough to be observable by others)
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide

 

Symptoms must last at least two weeks and must represent a change in your previous level of functioning for a diagnosis of depression.

 

Also, medical conditions (e.g., thyroid problems, a brain tumor or vitamin deficiency) can mimic symptoms of depression so it is important to rule out general medical causes.

Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%) will experience depression at some time in their life. Depression can occur at any time, but on average, first appears during the late teens to mid-20s. Women are more likely than men to experience depression. Some studies show that one-third of women will experience a major depressive episode in their lifetime. There is a high degree of heritability (approximately 40%) when first-degree relatives (parents/children/siblings) have depression.

 

What causes depression?

 

Various factors can cause depression:

 

• Brain chemistry: Abnormalities in brain chemical levels may lead to depression.
• Genetics: If you have a relative with depression, you may be more likely to become depressed.
• Life events: Stress, the death of a loved one, upsetting events (trauma), isolation and lack of support can cause depression.
• Medical conditions: Ongoing physical pain and illnesses can cause depression. People often have depression along with conditions like diabetes, cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
• Medication: Some medications have depression as a side effect. Recreational drugs and alcohol can also cause depression or make it worse.
• Personality: People who are easily overwhelmed or have trouble coping may be prone to depression.

 

How is depression syndrome treated?

 

Depression can be serious, but it’s also treatable. Treatment for depression includes:

 

• Self-help: Regular exercise, getting enough sleep, and spending time with people you care about can improve depression symptoms.
• Counseling: Counseling or psychotherapy is talking with a mental health professional. Your counselor helps you address your problems and develop coping skills. Sometimes brief therapy is all you need. Other people continue therapy longer.
• Alternative medicine: People with mild depression or ongoing symptoms can improve their well-being with complementary therapy. Therapy may include massage, acupuncture, hypnosis and biofeedback.
• Medication: Prescription medicine called antidepressants can help change brain chemistry that causes depression. Antidepressants can take a few weeks to have an effect. Some antidepressants have side effects, which often improve with time. If they don’t, talk to your provider. A different medication may work better for you.

 

Anxiety is a normal emotion. It’s your brain’s way of reacting to stress and alerting you of potential danger ahead. 

Everyone feels anxious now and then. For example, you may worry when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or before making an important decision.

Occasional anxiety is OK. But anxiety disorders are different. They’re a group of mental illnesses that cause constant and overwhelming anxiety and fear.  The excessive anxiety can make you avoid work, school, family get-togethers, and other social situations that might trigger or worsen your symptoms. 

 

Common symptoms of anxiety are: 

• Panic, fear, and uneasiness
• Feelings of panic, doom, or danger
• Sleep problems
• Not being able to stay calm and still
• Cold, sweaty, numb, or tingling hands or feet
• Shortness of breath
• Breathing faster and more quickly than normal (hyperventilation)
• Heart palpitations
• Dry mouth
• Nausea
• Tense muscles
• Dizziness
• Thinking about a problem over and over again and unable to stop (rumination)
• Inability to concentrate
• Intensely or obsessively avoiding feared objects or places

 

Causes of anxiety are:

• Genetics. Anxiety disorders can run in families. 
• Brain chemistry. Some research suggests anxiety disorders may be linked to faulty circuits in the brain that control fear and emotions. 
• Environmental stress. This refers to stressful events you have seen or lived through. Life events often linked to anxiety disorders include childhood abuse and neglect, a death of a loved one, or being attacked or seeing violence.  
• Drug withdrawal or misuse. Certain drugs may be used to hide or decrease certain anxiety symptoms. Anxiety disorder often goes hand in hand with alcohol and substance use.
• Medical conditions. Some heart, lung, and thyroid conditions can cause symptoms similar to anxiety disorders or make anxiety symptoms worse. It’s important to get a full physical exam to rule out other medical conditions when talking to your doctor about anxiety. 

 

How can you manage anxiety and depression in daily life?

 ~Eat healthy

~Do exercises

~Take deep breath

~Keep journaling

~Manage time etc.

 

What can you do when you can not manage it?

☞seek help from psychologists and psychotherapists.

Sanjida Sultana Rupa

BSc. & Msc

Department of Psychology

University of Dhaka

Mental Health Associate ,GRACE