In the recent times, the term depression has become extremely conversational and is often used in daily conversations. What people fail to realize is the gravity of the term, the fact that depression is a serious illness and the significance of depression as a mental condition. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide.
Depression is highly prevalent worldwide but still not recognized as having serious health implications. Mental health is a topic that people lack awareness about, because of the myths surrounding it. Mental illness is not a permanent state of mind, but a temporary condition which generally gets disregarded because of the taboo and the social stigma attached to it. Globally a massive 300 million people suffer from depression and as per health reports, 4-5% of the population of UAE suffer from clinical depression.[1]
Feeling sad or gloomy every once in a while is normal, but if being sad is your state of mind always and it affects your daily activities, it may be most probable that you have depression. A feeling of deep sorrow, hopelessness, and helplessness lasting for days, weeks or even months is depression. Depression is a treatable medical condition that is a rather common but a serious mood disorder. It is a hidden illness that is linked to various other chronic conditions like diabetes, heart diseases etc. Depression, in fact, is also considered to be a major causative factor of disability.
Depression is a mental disorder that is more complex than known and can be triggered by various uncommon factors which could also depend on the type of depression a person is suffering from. Very often depression is a response to pressures or circumstances in life, such as unemployment, grief and financial concerns. Painful experiences and memories like any form of abuse, the death of a loved one or a family history of depression could lead people to have depression. An unknown fact is that sometimes even happy events like starting a new job or even getting married could cause a person to develop depression. Poor sleeping habits, addiction to certain forms of social media is said to have an adverse effect on the mood in teens and pre-teens.[2]
There are various kinds of depression that could happen to people across age barriers, genders and geographic boundaries, namely;
- Major Depression is the most commonly found form of depression wherein a person experiences sadness, irritability, lack of energy, inability to concentrate, and disturbance in routine activities for a period of over 2 weeks. It is also simply called depression and is often accompanied by a feeling of low self-esteem and lack of interest in performing activities that otherwise seemed interesting.
- Seasonal Affective Disorder is also known as winter blues and as the name suggests is linked to seasonal changes. SAD occurs when an individual hibernates during the winter instead of facing the cold. People with SAD have normal mental health throughout the year but experience symptoms of depression at the same time every year. (at the onset of winter)
- Atypical depression is a form of depression which is rather misunderstood and usually underdiagnosed as it is a common form of the disorder. In this condition, individuals experience a form of paralysis with a sense of heaviness in the arms and legs and also tend to overeat and oversleep.
- Psychotic depression is a mental state of mind in which a person loses a sense of reality and tends to hallucinate. People with psychosis have episodes where they see or hear things that are not real and begin to have false beliefs.
- Situational depression is the most commonly understood form of depression caused by a sorrowful situation in life such as unemployment or the loss of a dear one.
- Post-partum depression triggers in women after the birth of their child. They tend to experience abnormal feelings like laziness, fatigue, suicidal thoughts, appetite issues, fear of harming the baby etc. This can occur weeks after childbirth or even months after childbirth and can affect both parents.
- Bipolar disorder is a depressive condition that causes various mood swings. People with the bipolar disorder have mood swings ranging from feeling extremely elated to feeling extremely hopeless. Episodes of this can occur multiple times in a year. This is a life-long condition that can, however, be managed and some symptoms of the condition can be treated with medication.
In the UAE, depression is as common as conditions of the heart, given the radical change in health problems in the region.[3] Yet, depression is a mental condition people struggle with and continue to bear themselves without seeking medical help. People often stigmatize any form of mental illness, which is majorly the reason that people are less aware that depression is a common medical condition which can be successfully treated with therapy and medication. Depression is also a leading factor for suicide that claims numerous lives every year.
Every year 7th April is recognized as World Health Day under the patronage of World Health Organization (WHO) with the aim of reaching people worldwide and educating them about various health concerns. Each year the focus is on a specific health concern in order to get people to come together and build a better and healthy future. The theme for World Health Day 2017 is ‘Depression’, with the goal of educating people about the condition and eradicating the social stigma around it. We must encourage people living with depression to talk about the condition and end it with medical help.
It is rather obvious that most people with mental illness do not seek medical treatment. The results of a 2014 study conducted by the WHO, on the rates of psychiatric treatment usage disclosed that nearly 30-80% of people with mental issues do not receive treatment.[4] The consequences of not receiving appropriate treatment for depression can be shocking. There are various reasons as to why people do not seek medical help, however, it is an urgent need to create awareness among people about the possibilities of treating depression because it is not a condition that cures over time and requires medical assistance. People need to know that it is okay to be sad but, only with a reason.
References
[1] http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2017/en/
[2] http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20515167,00.html#facebook-overload-0
[3] http://www.emirates247.com/lifestyle/health/depression-more-common-than-heart-disease-in-uae-2015-09-25-1.604600
[4] http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/82/11/en/858.pdf
Dr. Mohammed Yousef
Specialist Psychiatrist
Aster Clinic, Muteena
