Depression Is a Medical Condition, Not a Weakness
Depression affects a large number of Indian adults, and most never seek treatment. It responds well to treatment — often better than many chronic physical conditions do.
Read articleDepression is a medical illness affecting mood, sleep, appetite, energy and thinking, not a weakness of character or a lack of willpower. It is common, it is treatable, and in this region it frequently presents as body aches and tiredness rather than as sadness.
Symptoms
Not everyone gets every symptom, and the pattern can differ in older people, in people with diabetes and in children. These are the ones most often reported.
- Persistent low mood or loss of interest in things once enjoyed
- Disturbed sleep — difficulty falling asleep, or waking very early
- Loss of appetite and weight, or excessive eating
- Constant tiredness and lack of energy
- Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
- Feelings of worthlessness, guilt or being a burden on the family
- Unexplained body aches, headache and stomach complaints with normal reports
When to see a doctor
Do not wait these out
If any of the following applies, arrange to be seen the same day. For anything sudden or severe, call 9281862028 or come straight to the emergency department at SIMS — it is open 24 hours and does not need an appointment.
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide, or feeling that life is not worth living — seek help the same day
- Low mood or loss of interest lasting more than two weeks
- Inability to work, study or manage the household
- Depression after childbirth, or in a person with a chronic illness
- Marked weight loss, not eating, or not speaking
Tests that may be advised
Your consultant will order only the investigations that change the plan. Most of the following are available on the SIMS campus, so results usually come back the same visit.
- Clinical psychiatric assessment and structured mood rating
- Thyroid function tests
- Haemoglobin and vitamin B12 levels
- Blood sugar and, in older adults, cognitive assessment
- Review of current medicines and alcohol use, both of which can cause low mood
How it is treated
Treatment is decided case by case — by how advanced the problem is, what else you are being treated for, and what you can realistically sustain. Broadly, it involves the following.
- Counselling and structured psychotherapy, which works well in mild to moderate illness
- Antidepressant medication where indicated, continued for the full recommended period
- Regular sleep, activity and daily routine, with graded return to work
- Family involvement and education, since support at home strongly affects recovery
- Treatment of alcohol use, thyroid disease and anaemia where present
- Close follow-up in the first weeks, and safety planning where there is risk of self-harm
This page is general information, not a diagnosis
Depression can look like several other conditions, and the reverse is equally true. Nothing here can replace an examination, your test results and the judgement of the doctor treating you — and no medicine mentioned by name to a friend or relative should be started on the strength of this page. If you recognise yourself in it, book a consultation with the Psychiatry department. If a symptom is sudden or severe, call 9281862028.