Depression and its effects on students
Depression is a common mood disorder with a prevalence of approximately 5% in general population.
Depression is a state of mind producing long term lowering of enjoyment of life or inability to visualize a happy future. Results from complex interaction of social, psychological and biological factors.
Most time when you feel down, you are not depressed. Feeling sad or unhappy and irritable when something goes wrong in your life, for example fight with parents or girlfriend or boyfriend or bad results on a test. Depression can changes your mental and physical health as well as your life.
I am here to discuss the types, psychological and somatic symptoms of depression, effects of depression on student’s life and how will you council these people.
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There are three types of depression mild, moderate and major depression.
Mild or low mood depression it means that feeling unhappy or sad because something happened.
Moderate depression means the sadness goes on too long very hard to get out of the low mood.
Major type of depression – mood disorder present with at least 2-week course of symptoms that is a change from the previous level of functioning. Diagnosis requires depressed mood or Anhedonia ( loss of interest/pleasure and five or more sign and symptoms.
It is important to know that depression has physical (somatic) and mental (psychological) symptoms.
Psychological symptoms may include, depressed mood, reduced self-esteem, loss of interest, loss of enjoyment, pessimism, guilt and succidal thinking.
Somatic symptoms are reduced appetite, weight changes, bowel disturbance, disturbed sleep, fatigue and motor retardation ( slowing of activity).
Let’s have a look on student’s life :
Major risk factors that will lead to mood disorder or depression on student’s life are studies pressure, lack of time, strong and long syllabus, family pressure, social activation, teachers torture , relations, society pressure, personality, language and financial problems.
A student suffers from three levels which includes his social, personal and his school, college or university life.
However if student’s mind is not at the proper range cause of this dreadful disease he/she can not be able to do good with studies nor even the suitable behavior with school mates either its teachers or some other people.
Subsequently in a personal life it gets even more worst because a student spends most of his time in home. Not thinking in a appropriate way to parents or siblings can destroy the imagine of once and also can spoil relationship. Depression causes so many terrifying outcomes as suppose in social gathering, a student can be titled with many unwanted words or feelings that he/she is not behaving in good way, a person is recognized in gatherings cause of his thinking way and manners and exactly depression creep them.
How to manage and council these people
First of all you should rule out the cause.
You should never attempt any medical treatment for health concerns before consulting with your doctor.
Management of depression can be divided into :
Pharmacotherapy:
Effective in 50-70% of patients.
In pharmacotherapy most commonly prescribed medication for depressive disorders are anti-depressants.
Electroconvulsive therapy:
Safe, highly effective and often life saving therapy that is reserved for psychotic depression, if rapid improvement is needed ( severe suicidality). This treatment is also safe during pregnancy. This treatment requires 2 to 3 per week treatment for a total of 6-12 treatments.
Phototherapy
Effective for patients whose depression has a seasonal pattern.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS):
It is now approved for the treatment of major depression.
Counseling
Counseling is very effective if you council properly. Tell him/her to understand yourself and your values, improve interpersonal communication, be more positive, fun and happy. Improve your sleep, diet and general health. Regular exercise. Reduce anxiety, stress, irritability and depression, look at challenges with new perspective. Explore life directions, career goals and job search. Regain hope, self confidence and work/life balance, spend much time with your family, siblings and your friends.
Depressed person needs deep and kind conversation. Bringing joy and entertainment to their lives can be prove helpful to them. Thus, depression is juggling with your thoughts, in result you got terrible effects.
DR. Hina Naz Rahoojo is MBBS and practicing doctor based in Karachi. She is pathogen-disease specialist.
