Why we must talk health

            DEPRESSION

 

  Depression is no laughing matter, it it a disease and needs a profession attention.

  A 45 year old woman visits a doctor complaining of sleeping problems and lack of appetite. She also inform her doctor that she can go two complete days without eating any meals and this has cause her to lose a lot of weight. she complained about not being happy about life and that of recent she has started drinking a lot too. she said this all started six weeks ago when she found out that her husband had been cheating on her.
  A husband and wife at their late 40's visits a marriage counselor. During the session, the wife told the counselor that the husband has been coming home drunk every night and most times returns home in the early hours of the morning. He has also started watching television hours and hours which is something he never used to do. She tells the counselor that her husband is a building contractor but has not had any project in a while.
In the scenarios above, both patients are most likely suffering from Major Depression Disorder; a medical condition loosely known as depression.
 Depression is a mood disorder that has been present in an individual for at least two weeks. It is characterized by one or more major depressive outburst. It is more common in females although a large number of men still go through depression. Clinical depression in men is not commonly recognize because men deny having any problems for fear as being seen as weak. Men tend to mask their depression by over drinking at bars, staying out late, watching too much television etc.
 Depression is most seen in people in their late 20's and the prevalence increase with age. But it is pertinent to note that about 15% of patient with depression end up committing suicide!!! This is a large percentage therefore the earlier we know more about this disease, the better we are as a society.
 The issue of mental health has not received the attention it deserves, especially here in Nigeria. Though it is almost brushed off or seen as something comical, it is no laughing matter. Instead of using social media and mock those that suffer from this condition, it is far better to use it and spread more awareness about depression and offer solutions to help people.
Different people suffering from depression experience different symptoms but the most common symptom can be summarized with a mnemonic "sigecaps".
S: Sleep changes-Hypersomnia (sleeping too much) or Insomnia (lack of sleep)
I: Loss of interest
G: Guilt (feeling of worthlessness)
E: Loss of Energy; fatigue
C: Loss of Concentration
A: Appetite changes; lack of appetite or overeating
P: Changes in Psychomotor Agitation-purposeless leg-shaking, restlessness, extremely slow movements etc.
S: Suicide thought
If you are experiencing any of the above mention symptoms, the good news is that there is a cure for depression. Not only is the a cure for depression, the even better news is that 70 - 80% of patients that take this medication actually gets treated. So why not give it a try rather than suffer and be miserable. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms so that they can advise on the best medication that can restore your mind and body back to optimal health.
 The best treatment for depression is known as SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors).Serotonin is a happy chemical and these drugs help to prevent this chemical from being excreted and keeps it in the body much longer. Examples of SSRIs includes: Flouxetine (Prozac), Paroxetine, Sertraline (Zoloft) etc.
 In addition to pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy has also been proven to be effective. Psychotherapy helps reduce depression by teaching patient how to identify negative conditions and triggers and helps them develop positive ways of thinking.
 Another way a depressed patient can benefit is by being affiliated with support groups. In a case that one does not have access to these social support groups, the family can act like the support system for the patient. this is important because continues affirmations  and uplighting with encouraging words would gradually elevates one's mood from depression.
 Lastly, electroconvulsive therapy might be useful for very severe cases when the initial therapy does not work, or if the patient is acutely suicidal . In patients that are suicidal, it is best that the are admitted to the hospital immediately. Electroconvulsive shock therapy would be used on such a patient afterwards followed by antidepressant medications.
Depression is very real and very prevalent in our society and we just have to cone to terms with that fact.
In November, 2015, former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, stated in a public address that 48 million Nigerians suffer from depression;  that is almost one-fourth of the nation! an alarming 800,000 people die of depression yearly and there is nothing funny about that! It is very important to recognize the symptoms of this illness so that we can be able to help out a loved one who might be in need of some compassion , support or medical attention.
Just remember....depression could happen to anyone!
 Disclaimer: The medical information provided here by Dr. Nini Iyizoba is provided as an information resource only. This information does not create any patient-physician relationship and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
 For more of health related issues, you can follow Dr. Nini Iyizoba on twitter.com @askdnini
  Also related  A FACE OF CHANGE AS OLOTU STEPS IN! https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6352484011975937214#editor/target=post;postID=2595895467415133576;onPublishedMenu=editor;onClosedMenu=editor;postNum=1;src=postname