depression-symptoms, treatment and self help

                                                                       DEPRESSION

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness 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 once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.

Symptoms

• 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., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide

How Is Depression Treated?

Depression is among the most treatable of mental disorders. Between 80 percent and 90 percent of people with depression eventually respond well to treatment. Almost all patients gain some relief from their symptoms.

Before a diagnosis or treatment, a health professional should conduct a thorough diagnostic evaluation, including an interview and possibly a physical examination. In some cases, a blood test might be done to make sure the depression is not due to a medical condition like a thyroid problem. The evaluation is to identify specific symptoms, medical and family history, cultural factors and environmental factors to arrive at a diagnosis and plan a course of action.

Medication:

 Brain chemistry may contribute to an individual’s depression and may factor into their treatment. For this reason, antidepressants might be prescribed to help modify one’s brain chemistry. These medications are not sedatives, “uppers” or tranquilizers. They are not habit-forming. Generally antidepressant medications have no stimulating effect on people not experiencing depression.

Antidepressants may produce some improvement within the first week or two of use. Full benefits may not be seen for two to three months. If a patient feels little or no improvement after several weeks, his or her psychiatrist can alter the dose of the medication or add or substitute another antidepressant. In some situations other psychotropic medications may be helpful. It is important to let your doctor know if a medication does not work or if you experience side effects.

Psychiatrists usually recommend that patients continue to take medication for six or more months after symptoms have improved. Longer-term maintenance treatment may be suggested to decrease the risk of future episodes for certain people at high risk.

Psychotherapy:

 Psychotherapy, or “talk therapy,” is sometimes used alone for treatment of mild depression; for moderate to severe depression, psychotherapy is often used in along with antidepressant medications. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been found to be effective in treating depression. CBT is a form of therapy focused on the present and problem solving. CBT helps a person to recognize distorted thinking and then change behaviors and thinking.

Psychotherapy may involve only the individual, but it can include others. For example, family or couples therapy can help address issues within these close relationships. Group therapy involves people with similar illnesses.

Depending on the severity of the depression, treatment can take a few weeks or much longer. In many cases, significant improvement can be made in 10 to 15 sessions.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

 is a medical treatment most commonly used for patients with severe major depression or bipolar disorder who have not responded to other treatments. It involves a brief electrical stimulation of the brain while the patient is under anesthesia. A patient typically receives ECT two to three times a week for a total of six to 12 treatments. ECT has been used since the 1940s, and many years of research have led to major improvements. It is usually managed by a team of trained medical professionals including a psychiatrist, an anesthesiologist and a nurse or physician assistant.

Self-help 

There are a number of things people can do to help reduce the symptoms of depression. For many people, regular exercise helps create positive feeling and improve mood. Getting enough quality sleep on a regular basis, eating a healthy diet and avoiding alcohol (a depressant) can also help reduce symptoms of depression.

Depression is a real illness and help is available. With proper diagnosis and treatment, the vast majority of people with depression will overcome it. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, a first step is to see your family physician or psychiatrist. Talk about your concerns and request a thorough evaluation. This is a start to addressing mental health needs.

Overall	Depression	Anxiety	Alcohol & Drug Use
China	India	India	China
India	China	China	India
U.S.	U.S.	U.S.	U.S.
Russia	Indonesia	Brazil	Russia
Brazil	Brazil	Indonesia	Brazil
Indonesia	Russia	Pakistan	U.K.
Pakistan	Pakistan	Bangladesh	Germany
Bangladesh	Bangladesh	Nigeria	Mexico
Nigeria	Nigeria	Turkey	Japan
Germany	Iran	Iran	France

                                               overcome your depression lead a happy life.

pulley

                                      Pulley

A pulley is a grooved wheel which is rotated about a fixed axis by a rope which passes round it. The axis is supported by a frame work or block and the whole structure may be used either as a fixed pulley or a movable pulley.

The Fixed Pulley:

       This is used to alter the direction of a force and enables traction or resistance to be applied at any angle. the pulley block is fixed to some suitable support and the rope which passes round the wheel is attached to the weight at one end and the effect is effort is applied at the other. The fixed pulley system is used in the body by some muscles to allow them to be inserted at a more advantageous angle. 

Eg: Digastric and omohyoid muscles pull round fibrous loops 

The Movable Pulley:

         This device is used to gain a mechanical advantage when lifting heavy weights. One simple combination is in common use for lifting the trunk for suspension exercises.

Upper pulley is fixed to an overhead support ,to which one end of the rope is attached .the rope is wounded round the movable pulley ,the effort being applied at the free end. The tension is the same in all parts of the rope.

Mechanical advantage=W/E

Where,

           W- weight

           E- effort

diabetes

         Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose level.                
 diabetes-polyurea

Mellitus-honey

Diabetes mellitus is classified into

1.primary diabetes

2.secondary diabetes

         Primary diabetes

*type1 (insulin dependent diabetes mellitus)

*type2 (non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus)

        Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Type1 diabetes mellitus is due to deficiency of insulin because of beta cells in islets of langerhans.this type occur before 40 years person affected by this requires insulin injection.

Causes:

1.degeneration of beta cells in islets of langerhans.

2.destruction of beta cells by viral infection.

3.congenital disorder of beta cells.

4.destruction of beta cells during autoimmune diseases.

         Type2 diabetes mellitus

Type2 diabetes mellitus is due to insulin resistance.(failure of insulin receptors) about 90% of diabetes patient have type2 diabetes.this occurs after 40 years.mostly controlled by oral hypoglycemic drugs.it is non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

Causes:

1.genetic disorder

2.lifestyle changes such as bad eating habits and physical inactivity leading to obesity

3.stress

Secondary diabetes mellitus

It is a rare type and only about 2% of patients have secondary diabetes mellitus.it may be temporary or permanent due to underlying causes.

Causes:

1.Endocrine disorder

2.damage of pancreas

3.pancreatectomy

4.liver disease(fatty liver,hepatitis C)

5.autoimmune diseases

6.excessive use of drugs,steroids,etc.,

Signs and symptoms:

1.glucosuria(loss of glucose in urine)

2.polyuria(excess urine formation)

3.polydipsia(increase intake of water)

4.polyphagia(excess intake of food)

5.asthenia(loss of strength)

6.acidosis

7.acetone breathing(life threatening condition)

8.circulatory shock(occurs only in severe condition)

9.coma

Complications

1.cardiovascular complications like

*hypertension

*myocardial infraction(heart attack)

2.diabetic retinopathy(degenerative changes in retina)

3.diabetic nephropathy(degenerative changes in kidney)

4.diabetic neuropathy(degeneration of autonomic and peripheral nerves)

Diagnostic tests for diabetes:

1.fasting blood glucose

2.postprandial blood glucose

3.glucose tolerance test(gtt)

4.glycosylated hemoglobin

Treatment:

Type1 diabetes is treated by exogenous insulin.

Type2 diabetes is treated by oral hypoglycemic drugs.