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    • Mental and behavioural disorders account for 19% of the global burden of disease - WHO
    • It is estimated that nearly 450 million people suffer from a mental or behavioural disorder in the world - WHO
    • Nearly 10% of total population suffers from these disorders - WHO
    • Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
    • Nearly 1% of the Indian population suffer from serious mental & behavioural disorders and 10% from moderate disorders, requiring psychiatric help.
    • By 2020 mental depression will be largest cause of disabilty worldwide and by 2025 it may overtake heart diseases as the biggest health concern - WHO
    • About half of mental disorders begin before the age of 14 - WHO
    • Around 20% of the world's children and adolescents are estimated to have mental disorders or problems - WHO
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Depression

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Dr Sandeep Vohra, Managing Director of Vohra Neuropsychiatry Centre Healthcare, says depression is among the major causes of disability the world over, whereas per WHO over 340 million people are afflicted with the disease.

Depressive disorders affect people, irrespective of culture, race or social strata. Being a serious illness, depression causes changes in mood, thinking, physical well-being and behaviour. It can affect all aspects of one’s life. Fortunately, Vohra Neuropsychiatry Centre Healthcare offers online treatment options that help our worldwide patients come out of depression completely and lead a satisfying, productive life.

Our experts set up goals, develop a treatment plan and monitor patient’s progress. Often we handle patients from mild to serious depression including those with suicidal tendencies. Multiple factors are responsible for depression. These include changes in the chemical transmitters in the brain, heredity and various environmental factors. Neurochemical abnormalities make people with depressive disorder more vulnerable to emotional and physical stresses.

The situation is often accentuated by factors such as alcohol or drug abuse, sleeping problems, divorce, break-up in secure relationships, death in the family, physical abuse, social ostracism, etc. When the depression is severe, our doctors prescribe antidepressants, psychotherapy and other counselling programmes.

Chances of having a depressive disorder are somewhat higher if one has a biological relative with a mood disorder. Some studies suggest a three-fold increase in the rate of depressive disorder in family members of such individuals; however multiple factors are responsible for causation of the illness.

Urgency of diagnosis in depression is critical so that proper treatment is promptly initiated. This decreases the frequency of future recurrences and hospitalizations. With early treatment, the possibility of excellent recovery is high. Treatment delays often lead to hospitalisation and a worse outcome. Further, the more acute episodes of depressive disorder a person has, the harder it is to treat each subsequent episode.

Early intervention in depression may not only save the patient months of pain and suffering but also prevent attempted suicides by 15-20% of people.

Symptoms

Various symptoms and signs of depressive disorder include:

  • Persistent mood of sadness
  • Loss of interest in activities that were previously pleasurable
  • Difficulty in concentrating or remembering
  • Sleep disturbances such as insomnia, waking-up early mornings or excess sleep
  • Symptoms such as tingling, numbness, palpitations, sweating etc.
  • Appetite and weight changes (loss or gain)
  • Feelings of guilt, hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness
  • Thoughts of death or suicide
  • Anyone experiencing a few or all of these symptoms for at least two weeks may have depressive illness and should seek the advice of a doctor.
  • Immediate professional help must be sought from a doctor in case of suspected illness.

Treatment

In general, treatment for depression include:

  • Antidepressant Medicines
  • Psychotherapy
  • If one has a mild depression, one may only need one of these treatments. People with more severe depression usually need a combination of both treatments.
  • Cognitive behavioural therapy involves fighting off negative thoughts. Psychotherapy can unearth issues behind the depression. Joining a support group of people with similar problems is also helpful.

Vohra Neuropsychiatry Centre Healthcare psychiatrists have a unique track-record in administering regular online healing to a large number of our patients both within India and other countries.

Dr Sandeep Vohra, Managing Director of Vohra Neuropsychiatry Centre Healthcare, is sanguine about the recovery of patients through regular treatment regime offered by the centre. Our treatment helps relieve symptoms of depression leading to rewarding and meaningful lives of patients in their communities.