ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

ANXIETY

First of all let us understand what we really mean by Anxiety.

In medical terminology the meaning of this word is somewhat different from what it is used  for every day life.

Anxiety is not the same as fear.The situation of fear is of short duration eg: a ferocious dog chasing you,you are getting late for an appointment or exam,a fast driving car about to hit you.

But in modern life,one facesseveral problems every dayof which some are persistent.

If the fear is short lived then anxiety will not occur but if there is a constant fear or persistent danger then anxiety will set in over a period of time.

Now the body biochemistry and physiology will play the important role while defending the fear.If the fear is persistant then the physiological compensation mechanism fails and anxiety state may develop.

This anxiety can even lead to other physical disorders such as headache,high blood pressure,

sexual dysfuntion ,etc.

Some anxiety is healthy and necessary.Treatment is given only if anxiety is chronic and persistent.

DEPRESSION

All of us have cyclical variations of moods.Sometimes we are happy and othertimes we are sad.Continuous sadness may lead to depression.

Chronic anxiety may also lead to depression.Hearing of bad news or sad news may lead to depression later.

Symptoms like slowing down of mental and physical activities,lack of interest in the surrounding ,loss of concentration and memory may occur.Also insomnia and physical disorders such as gastric disorders,loss of energy,impotence ,etc may occur.

Types of mental depression:

  Reactive depression eg:following the death of near and dear ones or realative or friend,loss of job,pschic trauma due to some cause,some major illness,etc.It is a reaction to a particular  event.

Another type is endogenous depression which is due to cause within the patient and not due to external causes.

Also there is iatragenic depression which is drug induced.

Yet there is another type of patient in whom depression is assocated with violent symptoms in the form of agitation,excitation,hyperactivity,aggression and panic called as manic deppresion.

Mental illness is one of the most complicated disorders .No one likes to be labelled as mentally sick.

In our country,mental illness is a stigma and the relatives usually try to keep him isolated.In some cases  the illness is considered  to be due to entrance of some evil spirit into the body and to get rid of it,prayers are offered in temples.This is a foolish concept.Very few of the patients are subjected to medical treatment.

There is definite biochemical changes in the brain,which cause the mental illness.

There are also some major mental diseases such as psycosis,schizophreia,mania

The drugs may not cause the complete cure in some patients but do allow him to live a fairly normal life.

TREATMENT For long time,sedatives including alcohol have been used for overcoming anxiety.

Sedatives do decrease the anxiety and put the patient to sleep but symptoms reccur as the effect of the drugs wears off and hence patient repeats the same drug.This continues and leads to habituation or addiction to these drugs.

Reassurance and psychotherapy is very usefull and forms part of treatment for anxiety and depression.

There are some drugs which can reduce anxiety and depression without causing much sedation.

There are some drugs which can help the patient in controlling the acute symptoms and make a patient more acceptable to the reassurance and psychotherapy.

Th extent of the illness should be carefully evaluated before starting the treatment.