Depression
Depression is a kind of ailment that needs to be treated medically. Causes of depression are several, e.g., marital discord, insecurity, financial bankruptcy, menopause, ill health, etc. Very often, a person does not realise that he/she is suffering from depression and it may go unnoticed until it becomes a case of manic depression.
Usually the person suffering from depression is the last to recognise it and, in some cases, he/she may not want to recognise it. This is a state of denial when the person does not wish to accept the fact that he/she suffers from depressive tendencies. People often switch in and out of depression, making it difficult for family members to ascertain whether there is depression or not. It becomes dicey while handling such people as one never knows when they will become depressed, or that any statement or event may trigger the depression.
A few decades ago, depression was a taboo topic. If a person had depressive tendencies, everyone turned a blind eye towards this characteristic and the person just deteriorated. However, it is now widely accepted that depression is not something to be shunned but treated just like any other ailment. But, for the treatment to be effective, the person suffering from depression (i.e., the patient) should accept this fact and be ready for treatment.
A clinical psychologist studies and evaluates a person’s depressive tendencies and prescribes medications accordingly. Usually, the medication must be taken orally on a daily basis and, for this to be successful, the concurrence of the individual is mandatory. The dosage is generally high in the beginning and then is gradually reduced once the patient starts showing improvement. After some time, the medication may be stopped permanently. However, if there are any signs of relapse, then the medications should be resumed immediately (but after consulting the doctor).
