The following factors can increase the risk of developing depression:

 

• Having relatives with depression
• Having traumatic experiences as a child
• Having family members who have committed suicide
• Experiencing stressful life events
• Having few friends or other personal relationships
• Recently having given birth (postpartum depression)
• Having a serious illness
• Abusing alcohol or drugs
• Taking certain conventional treatment

 

There are many potential triggers for depression that are as follows:

 

• Family history and genetics — inherited traits, including psychological vulnerability and relatives with depression
• Life events - loss of a loved one, financial problems, medical illness or stress
• Biological factors and hormonal changes due to physical conditions
• Early childhood trauma

 

General symptoms of depression are stated here:

 

• Sad mood
• Preoccupation with past failures or inadequacies
• Loss of self-esteem
• Feelings of uselessness, hopelessness and excessive guilt
• Slowed thinking, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating and difficulty in making decisions
• Loss of interest in work, hobbies and people
• Lethargy and fatigue
• Agitation or restlessness
• Changes in weight and appetite — eating too little or too much
• Oversleeping or insomnia
• Decreased sexual drive
• Thoughts of death, dying or suicide

 

Common signs of depression in children are different from those in adults. They are as follows:

 

• In children - sadness, irritability, clinginess, worry, aches and pains, refusing to go to school or being underweight
• In teenagers - sadness, irritability, feeling negative and worthless, anger, poor performance or poor attendance at school, feeling misunderstood and extremely sensitive, using recreational drugs or alcohol, eating or sleeping too much, self-harm, loss of interest in normal activities and avoidance of social interaction

 

Signs of depression are different or less obvious in the elderly such as:

 

• Memory difficulties or personality changes
• Physical aches or pain
• Fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep problems or no interest in sex — not caused by a medical condition or medication
• Not socializing or doing new things
• Suicidal feelings, especially in older men

 

Grief is a natural reaction to the loss of an important relationship. When we lose a significant relationship in our lives, we feel depressive symptoms like loss of appetite and disturbed sleep. About 30% of people who have lost a significant other will continue to have these symptoms 2 months after the loss. These symptoms, however, usually lessen within 6 months.
Although both conditions may include depressed mood, loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, and decreased energy, people with depression usually experience a sense of worthlessness, guilt and/or low self-esteem that is not common in normal grief reactions. For some, a grief reaction can develop into a major depression. For example, about 15% of grieving individuals will develop major depression one year after a loss.

We have days when we feel depressed; these feelings are temporary. Occasional bad days are part of life and not depression. Remember, a diagnosis of depression requires that you have these symptoms every day, or nearly every day, for a period of two weeks.
Sometimes, these feelings may persist for several days or even a week. This is common following the break-up of a relationship or other unpleasant event. Still, while you may have some of the symptoms of depression, it is unlikely that you have major depression unless a number of the symptoms are present and impair daily functioning. Even if you do not have major depression, you may have an adjustment disorder that would benefit from professional help. A doctor can differentiate between a period of the blues and clinical depression.

Women develop depression twice as often as men. One reason is the changes in hormone levels that women experience. Depression is common during pregnancy and menopause, as well as after giving birth, suffering a miscarriage, or having a hysterectomy - these are all times when women experience huge fluctuations in hormones. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), an extreme form of PMS, may also cause depression.

Having experienced an episode of major depression does put a person at greater risk for future episodes, but not everyone who has recovered from depression will experience it again. Sometimes depression is triggered by a major life event, illness, or a combination of factors particular to a certain place and time. Depression can also occur for no obvious 'reason’. Getting the proper treatment for the correct amount of time is crucial to recovery and in helping prevent or identify any future depression.

If left untreated, various types of depressive disorders can last for months or sometimes years. A major depressive episode is characterized by a set of symptoms that typically lasts for a few months.
Seasonal depression, or SAD, usually extends throughout the winter months and continues to improve during spring and summer.

Alcohol, street drugs and some prescription medications can provide a temporary break from some of the symptoms of depression. However, this "self-medication simply masks—and sometimes worsens—the symptoms. In some people, depression can be triggered by abuse of alcohol and other drugs.

In conventional treatment, anti-depressants are widely used to treat moderate to severe depression. However, anti-depressants can only ease the symptoms of depression, without actually addressing the root cause of it. Also, it has been proven through several clinical studies that besides doing just a little to manage depression, anti-depressants may cause severe side-effects like sexual dysfunction, weight gain, and sleep disturbances. They also cause withdrawal symptoms like upset stomach, extreme tiredness, vivid dreams, and electric shock like sensation in the body.

Yes, you should take homeopathic treatment for depression. Homeopathy is a holistic treatment that does not merely look at the symptoms, because no two patients of depression present with the same set of symptoms. Homeopathy takes into account the root cause of depression and treatment is suggested accordingly to treat the root that caused it. If the patient has insomnia or menstrual problems along with depression, she will see all the symptoms improving with homeopathic approach. Also, unlike anti-depressants, homeopathy treats without any adverse effects. Homeopathy also regulates the balance of serotonin (happy hormones) and provides long-term relief without causing drug dependency.

Mr. Aamir, it is important to assess the level of depression - whether it is severe, moderate or mild. With an in-depth analysis, a professional can advise and treat you accordingly. Homeopathy is a safe, natural and a proven form of treatment that regulates the levels of happy hormones to reduce emotional sensitivity and elevate the mood. A few tips can also help you to overcome depression. Include foods rich in Vit B12, Vit D and Omega 3 like whole grains, flax seeds and seasonal fruits. Avoid alcohol and excess of caffeine. Exercises like brisk walking for about 30 minutes should help you deal with depression.

Yes Mr. Ashutosh, homeopathy surely helps in depression by regulating the levels of serotonin which is a happy hormone and reducing emotional hyper-sensitivity. Homeopathy deals with underlying emotional concerns and helps to attain emotional stability too.

Hello Mr. Satish, your complaints are signs of depression. Please consult a professional for the right medicines or visit our nearby clinic. We will analyse your condition and prescribe homeopathic medicines which will regulate the serotonin levels (happy hormone) and reduce the emotional hyper-sensitivity. Express what you feel to your near and dear ones; you are not the only one to face this. You can take care by taking good diet rich in Vit B12 , Vit D3 and Omega like nuts, flax seeds, vegetables, whole fruits, whole grains and exercise for 30 mins everyday.

Hello Arkava, the symptoms you are experiencing need to be evaluated to know how severe they are before diagnosing it as depression. You can visit our nearby clinic for an assessment and evaluation post which you would be guided.

Ms. Anju, what are the symptoms you're facing? We need to know before we diagnose it as depression. Kindly share it with us so that we can help you. Alternatively, you can also visit a nearby clinic for a personal consultation with our doctor.

Hello Ms. Yogeshree, you can take care of depression by taking a good diet that is rich in Vit B12, Vit D3 and Omega like nuts, flax seeds, vegetables, whole fruits, whole grains, and exercise for 30 minutes everyday. Exercises will help you in getting better. We would definitely recommend you consult a doctor in case of a need of medical treatment.

Hello Ms.Reva, we understand what you feel; you must seek professional help. Please consult a doctor for professional help on this matter. Homeopathic medicines deal with the underlying emotional concerns and help to attain emotional stability by regulating the serotonin levels which is a happy hormone. It is a very good option for depression.

Hello Ms.Mona, if anti-depressants are not helping, take her to a doctor who ca assess and treat her. Ensure that she follows a good diet rich in Vit B12, Vit D3 and Omega. She must sleep well and exercise. She must take homeopathy which will help in treating the underlying emotional causes and aid in emotional stability. Homeopathic medicine will also help in tapering down anti-depressants with no side effects.

Hello Kushagra, are you on a medical treatment? There is a way out of depression with homeopathic medicines which treats the underlying emotional concerns and gives emotional stability. Homeopathy even regulates the levels of serotonin which is a happy hormone with no side effects. Visit the nearby clinic for a detail case analysis and medical treatment.

Hello Anshul, procrastination can be a symptom of depression. Few tips can help you deal with procrastination. It includes to make a to-do list, prioritize your tasks and follow a routine. Exercise like brisk walking, eat well and sleep well.

Hello Umesh, OCD is when you are having unwanted and repetitive thoughts and persistently want to do something which can be unwanted like repeatedly washing hands, fear of dirt, re-arranging arranged things or fear of harming anyone. This can bring in anxiety and discomfort to you at home and at work which can be upsetting leading to depression. You then have trouble in enjoying daily activities, get isolated, persistently cry, don’t sleep well and have a poor appetite. Having two diseases linked together gets difficult to cope. This needs medical care. People with OCD are at a greater risk of developing depression. Homeopathy is safe, natural and proven treatment which will address the underlying emotions and get you better.

Alternative therapy like diet rich in Vit B12, Vit D3, Omega and Tryptophan and exercises help in getting better but you need to even consult a professional if there is a need of medical treatment.

Hello Aman, one can be introvert or extrovert in nature. If your introvert there is nothing wrong being introvert. Introverts are creative, brilliant at art, writers, thoughtful listeners, they can be passionate entrepreneurs. They are not loners. To what I understand is that you have been facing social anxiety which is an intense and persistent fear of being watched and judged by others which affects your day to day at college like you assignments and even getting along with your friends. If you show symptoms like palpitation, anxiety, confusion, fear, embarrassment, sweating, trembling, less sleep then seek medical help. Researches show that the less sleep you get, more anxious you feel. Visit our doctor at Dr. Batras where an individual case history would be taken and would advise you on the medicines if needed. Homeopathy is safe, natural and proven form of treatment with no side effects which understands the underlying mindset and emotions of the patient and can help you to get away with your anxieties, improves your mood and helps you to feel better and positive. Few tips can help you deal with Social Anxiety. Exercise daily like yoga, stretching, and brisk walking. Avoid alcohol and excess caffeine. Get adequate sleep of 8 hours.

Hello Mr. Vishal, your efforts of wanting to be happy and positive and geting your depressed can be due to circumstances around you or mild form of depression or underlying medical conditions. It is essential to assess and analyse by a professional to come to a diagnosis. Homeopathic medicines understands the underlying mindset and help you in attaining emotional stability.

Hello Harsimran, this lack of motivation and no ambition can be a cause due to depression and other mental illness. Don’t mistake this as laziness. It is very important to assess the level of depression whether it is mild, moderate or severe, recent or long lasting, underlying medical illness which is often linked to thyroid problems which the professional will analyse on detail case history and advise you the needed treatment. Homeopathy is a safe, natural and proven form of treatment with no side effects which deals with the underlying emotional concerns and helps to attain emotional stability. Homeopathic medicines regulate the level of serotonin (happy hormone) for reducing emotional hypersensitivity. Apart from medicines see to that you share what your feel with your family, do not ignore, eat well, sleep well and exercise like brisk walking.

Hello Tanmoy, you will get over it in time; it happens to many and you will find someone better. Accept and acknowledge and let go of your feelings. Few tips can help you in overcoming this feeling. It includes boosting your spirit with physical activity, devote yourself to work, open yourself to new relationship, look forward for the future.

Hello Reena, depression is a condition that affects how a person thinks, feels and behaves. It interferes with a person’s ability to experience pleasure and daily functioning in life. There can be various causes like genetic factor; drug induced like OC pills, anti hypertensive drugs, statins that can cause depression. Certain Chronic illness like Diabetes Mellitus, Heart Diseases, Arthritis, HIV, Multiple sclerosis, grief which can be situational like loss of loved ones and business loss. Alcohol can also cause depression. Thyroid diseases and menopause are also the causes of depression. 36% of the population suffer depression, not all are treated. Do not ignore if you have the following symptoms lasting for more than 2-3 weeks. Symptoms can be withdrawal from family and friends, feeling guilty, anxious, sadness, confusion, indecisive, self criticism, low on energy with fatigue, sleeping too much or too little, weight gain or weight loss. Don't ignore if you have suicidal thoughts. Seek Medical care where the professional will assess the level of depression whether mild, moderate or severe. Eat well and get adequate sleep of 8 hours. Do not self medicate as it has adverse reactions.

Hi Madhu, triple vessel disease is also known as coronary artery disease or ischemic heart disease. It causes reduction of blood flow to the muscles of the heart due to plaques building up in the arteries. There are symptoms like chest pain which may radiate to the arm or shoulder and cause difficulty in breathing. In many cases, the first sign is heart attack. Risk factors are high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol. The measures to reduce the disease are eating a healthy diet, regular exercises, maintaining ideal weight, and controlling smoking and alcohol intake. The treatment will depend on the severity of symptoms and investigations in cases where it doesnt land up in a medical emergency. Please visit the nearest clinic to have the doctor assess the case and recommend upon the treatment.

Hi Avijit, Dr Batra's homeoapthy is available in over 225 locations in India and abroad. Have a look at this page and choose your preferred location: https://www.drbatras.com/homeopathy-clinics

Hi Suman, the treatment of gall stones depends on 2 factors. When there are no symptoms and the calculus size is small, no treatment is required. If there are symptoms, we recommend the treatment depending on the size of calculus - whether it can be treated medically or surgically. Homeopathic medicines regulate the secretion of cholesterol and normalises the density of bile having the stones to melt. In some cases, the stones stay fixed in one place. The medicines which are used are Cardus Mar 30, Chelidonium 30 and Lycopodium 200. Visit one of our clinics for a detailed assessment of your case and a further plan of treatment.

Hello Piyush, schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels and behaves. Some of its major symptoms are hallucinations and delusions along with disorganised thoughts and speech. This condition requires a long-term treatment which can help control the disease. Along with medications, counseling and self-help measures benefit the patient. Homeopathic treatment is effective in treating schizophrenia. The remedies are selected after in-depth analysis of the case - some of which are Lachesis 200, Anacardium 200, Hyoscyamus 200, Stramonium 200 and Thuja 200.

Hi Yoginder, you must be aware of the correlation between cold, cough,and polyps. Allergic rhinitis causes symptoms of cold-like running nose, sneezing, watering from the eyes, itching in the eyes, nose or throat, which if left untreated or suppressed may lead to nasal polyps. Some of the medicines which are used in this conditons are Nux Vomica 200, Sambucus 200, Ars Alb 30, Sinapis Nigra 30, Lemna Minor 30 and Teucricum 30.

Hi Panicker, Beleivem you are talking about giddiness or vertigo? Along with head spinning, you may also experience nausea, headaches, ear ringing and abnormal eye movements. First and foremost, the cause of vertigo needs to be diagnosed. The common conditions in which vertigo is a symptom are Meniere's disease, Vestibular Neuritis, Benign positional paraoxysmal vertigo, head injury, motion sickness, etc. Homeopathy can treat vertigo based on the theory of individualisation. The medicines used in this conditions are Gelsimium 30, Conium 30, Cocculus 30, Phos 30, Causticum 30 and Arg nit 200.

Hi Shantilal, The most common prostrate problem is Benign Enlargement of Prostate or enlarged prostate (in men above 50 years) and prostatitis (in men below 50 yrs). The symptoms are frequent urination, especially at night, difficulty in urination, trouble in starting a stream of urination or dribbling urination. Homeopathic treatment can save you from surgery if taken at the initial stages. The remedies used are Sabal Serrulata 30, Conium 30, Cantharis 30, Sarsaparilla 30, Clematis erecta 30 and Agnus Castus 30.