Depression is a state of despondency or dejection. Sickness, a major accident, the death of a loved one, or a financial crisis, can lead one to depression. After a major tragedy like the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, many affected suffered from trauma and still get depressed around this time to this day.

Depressed individuals become apathetic towards life. They stop talking, laughing, eating, and sleeping. Exceptionally, some may oversleep. In extreme cases, the person attempts suicide. Not eating adequately results in malnutrition and poor health. Apathy towards work can make them lose their jobs, thus creating stress and added depression. And apathy towards a relationship can break that relationship.

A person suffering from depression needs to be counselled. They have to be told that what has happened is over. They need to move ahead with life. They should not be criticised in any manner, otherwise, they will not heed the advice given. One has to be very patient and loving while counselling individuals suffering from depression.

It is very important to keep a person suffering from depression very busy, physically and mentally. If they sit idle, their mind tends to wander repeatedly on the situation leading to depression. Being connected with close ones is very helpful in this regard. A depressed person may not feel like talking to a friend or relative, but they should try. Friends should understand this situation and talk to them frequently. Those with suicidal ideas should never be left alone. They should be kept involved in some creative useful activity. Activities like gardening, reading, making handicrafts, sports, and more, keep a person occupied and happy.

Vocational rehabilitation of depressed individuals gives them a new chance to get on with life and overcome their grief, thus watering down depression. Meditation and prayers also help to soothe a depressed mental state. Breathing exercises in yoga are very useful to help people relax mentally and cure depression.

Alcohol and other addicting substances are sometimes abused by individuals suffering from depression to overcome it. But they provide only temporary respite. Once their effect finishes off, a person may revert. Moreover, these abusive substances have multiple harmful effects on health.

Drug treatment is available to treat depression. Tranquilisers and sedatives simply suppress it but do not cure it totally. On stopping these drugs, there is a risk of reversal of depression. Their long-term use can result in some undesirable side effects, like the stiffness of joints and body, abnormal postures of limbs and or face, and habituation, which become more troublesome.

Anti-depressants have interactions with some other drugs like those used for pain, hypertension, diabetes, epilepsy, etc. Somebody taking any one or more of these drugs should be careful, otherwise one of the medicines can be ineffective or toxic.

A person suffering from depression should be motivated to take a nutritious diet.

Taking care of a depressed person is hard work for the care providers. This is truer for persons who have been victims of major accidents or severe violence as in wars, attacks, or genocides and suffer from depression as a consequence.

Caregivers have to be very careful in their approach because any loose comment can send them back to a depressed state. Professional institutional care is better for severe cases than home care. At times a person feels more comfortable with sympathetic strangers as compared to relatives.

A true cure for a person suffering from depression would be when they start behaving and working normally and looking happy. It occurs gradually and progresses slowly, but it does occur.

Dr Rachna Pande is a specialist in internal medicine