Have you been low lately? Do you feel this daily grind at the courts is a big drag? Is there a feeling of fatigue and helplessness accompanied with negative and pessimistic thoughts? Are eating as usual and still losing weight or perhaps gaining it? Perhaps you are having to make an effort to sleep? Is anxiety your constant companion?

Then it is perhaps time to consider the possibility that finally the life you have been leading has got you depressed. You are de facto suffering from clinical depression.

Medically Depression is categorized in 3 types of disorders:

l  Bipolar Disorder

l  Dysthymia

l  Seasonal Affective disorder

Bipolar Depression is serious. This is where we see huge mood swings from overactive to suicidal. Paranoia and impulsive behavior is the norm. Impulsive behavior that is detrimental to the patient’s self may be evident.

Dysthymia is a chronic condition that could have well begun in childhood and never diagnosed. These people are emotionally numb and refuse to live life with any gusto. The chances of recovery are not very optimistic and can even lead worsening.

SAD is a mild disorder which can be due to lack of sunlight which strikes many in winter. It usually disappears in the spring.

Modern medicine treats the above disorders with counseling, drugs and/or such mechanical treatments as Light therapy or Electroconvulsive Therapy. It is found that 80 to 90% of the time people are able to shake off their depression with this kind of help and treatment.

This is the modern medical version. When one looks at the symptoms and only aims to cure the symptoms, this is fine and it works. But in India where we are more concerned with the whole person our old traditional medicine has a different approach. First of all it needs to be understood that Indians see everything from the occult view of things. The body has only a supportive role to play. This said, it means that the emotional part of our persona is said to be suffering from depression when it is in a negative frame of mind, which normally happens when one’s wishes are thwarted. Therefore it would not be unfair to conclude that people with depression are those who let their egos and desires runway with them and when not satisfied they go into a sulk.

This leads me to elaborate on a point of upbringing. The art of upbringing should enhance the child’s ability to take pleasure and pain with equanimity. The child needs to be taught and helped to experience concretely that life is not always fair and pleasure comes with pain and success never comes without some setbacks.

A personnel not only needs a strong and healthy body but also a strong emotional backbone to survive in the dog eat dog world.

Modern medicine treats the above disorders with counseling, drugs and/or such mechanical treatments as Light therapy or Electroconvulsive Therapy.

The art of upbringing should enhance the child’s ability to take pleasure and pain with equanimity.

-Dr. Achala Agarwal