(A) Depression
Feeling sad at times is a common experience in our life. We all have felt depressed or “down” due to relationship and/or work/school-related stresses. At times, we just feel sad for no specific reason.
It becomes an illness - Depression (i.e. Major Depressive Disorder) when there are significant symptoms which lead to significant impairment in our normal daily functioning ability.
Symptoms of Depression:
- Depressed mood is severe
- Lasts for a significant period of time
- Having thoughts of suicide
- Having insomnia and etc.
In child/adolescent, depression may present as aggression, irritable mood or school refusal.
In Singapore, at least 5.8% of the population will have depression in their lifetime. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 350 million people of all ages (children, adolescents, adults and the elderly) suffer from depression.
- Depressed mood is severe
- Lasts for a significant period of time
- Having thoughts of suicide
- Having insomnia and etc.
In child/adolescent, depression may present as aggression, irritable mood or school refusal.
In Singapore, at least 5.8% of the population will have depression in their lifetime. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 350 million people of all ages (children, adolescents, adults and the elderly) suffer from depression.
Causes of Depression:
Multiple factors contribute to depression. These include genetics, stress, personality, medical conditions, biochemical changes in the brain and etc.
Multiple factors contribute to depression. These include genetics, stress, personality, medical conditions, biochemical changes in the brain and etc.
Treatment for Depression:
Many people are worried about seeking help for depression. They are worried about being stigmatized by their illness or being labelled as having a “weak” character.
Without treatment, depression continues to severely affect the person’s ability to work, to enjoy life or to spend meaningful time with one’s loved ones. In severe cases, suicide can occur too.
Fortunately, there are effective treatments for depression:
- Psychological therapy (e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), relaxation therapy, mindfulness-therapy and etc).
- Various effective medications (e.g. selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors, melatonergic antidepressant and etc) to normalize the brain’s biochemical changes, leading to resolvement of those symptoms.
- Lifestyle modifications
(B) Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depressive Disorder)
During our life, we will have days that we feel very happy and on some other days that we feel sad. These are normal mood variations.
Many people are worried about seeking help for depression. They are worried about being stigmatized by their illness or being labelled as having a “weak” character.
Without treatment, depression continues to severely affect the person’s ability to work, to enjoy life or to spend meaningful time with one’s loved ones. In severe cases, suicide can occur too.
Fortunately, there are effective treatments for depression:
- Psychological therapy (e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), relaxation therapy, mindfulness-therapy and etc).
- Various effective medications (e.g. selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors, melatonergic antidepressant and etc) to normalize the brain’s biochemical changes, leading to resolvement of those symptoms.
- Lifestyle modifications
(B) Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depressive Disorder)
During our life, we will have days that we feel very happy and on some other days that we feel sad. These are normal mood variations.
However, if such mood
variations, i.e. mood swings, are severe and lead to significant
impairment in our normal daily functioning ability, it may be due to a
mood condition termed as Bipolar Disorder, which is also known as
Manic-Depressive Disorder. It is a mood disorder.
In Singapore, 1.2% of
the population have bipolar disorder in their lifetime. It commonly
first presents in the adolescent and young adult age group.
Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder:
- Feeling excessively “high”/elated
- Abnormally irritable
- Racing thoughts
- Excessive energy
- Grand plans/ideas and etc.
These may alternate
with symptoms of depression during the course of the illness. In severe
state, auditory hallucination can also occur (e.g. hearing “voices”
talking to them).
Causes for Bipolar Disorder:
Multiple factors
contribute to Bipolar Disorder. These include genetics, stress,
personality, medical conditions, drugs, biochemical changes in the brain
and etc.
Treatment for Bipolar Disorder:
Many people are worried about seeking
help for bipolar disorder. They are worried about being stigmatized by
their illness. Some people may even enjoy being in the manic/ “high”
state and thus refuse treatment.
Without treatment, Bipolar Disorder
continues to severely affect the persons’ ability to work/function and
to spend meaningful time with their loved ones. In severe cases, suicide
can occur too.
Fortunately, there are effective treatments:
- Wide range of effective mood-stabilizing medications which serve to balance up the brain’s neurochemistry to normalize the patient’s mood dysregulation.
- Lifestyle modifications to ensure a healthy and structured lifestyle which minimizes potential triggers of the illness.
(C) Grief Problems
It is often difficult to cope with losing a loved one. There are various stages of the grief process.
If one has experienced
the pain of mourning, one will know that any method to ease the loss
with support/guidance at the various stages of grief will be welcomed.
In some grief process,
however, it is prolonged, unresolved or compounded by depression.
Effective management of such “complicated grief” is available via psychological therapy and at times, medication treatment
