Global Health Asia-Pacific July 2020 July 2020 | Page 62

Mental Health
The easiest way to combat depression is through exercise.
losing interest in food while others eat more as a form
of comfort. They tend to lack energy and enthusiasm
for life. Many are easily annoyed, irritable and lose
their temper quickly. More serious signs of depression
include thoughts of hurting oneself either physically or
mentally and thoughts of death and suicide.
The first steps in treating depression are to talk
about one’s feelings with a relative, friend or trained
therapist who can listen and offer advice. It’s best
to avoid being alone and interact with others in a
positive way. Exercise and doing light activity can
keep one preoccupied so negative thoughts don’t
start. Positivity can start with getting adequate
sunlight, practicing relaxation techniques and sleeping
at least eight hours a night. Also, dedicating time to
meaningful activities can improve moodiness and
keep the mind sharp.
Not only can changes in lifestyle help, but dietary
changes can also affect mood. �ood and drink high
in salt, sugar, caffeine and alcohol can negatively
impact the mind and increase depressing feelings.
Complex carbohydrates help in keeping feelings less
depressed. Certain vitamins such as Vitamin B-6,
calcium, magnesium, and Vitamin E can also help
control mood swings. Evening primrose oil has been
found to help in premenstrual tension.
Therapy is another effective treatment option.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), one of the most
common types of psychotherapy, focuses on teaching
new ways of thinking and coping mechanisms. During
CBT, a therapist will help the patient understand
thought patterns and identify harmful or unhelpful
ideas or thoughts that make a person depressed.
The aim is to change the way of thinking so the
thought patterns are more realistic and not harmful.
Interpersonal therapy (IPT), another option, is based
on how one’s personal relationships play a role in
affecting mood and mental state. A therapist helps
change the patient’s thinking behaviours to improve
interactions with others.
Perhaps one of the easiest ways to combat
depression is through exercise, which has been
found to lift mood in depressed individuals. The UK’s
national guidelines published in 2009 for Health and
Care Excellence (NICE) prescribed regular exercise
as treatment, and a large review published in 2012
supported this finding.
While antidepressant medications are now one
of the most common ways to treat moderate or
severe depression, they cannot change underlying
circumstances and conditions. What they can do is
ease the symptoms of depression, but can take up
to 2- 4 weeks to take effect, while patients need to
monitor any side effects.
The main classes of antidepressants are selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and
60 JULY 2020 GlobalHealthAndTravel.com