Postnatal depression is a condition that affects both men and women. It’s been estimated that around 10% of new fathers suffer from depression in the first year after the birth of their child.
We are keen to speak to men who have experienced postnatal depression. What were the symptoms? Were you able to confide in others? What was the reaction like from your partner and those around you?
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( With inputs from : www.theguardian.com )
With Jammu and Kashmir recording the highest prevalence of dementia across India, the researchers are desperate to find answers to a trend that many think has leapt out of the mass depression the region has lived with, reports Insha Shirazi
A recent study shocked the scientific community by revealing that Jammu and Kashmir top the list of areas in India having the highest prevalence of dementia. Published by the Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, the study prevalence of dementia in India: National and state estimates from a nationwide study put the dementia prevalence in the 60-plus population in India at 7.4 per cent.
What set the alarm bells ringing was that the prevalence of dementia was 4.5 per cent in Delhi and 11 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir.
Alarmed over the findings, the scientists have started asking for more investigation to determine whether the long-running insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, which has raged for more than 30 years, may be the cause of the area’s high dementia prevalence.
In Jammu and Kashmir in general and Kashmir in particular, cases of dementia are stated to be on the rise. In 1986, a few years before the onset of militancy, a study on the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in Kashmir found no cases of dementia in Kashmir.
Changed Situation
Now the situation has completely changed.
“We routinely see 3 to 5 cases of dementia-like cases in our daily OPD, on average,” Dr Yasir Rather, professor in the Department of Psychiatry, IMHANS GMC Srinagar said. “Brain cell destruction is the root cause of dementia. The communication between brain cells is disrupted as a result of this injury. Memory, thinking, behaviour, and feelings might be impacted when brain cells are unable to communicate correctly.”
Off late, people with chronic dementia are more visible. “I regularly observed the activities of my grandmother, who has dementia. She is in her late 70s and exhibited strange behaviours, including forgetting my name and whether or not she had eaten lunch,” a university student, Alya said. “She used to converse with herself as if someone else were around, and sometimes, my grandmother’s condition worsened.”
Brain Blast; Kashmir is witnessing a hugely above-average number of dementia patients and experts are exploring the possibility if it has links with the protracted conflict.
The term dementia refers to a spectrum of mental impairments, including memory loss, difficulty speaking or understanding, difficulty solving problems, and another cognitive decline that is severe enough to affect a person’s ability to go about their everyday activities. This spectrum includes several different varieties of dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most prevalent.
There are two types of dementia. Vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia are irreversible. Reversible types include dementia-like conditions triggered by vitamin deficiency like vit B 12 or B 1 or due to thyroid problems. “Most people develop Alzheimer’s disease after the age of 65, but people under this age can also develop it,” Dr Yasir said. “This is called early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, a type of young-onset dementia. Dementia-like Frontotemporal type has been diagnosed in people in their 50s, 40s and even in their 30s.”
“The early signs and symptoms of dementia will vary depending on the progression,” Dr Yasir said. “At the onset, the person may experience challenges with their short-term memory, and struggle with things such as paying the bills, preparing meals, forgetting names and religious ritual timings and household chores, or getting lost in a known area. With a moderate stage, an individual may have trouble speaking or understanding speech and they may not understand spatial awareness. In severe stages, a person will no longer have the ability to communicate and will be unable to care for themselves.
High Prevalence
What is, however, not known is why Kashmir offers a high percentage of people with dementia. The likely reasons, Dr Yasir said could include genetic predisposition, poor nutrition, lack of access to healthcare, and environmental factors such as water and air pollutants like excessive use of agricultural and horticulture pesticides in our region.
Besides, he said, Kashmir may have a greater prevalence of dementia due to the high rates of chronic stress, depression, and other psychological problems in the population. Moreover, the prevalence was greater in rural areas (8.4 per cent) than in urban areas (5.3 per cent), highlighting the urgent need to increase diagnosis in rural health facilities.
Dr Kamran Nisar, a researcher at the University of Kashmir’s Centre of Research for Development, is working on the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in Kashmir. Alzheimer’s dementia, he said, is the most prevalent type of dementia, accounting for 70-80 per cent of the cases.
Kamran has also been trying to find answers. He said a lot of factors contribute to dementia, which includes prolonged stress, conflict, floods, and separation from loved ones. Besides, dementia is also impacted by dietary choices, physical inactivity and family history. People who engage in physical activities, such as cycling, have a far lower risk of developing dementia than physically inactive people.
“In Kashmir, there is a small amount of awareness about dementia, and as a result, people frequently misunderstand what dementia is and how it differs from forgetfulness or some other age-related condition,” Dr Kamran said. “We need to address this issue as much as we can because no awareness campaigns or events are being organized at the university or college level about this dementia and its prevalence is rising in Kashmir.”
Neurologist Dr Irfan Yousuf, also asserted that Kashmir lacks basic knowledge about understanding the crisis. “There is a lack of knowledge about dementia and people mistakenly think it is a form of depression, even though these are unrelated conditions,” Dr Yousuf said. “A person with dementia acts normally and is unaware that they are afflicted with the illness, unlike a person with depression, whose mood is not always good, and who skips interactions as well.”
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition in which brain cells (nerve cells) are not operating normally. Vascular dementia occurs when the brain’s blood arteries get blocked, preventing appropriate blood flow and leading to neuronal dysfunction.
Chronic Depression
Kashmir has been the capital of mental sickness for a long time. For many decades, Kashmir has reported massive mental morbidity. Nearly 18 lakh adult residents of Kashmir, which is almost 45 per cent of the entire population, showed symptoms of mental distress, according to the 2015 survey by the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, or Doctors Without Borders). The survey revealed that 41 per cent of the population showed signs of depression, 26 per cent exhibited signs of anxiety, 23 per cent depression and anxiety and 19 per cent showed probable symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 17 per cent have depression and PTSD, 18 per cent have anxiety, depression and PTSD and 14 per cent have anxiety and PTSD.
depression
Though mental healthcare has expanded over the years and has a better spread, in comparison to the 1990s, the situation is still seriously challenging. The increasing incidence of drug abuse has added yet another load factor to the mental health system.
Detecting Dementia
Dr Irfan Yousuf said the first signs of dementia are when a family member or guardian notices that the person is repeating the same dialogue over and over again and that their mental activities are completely different and are not functioning properly. It is possible to alleviate symptoms and halt the progression of dementia, he said. Studies on dementia have been conducted, and the treatment is still ongoing.
This is the core team that literally rebuilt the Government Psychiatric Diseases Hospital Srinagar that is now known as IMHANS.
“A patient with advanced dementia forgets the route of the road where he or she frequently travels. Particularly at night, they lose track of how to get to their kitchen and bathroom,” Dr Yousuf said. “Although the person suffering from dementia is unaware of these symptoms, family members and their attendants have seen changes.”
Srinagar, Apr 08: Most of the studies conducted across the world suggested that individuals who fast experience improvements in their symptoms of depression, anxiety and even stress, said mental health experts.
Dr Yasir Hassan Rather, Professor in Department of Psychiatry, IMHANS, GMC Srinagar told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that research has found that fasting during Ramadan can have a positive psychological effect on individuals due to the feeling of connection with the community and spiritual wellbeing.
“Studies have also shown that fasting can increase feelings of self discipline, self-control, empathy and compassion,” he said.
Additionally, fasting has been linked with improved mental health due to increased gratitude, mindfulness, and improved concentration, Dr Yasir said.
Dr Neelofer Jan Senior Resident at Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences-Kashmir told KNO that several studies have shown that fasting can have positive effects on mental health. It can reduce stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms and also can help improve and decrease progression of various neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia.
“Fasting causes the human body to deplete its glucose stores. With no available glucose, the body converts stored fats into ketones. These ketones work as a fresh fuel to power-up the brain’s processes. Therefore, after the initial “brain fog” experienced during initial days of fasting, mind becomes much clearer and ability to focus is sharper. The neurons in the brain use this new fuel to enter a growth phase and create new synapses, which result in improved learning and memory,” she said.
A study published in Current Neuropharmacology in 2015 found that the short-term calorie restriction from fasting can boost anti-depressant chemicals in the brain. Dr Nelofar said that after a few days of fasting, the body adapts to starvation and starts to release high amounts of happy hormones including endorphins, norepinephrine and dopamine into the brain.
“Some studies have also demonstrated improved sleep patterns in patients with insomnia compared to pre-fasting levels and a possible decrease in migraine due to serotonin levels going up. Depending on the length of the fast, there is also an improvement in chronic inflammation,” she said.
“Chronic inflammation increases the risk of developing illnesses, like cardiovasculardiseases, rheumatoid arthritis,lupus, certain cancers, and also major mental health disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.”
An extremely interesting phenomena discovered during fasting is known as autophagy as the brain breaks down old and damaged cells and recycles them into new ones, Dr Neelofar said.
“Through this self-eating process, the toxins are removed from the brain delaying the development of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s. Most of these findings have been confirmed on lab animals because controlled studies on human brain is difficult,” she said.
Studies have shown that children suffering from epileptic seizures had fewer incidences of seizures when placed on calorie restriction diet or fasting as it counteracts the over-excited signals exhibited in epileptic brain, she added—(KNO)
SRINAGAR: Studies conducted across the world suggest that individuals who fast experience improvements in their symptoms of depression, anxiety and even stress levels.
Mental health experts note that fasting for a certain number of hours each day have a wide range of mental health benefits.
Dr Yasir Hassan Rather, Professor in Department of Psychiatry, IMHANS, GMC Srinagar said that research has found that fasting during Ramadan can have a positive psychological effect on individuals due to the feeling of connection with the community and spiritual well being.
“Studies have also shown that fasting can increase feelings of self discipline, self-control, empathy and compassion,” he said.
Additionally, fasting has been linked with improved mental health due to increased gratitude, mindfulness, and improved concentration, Dr Yasir said.
Dr Neelofer Jan Senior Resident at Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences-Kashmir said that several studies have shown that fasting can have positive effects on mental health. It can reduce stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms and also can help improve and decrease progression of various neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia.
“Fasting causes the human body to deplete its glucose stores. With no available glucose, body converts stored fats into ketones. Ketones further work as a fresh fuel to power-up the brain’s processes. Therefore, after the initial “brain fog” experienced during initial days of fasting, mind becomes much clearer and ability to focus is sharper. The neurons in the brain use this new fuel to enter a growth phase and create new synapses, which result in improved learning and memory,” she said.
A study published in Current Neuropharmacology in 2015 found that the short-term calorie restriction from fasting can boost anti-depressant chemicals in the brain.
Dr Nelofar said that after a few days of fasting, the body adapts to starvation and starts to release high amounts of happy hormones including endorphins, norepinephrine and dopamine into the brain.
“Some studies have also demonstrated improved sleep patterns in patients with insomnia compared to pre-fasting levels and a possible decrease in migraine due to serotonin levels going up. Depending on the length of the fast, there is also an improvement in chronic inflammation,” she said.
“Chronic inflammation increases the risk of developing illnesses, like cardiovasculardiseases, rheumatoid arthritis,lupus, certain cancers, and also major mental health disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.”
An extremely interesting phenomena discovered during fasting is known as autophagy as the brain breaks down old and damaged cells and recycles them into new ones, Dr Neelofar said.
“Through this self-eating process, the toxins are removed from the brain delaying the development of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s. Most of these findings have been confirmed on lab animals because controlled studies on human brain is difficult,” she said. (KNO)
Fetterman also suffered a stroke in May, during Pennsylvania’s Senate primary, and was sidelined from the trail for months. He has continued to struggle with auditory processing, and uses transcription technology to help him talk to colleagues and conduct Senate business. Doctors have said that depression is common among stroke survivors.
“I will have more to say about this soon, but for now I want everyone to know that depression is treatable, and treatment works,” Fetterman said. “This isn’t about politics — right now there are people who are suffering with depression in red counties and blue counties. If you need help, please get help.”
Fetterman posted a picture of himself on his Twitter account Friday evening, giving a thumbs up as he got into a vehicle. “I’m excited to be the father and husband I want to be, and the senator Pennsylvania deserves. Pennsylvanians have always had my back, and I will always have theirs.”
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )
Fetterman is receiving care on a voluntary basis and went to the hospital after evaluation from Brian Monahan, attending physician of the U.S. Congress, according to the statement.
While it’s the Pennsylvania senator’s first public admission to mental health treatment, his other health challenges became a frequent subject during his campaign. He suffered a significant stroke during his bid for the Senate, which forced him off the campaign trail for several months and affected his auditory processing.
More recently, Fetterman spent several nights in the hospital for what his office described as lightheadedness. Testing during that episode showed no evidence of any new stroke or seizure, his office said later.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the chamber’s No. 2 Democrat, commended Fetterman for seeking help and expressed confidence that, with care, he’d be able to continue serving his term.
“This is an unimaginable challenge that he’s faced in life. He deserves the very best and professional care and I’m sure he’ll get it,” Durbin said. “There isn’t a single family that isn’t touched by [mental illness] and those that are touched by it and succeed, really are very honest about it. I’m glad John has done that.”
The Democrat’s wife tweeted about his mental health struggles shortly after his office’s statement, saying, “After what he’s been through in the past year, there’s probably no one who wanted to talk about his own health less than John. I’m so proud of him for asking for help and getting the care he needs.”
Fetterman was out during a Thursday morning Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on nutrition programs, a notable absence since he’s chairing the nutrition subcommittee.
He also missed votes on Thursday. The Senate is now on a recess until Feb. 27; it’s unclear if Fetterman will return to the Capitol then.
Pennsylvania’s other Democratic senator, Bob Casey, underwent surgery for prostate cancer this week. His spokesperson Mairéad Lynn said the “procedure went well” and Casey will return to the Senate “after a period of rest and recovery.” Democrats have a 51-49 Senate majority, giving the party more breathing room on absences than last Congress’s evenly split chamber.
Meredith Lee Hill contributed to this report.
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )
Noida: A 27-year-old lawyer battling depression allegedly jumped to her death from her 15th floor apartment in a group housing society here, police officials said on Friday.
The incident took place on Thursday night at the Supertech Capetown under Sector 113 police station limits, an official said.
“The woman worked at a law firm in Noida Sector 63 and lived here with her parents and sister. We reached the spot around 12.30 am after we were alerted about the woman jumping from a high-rise building,” a local police official told PTI.
Citing preliminary findings, the official said the lawyer had been battling depression and was also undergoing medication for it.
The body was sent for postmortem and was later handed over to the family.
