Nipping the depression in the bud

JAKARTA (JP): It's up to the individual in recognizing signs of depression and putting a stop to them in their initial stage.

Because depression involves emotions, thoughts and behavior, people can ask themselves questions about themselves to determine if they are depressed. If they judge themselves to be suffering from mild depression, they can make active changes to their lives.

Psychiatrist Irmansyah of Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital said individuals were depressed if they answered "yes" to five of the following questions, including the first two, the conditions have lasted more than two weeks and no physical reasons are involved.

* Do you feel sad and useless?

* Are you no longer interested in your usual hobbies and pleasures?

* Do you often feel tired?

* Do you find difficulty in sleeping or do you sleep too much?

* Have you gained or lost weight?

* Are you disappointed and blame yourself?

* Do you find difficulty in making decisions or concentrating on tasks?

* Are you frequently irritable and sometimes feel slow?

* Do you think that life is useless?

If the depressive symptoms are still at their initial stage, the following activities may help people to get rid of the blues.

* Do exercise for fun. (Exercise can help reduce tension and improve appetite, self-confidence, sexual functioning as well as sleep quality. Exercise, particularly aerobics, can also help improve the brain's chemical balance)

* Change your negative thinking with positive thinking. Do not blame yourself.

* Be content with the reality.

* Do your usual hobbies.

* Visit your friends for relaxed conversation.

* Take a holiday and visit recreational sites.

* Change the decoration of your home or your office.

* Listen to your favorite music.

* Do gardening and keep pets for company and pleasure.

* Take courses for fun. (Rikza Abdullah)