Depressive disease is a Medical disease that affects feelings, thoughts, behavior, physical health, interpersonal relationships, job performance, sex life and other behavior patterns of the affected person day after day. Depressive disease is not just "feelings of hopelessness". It is more than being sad or feeling grief after a loss. Depressive disease is universal and has been prevalent since time immemorial. Its clinical features were described in ancient Indian literature by Sudarka. It figures prominently in the sacred writings of India, its mythologies, literature – the twin epics viz, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. In the Mahabharata, Arjun was afflicted with Depression, which was relieved by Lord Krishna’s firm handling and counseling. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of USA and Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of England also suffered from Depressive disease. Depressive disease is observed in people from all countries and every culture, affecting both sexes, sparing neither the rich nor the poor, tormenting all ages, forcing the exit of some through self destruction (suicide) and steadfastly maintaining its core clinical features down the centuries. The term "Depression" is so commonly used in everyday transaction that if fails to convince the people around that "Depression" could be a disease in itself. The depth and the intensity of Depressive disease is usually not recognized and not appreciated by the family members and the people around. Depressive disease is in fact one of the most common agonizing illnesses and only the sufferer experiences its real intensity. |
