Depression is a very unfortunate state to be in, in every sense of the word. It is a sickness of the mind and can only be felt by the person experiencing it. As a matter of fact, it is even worse when depression does not occur on its own, but is rather accompanied by another condition such as fatigue.

There are many cases where depression occurs along with chronic fatigue syndrome. The irony is that when a person is depressed, he or she is unlikely to be willing to get out of bed and when this is compounded by chronic fatigue syndrome, even if the depression alleviates, it would not make much of a difference as it would be a case of  mind willing, flesh weak !

Many of the people who are diagnosed with depression have extreme patterns when it comes to sleep. Either he or she would sleep for extended periods of time and feel lethargic to do anything else. Or, the other situation is generally when he or she is more or less an insomniac and does not get sleep even if he or she would really like to grab a bit of shut-eye!

What are the Symptoms?
When a person is going through depression, it can be said to be of the highest importance to be able to judge the symptoms of the condition soon, so that the person can go and seek treatment. The symptoms, which are being talked about include extreme eating habits, that is, either eating way too much or not enough at all, along with a continuous sense of anxiety which, depending on how severe the case of depression is, can cause a person to have his or her mind clouded by the anxiety which over sweeps all other thoughts. In addition to these symptoms, there are other signs which appear with the onset and continuance of depression. These include disinterest in hobbies, which once appeared enjoyable to take part in.

Chronic fatigue syndrome kills off any urge to partake in any activity, which is voluntary in nature. With the combination of these two conditions, it can be quite possible, rather unfortunately, for a person to find himself or herself to be stuck in a vicious cycle. Sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea can really kill a person s zing and as a result of the same, make it harder for him or her to get out of depression and more likely to fall into depression if he or she has not yet. Curing depression includes changes schedules, engaging in yoga and other similar activities. Dietary changes may also be warranted. However, the recovery should take effect soon!

Depression - It Can Cause You to Feel 100 Years Old

Epilepsy is a form of chronic disorder and it is characterized by recurrent seizures. The episodes of epileptic seizures may differ from person to person. These seizures could be a result of genetic disorder or a result of trauma or stroke. During a seizure, a patient may also experience symptoms of neurological disorders and sometimes lose consciousness.

Medical help for epilepsy
Epilepsy itself cannot be cured using medication, but proper medicines help in eliminating recurrent seizures. These medicines stabilize the electrical activity within the brain preventing seizures.

How effective is the medication for epilepsy?
The success of controlling seizures using medicines depends on the type and severity of epilepsy. Medicines for epilepsy are usually very effective and may fully keep seizures under control. However, controlling seizures caused due to brain problems may be more difficult. Usually, epilepsy medicines can control seizures for a long period of time when they are taken regularly.

When is medical help needed?
The decision about when to start medicines for epilepsy is a tricky one. This is because a first seizure cannot confirm whether a person has an on-going epilepsy problem. A second seizure may occur after many years or may not happen at all. Prediction of seizures is also quite difficult.

The severity of seizures also indicates when to start medicines for treatment. In case a first seizure is quite severe, medication should be started at once. Some people have very mild seizures even though they may be recurring in nature, and medication can be avoided in this situation. After first seizure MRI and EEG may help to know whether you have the risk of second seizure or not.

All the pros and cons must be thought over before starting medications for the treatment of epilepsy. It is advisable to wait for a second seizure and then start medications for treatment. In most cases, medication is started after a second seizure occurs, twelve months within the first seizure. You should always consult a doctor to know when you need to start taking medicines to treat the condition.

For making the most out of the medicines to control seizures, you should follow certain steps:

You must take medications exactly as your doctor has prescribed.
Before switching to generic versions of your medicines or before taking other prescribed medicines, you must consult your doctor.
You should never stop taking the medicines.
In case you experience enhanced depression, mood swings and suicidal thoughts, you should talk to your doctor immediately.
In case you have migraine, you should let your doctor know so that he can prescribe you anti-epileptic medicines, which also prevent migraines.
Medicines cannot treat the underlying cause of epilepsy, but these help in controlling seizures and this is the most common symptom of epilepsy. Medication should be started at a proper time and must be continued without stopping.

When to Seek Medical Help for Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a relatively common disorder. Most cases of epilepsy can be controlled with a combination of drug therapy and healthy lifestyle. In some cases, surgery may also be advised. Epilepsy affects not only the lifestyle of the patient but also that of their caregiver. Each person reacts to epilepsy in a different way and hence the type of care needed also varies from person to person. While some patients have few seizures and require care only when they're having a seizure others need round the clock care. Here are a few tips to keep in mind if a loved one suffers from epilepsy.

Know what type of epilepsy he/she is dealing with: Not all epileptic seizures are the same. Find out what type of seizures your loved one suffers from and what are the possible triggers associated with Involve yourself in their lifestyle. Epilepsy should not be a reason for your loved one to lock themselves in a room to stay safe. Participate in activities with them of you feel the activity may be a safety risk if they were to have a seizure; for example - swimming.
Notice seizure triggers: Often an epileptic patient may not remember the seizure after it has occurred. As their care giver, keep a seizure diary to track their seizures and its related triggers. Look for patterns in the triggers to their epilepsy attacks.
Keep them safe during a seizure: When experiencing a seizure, the patient will lose consciousness, experience muscle convulsions and may grit his teeth. If the person is standing, hold them so that they do not fall. If they are lying down, try turning them onto their side. Do not put anything into their mouth.
Take care of them after a seizure: After the seizure, people are most likely to be confused, tired and have a headache. Check for injuries and keep them calm till medical help arrives. Loosen clothing around their neck and ensure that there is nothing inhibiting their breathing.
Medical identification: While someone who suffers from seizures often is likely to always have someone with them, others who have rare seizures may often venture out alone. In such cases, ensure that they always have medical identification on them. Also make sure that their friends, colleagues etc are aware of their medical condition.
Help them maintain a healthy lifestyle: Staying active is essential for people with epilepsy. Avoid contact sports and pick low impact exercises like walking, running or swimming. Following a buddy system is essential when an epileptic person works out. If you wish to discuss on any specific problem, you can consult a neurologist and ask a free question.

How to Deal With Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a disease that affects the brain's nerve cells and triggers the release of abnormal electrical signals. This can cause temporary malfunctioning of the other brain cells and result in seizures and sometimes loss of consciousness. Epilepsy can affect both children and adults.

Causes of Epilepsy

The cause of this condition isn t very evident; however, few causes of epileptic seizures to metion are brain tumours, injury, infections in the brain or birth defects. Some doctors believe that epilepsy is caused due to genetic mutations and is an outcome of abnormal activity of cells in the brain. Other causes for this condition can be alcohol or narcotics withdrawal and electrolyte problems.

 Symptoms

Repeated seizures

Impaired memory

Bouts of fainting

Short spans of blackout

Sudden bouts of blinking and chewing

Panic

Inappropriate repetitive movements

Types of Seizures
A seizure, also known as fit, is usually a brief episode characterised by uncontrollable jerking movement and loss of awareness due to abnormal neuronal activity in your brain. A collective occurrence of these seizures causes epilepsy.

 There are three types of seizures based on aetiology:

Idiopathic: This kind of seizure has no apparent cause.

Cryptogenic: The doctors believe that there is a cause for the seizure but cause cannot be detected.

Symptomatic: These seizures occur due to a reason, as a symptom of some neuro-medical condition.

Role of Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a form of healing based upon the principle of  Similia similibus curentur  or  like cures like . It was founded by a German doctor, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann in 1810. Homoeopathy offers vast scope in the treatment of various illnesses, both acute and chronic including epilepsy. Homeopathy takes into account the entire person like the patients family history, past history, etc. Homoeopathic doctors study each case thoroughly, analyze and evaluate the symptoms and then prescribe the medicine.

Homeopaths treat the patient s mental, emotional and physical make-up i.e. the constitution. This is known as  constitutional treatment . Constitutional treatment treats the disease and removes it from its roots. The Constitutional method is employed in the treatment of epilepsy in Homoeopathy. This method is gives amazing results in many cases.

Homeopathy has immense scope in the treatment of Epilepsy. In fresh cases, where the child is new to epileptic treatment, homoeopathy can relieve complaints by giving  constitutional treatment .

In other cases where the child is already taking treatment, homoeopathy can taper off the doses gradually and thus treat the patient effectively. Thus, in both the cases, homoeopathic treatment is beneficial in treating epilepsy.

In either of the cases, a constitutional medicine is given to treat epilepsy. Constitutional treatment relieves the patient from seizures, convulsions, etc. Thus the child can attend school daily and concentrate on his studies. In about 1/3 cases of epilepsy, a surgery known as  seizure surgery  is performed. Regular constitutional treatment is very useful in such cases.

Homeopathic medicines are completely side-effect free and are not habit-forming. They can be taken by children, adults and even by pregnant women. They must be taken only after consultation from a homoeopathic practitioner.

Epilepsy - Causes, Symptoms & Homeopathic Treatment Of It!

Causes and symptoms of anorexia

Anorexia is a common eating disorder which is identified by abnormally low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of body weight. The problem is not only related to your dietary patterns but it also related to your mental state. People with this disorder are generally self-conscious, have a low self-esteem and are overly concerned about their external appearance.

Causes of anorexia

Biological factors - These factors represent that anorexia can be congenital or it may have developed over time. Congenital means that disorder is hereditary in nature and is passed on from the parents to the offspring. On the other hand, it may develop in people who are more sensitive and have an inclination towards perfection.
Psychological factors - Anorexia can also be caused due to certain specific personality traits and emotions that might be possessed by you. For instance, anorexia is more likely to happen to young women who are really worried and conscious out the way they look externally. Additionally, people who are either emotionally not too strong or suffer from anxiety issues can develop this disorder easily.
Environmental factors - The type of a cultural set up you are living in also plays an important role in developing this disorder. For instance, the western culture is all about slim and fit people, whereas the oriental countries are not so bothered about the same.

Symptoms of Anorexia

Emotional symptoms - This category of symptoms includes behaviors and a thought process aimed towards losing weight and minimizing your food intake. Some of the symptoms belonging to this type include:

Forceful vomiting to lose calories
Staying hungry
Excessive physical activity or exercise
Denial of hunger
Social withdrawal
Irritability
Depressed moods

Physical symptoms - These symptoms are self-explanatory and are clearly visible on the human body. These include:

Extreme weight loss
Thin appearance
Abnormal blood count
Fatigue
Insomnia
Dizziness or fainting
Discoloration of the fingers
Hair that thins, breaks or falls out
Soft, downy hair covering the body
Constipation
Low blood pressure



Causes and Symptoms of Anorexia

Symptoms for Bipolar disorder varies from patient to patient. Bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 can vary in terms of signs and symptoms. Both diseases have a different set of symptoms and they are diagnosed according to the merit of the symptoms.

Bipolar 1
Bipolar 1 is characterised by a manic episode. This may be followed by a hypomanic or depressive instance. Symptoms of mania can cause major impairment in life and extreme cases may require hospitalisation. Bipolar 1 patients can suffer from psychosis as well.

Bipolar 2
Bipolar 2 is characterised by a hypomanic instance that lasts for at least four days and one depressive instance lasting for a minimum of two weeks. Bipolar 2 doesn t involve a manic episode. Frequent mood swings and violent behaviour can be major challenge in a patient s life.

Warning signs of manic and hypomanic behaviour:
a. Quick passing thoughts
b. Unusual talkativeness
c. Distraction
d. Increased social activity
e. Inflated sense of self-esteem

Symptoms of bipolar disorder

    Anxious distress: Apprehensions about not finishing a task on time, feeling of restlessness, feeling of losing control, difficulty in concentrating due to distress, fearing an awful event will occur in the near future, etc., are key symptoms of anxiety distress.
    Melancholic features: Patients suffering from bipolar disorder like to be left alone. They may not seek pleasure in any activity and even good things may not have much effect on them.
    Catatonia: This is a condition wherein, a person stops reacting to the environment. Not speaking and holding unusual body positions are some signs of these symptoms. There might be a tendency of mimicking too.
    Psychosis: This is one of the classical symptoms of bipolar disease. It is characterised by hallucination, constant depression and delusions.
    Seasonal pattern: There is a pattern of manic, hypomanic and depressive episodes throughout the year. The pattern might change within a month or season.
    Rapid cycling: The number of mood swings can exceed four or more times in a single year.
    Peripartum onset: This is a condition where bipolar disorder symptoms are witnessed in a pregnant woman during pregnancy or within the four weeks following delivery.

Symptoms in children: It is difficult to find symptoms of bipolar disorder in children and teens. Along with bipolar disorder, kids are most often diagnosed with other mental health problems as well. The problems can result from stress, trauma or chemical imbalance of the brain. Perhaps the biggest symptoms of bipolar disorder in children and teens are their frequent mood swings, chronic depression and feeling of despair. There might be a tendency of oversleeping as well. Reaching out to a doctor or professional help is very necessary for cases related to children and teens.

Bipolar Disorder - 7 Signs You Should Be Aware of 

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