Dr. K. Shailaja

Suffering from depression - Avoid these

Depression is a psychological condition that can drain your hope, energy and drive. The things that you once rejoiced might not be pleasurable anymore. Meanwhile, overcoming depression isn't quick or easy and it is recommended that you opt for counselling or professional support to help you through. At the same time, you need to avoid these practices, which tend to increase the intensity of depressive symptoms.

These are the things you should avoid while suffering from depression.

1. Avoid Staying Alone: When you are depressed, you might not feel pleasure in things you used to enjoy earlier. This might result in social isolation, making you lonelier and more depressed than ever. But living in social situations, meeting people will actually help you. It can take off your mind from the feelings of depression and while meeting people might not seem as enjoyable as it did before, it can certainly help in overcoming the feelings of loneliness.

2. Avoid NOT Seeking Help: Most of the people are unable to differentiate between sadness and depression. But if you are someone who has been feeling intensely sad for no reason, then you are probably depressed. So, don't avoid seeking help. Approach a therapist, even online if you want more confidentiality and privacy. A counsellor can actually help in overcoming the feeling of depression.

3. Avoid White Foods: Processed foods or white foods are simple carbohydrates that can actually lead to insulin dumping and trigger the process of depression. The surge of insulin will initially make you feel happier, but once that's surge goes down, you will begin to feel depressed again. This will even trigger hunger and particular cravings, which in turn affect depression symptoms negatively.

4. Products with Aspartame: Aspartame can lower the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that's associated with mood. Therefore, eating aspartame can increase the intensity of your depression symptoms, may result in insomnia as well.

'Consult'.

Related Tip: Homeopathy and Depression

Premature ejaculation:
Premature ejaculation is one of the common sexual dysfunction which effects the day to day sexual life of a man, it is a cause of concern for both the partners. It effects their sexual satisfaction and sometimes reproduction. The majority of cases ejaculation cannot be controlled due to some Medical and Psychological reasons. These patients land up into distress, embarrassment, anxiety and depression. Most cases of PE are not related to any disease and are instead due to psychological factors, including: Sexual inexperience, Novelty of a relationship, Overexcitement or too much stimulation Relationship Stress, Anxiety, Guilty feelings, Depression, Issues related to control and intimacy.
Medical causes of PE are nervous system damage as a result of surgery or physical trauma, Diabetes, Multiple sclerosis ,Prostate disease, High blood pressure (hypertension),Thyroid problems,  Drug and Excessive alcohol abuse.
It is recommend treatment in the form of counseling sexual relationships, or "couples therapy."
It is advised to follow healthy life style by proper eating, proper exercise, and good sleep, avoid anxiety and tension, I T personals are advised not work on computer continuously, instead take a break of 15 minutes for walking every two hours. A morning walk is compulsory for all at least for half an hour.
Two dry dates, five almond and two dry figs to be soaked in a glass of water for whole night and at early morning before food eat the dry fruits and drink the whole water, daily for a month.
Make powder of Asparagus, Ashwagandha , Singara  and Sattu all in  equal quantity and take one tablespoonful with a glass of hot milk at morning and evening after food.

Many men and women suffer from baldness these days and in order to conceal it, look for options available in the market. Though there are many temporary solutions, the most permanent solution is hair transplantation. 

What is Hair Transplantation?
Hair transplantation is broadly achieved by removing grafts/follicles from the back of the head which are more resistant to hormonal changes and placing them in areas of scanty growth or baldness. There are two methods to remove the grafts – Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).

In FUT method, a strip of scalp is cut out from the back of the head and is dissected into individual grafts.

FUE method of hair transplantation involves taking the individual follicular units/grafts from the back of the head one by one by cutting around it through a tiny specialised machine and removing them. The process is tedious and takes a few hours but is painless after a few numbing injections are given.

The rest of the procedure remains the same in both techniques. Tiny sites are created using very fine blades and needles in the balding areas after numbing them again with local anaesthetic injections. These grafts are then inserted in the sites on the front of the head or wherever there is hair loss. 

Advantages of FUT method

1. Larger areas of baldness can be covered in fewer sittings.
2. The recovery time is much quicker with the patient often returning to work the next day itself.
3. The resection rate (the grafts that get cut whilst removing) may be lesser providing superior results. However, the resection rate depends on the skill of the surgeon and his/her staff.

Advantages of FUE method

1. As this method of hair transplantation does not involve taking an entire strip of scalp from the back of the head like in strip surgery, there are no cuts or stitches.
2. There is no linear scar.

Both methods involve surgery hence a proper consultation with the surgeon is required who can explain the procedure and its advantages and disadvantages. It takes several hours to perform the surgery and implant hence it is important to block the day out completely and be mentally prepared for it. Most surgeons will want to shave the entire head before embarking on the procedure so make sure that you factor that in.

Post surgery care
It is important to follow post surgery instructions and take good care of the grafts. Swelling of the scalp, face is common for a few days. You will be on antibiotics, steroids, painkillers for a few days and will be asked to use Minoxidil and or Finasteride.

The grafts are wetted with saline repeatedly for a few days after the transplant. Hair is washed with a diluted shampoo the next day in a specific manner without disturbing the grafts. They will eventually fall out after two weeks and the new growth will be seen anywhere between three to six months. In FUT method, post-op wound care of the scar is important and the sutures are removed after a week. 

Who should opt for FUT method?

1. People who have larger areas of baldness. 
2. People who would like to get the procedure done in a single sitting.

Who should go in for FUE method?

1. Suitable for people who have smaller areas of baldness.
2. People who want to wear shorter hair styles.
3. People with active lifestyles like sportsmen, etc.
4. Women with smaller areas of baldness.
5. People who prefer less invasive procedures and don’t want cuts, stitches on the scalp.
6. Those who want faster recovery.