Dr Vaidehi Kulkarni explains relation between depression and heart diseases

Don’t take stress

Mental health is an important part of overall health and refers to a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health involves how a person thinks, feels, acts, and makes choices. Depression is a medical condition that affects the mood and ability to function. Depressive symptoms include feeling sad, anxious or hopeless. The condition can also cause difficulty with thinking, memory, eating and sleeping. Scientific research has shown the negative impact of depression on the body and heart.

Depression and heart disease are among the most disabling diseases faced. They are both very widespread among the general population and often occur simultaneously in the same individual.

It is thought to be a two-way relationship between heart disease and depression. A percentage of people with no history of depression become depressed after developing heart disease. And people with depression but no previously detected heart disease, seem to develop heart disease at a higher rate than the general population.

Depressed heart disease patients have decreased motivation to follow healthy daily routines can result in skipping important heart medications, avoiding exercise and proper diet, and continuing or intensifying smoking and drinking habits.

Treatment options for depression range from counselling to medications to brain stimulation and complementary therapies.

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