OCD & Depression

OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)

Excessive thoughts (obsessions) that lead to repetitive behaviours (compulsions).
Common
•    More than 1 million cases per year (India)
•    Treatment can help, but this condition can't be cured
•    Chronic: can last for years or be lifelong
•    Requires a medical diagnosis
•    Lab tests or imaging not required

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterised by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead to compulsive behaviours.
OCD often centres on themes such as a fear of germs or the need to arrange objects in a specific manner. Symptoms usually begin gradually and vary throughout life.
Treatment includes talk therapy, medication or both.

Requires a medical diagnosis

OCD often centres on themes such as a fear of germs or the need to arrange objects in a specific manner. Symptoms usually begin gradually and vary throughout life.

People may experience:

Behavioural: compulsive behaviour, agitation, compulsive hoarding, hypervigilance, impulsivity, meaningless repetition of own words, repetitive movements, ritualistic behaviour, social isolation, or persistent repetition of words or actions

Mood: anxiety, apprehension, guilt, or panic attack

Psychological: depression or fear

Also common: food aversion, nightmares, or repeatedly going over thoughts

Treatment consists of self care and therapy

Treatment includes talk therapy, medication or both.
Therapies

Support group

A forum for counseling and sharing experiences among people with a similar condition or goal, such as depression or weight loss.


Cognitive behavioral therapy
A talk therapy focused on modifying negative thoughts, behaviours and emotional responses associated with psychological distress.

Aversion therapy
Suppressing unwanted behaviour, like smoking, by associating it with a negative experience, like an electric shock.

Psychoeducation
Education about mental health that also serves to support, validate and empower patients.

Rational emotive behavior therapy
Psychological treatment that helps people change negative, irrational thoughts and improve emotional well-being.

Exposure and response prevention
A talk therapy based on exposing feared or traumatic experiences within a safe setting in order to help reduce any associated psychological distress.

Psychotherapy
Treatment of mental or behavioural disorders through talk therapy.

Systematic desensitization
Psychological treatment that helps people overcome fears by gradually exposing them to the things they're afraid of.

Group psychotherapy
Talk therapy where the therapist works with clients in a group instead of one-on-one.

Medications
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)
Eases symptoms of depressed mood and anxiety.

Anxiolytic
Relieves anxiety and tension. May promote sleep.

Antidepressant
Prevents or relieves depression and elevates mood.

Specialists

Clinical Psychologist
Treats mental disorders primarily with talk therapy.

Psychiatrist
Treats mental disorders primarily with medications.

Depression 

A mental health disorder characterised by persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life.

Very common
•    More than 10 million cases per year (India)
•    Treatable by a medical professional
•    Medium-term: resolves within months
•    Requires a medical diagnosis
•    Lab tests or imaging rarely required
Possible causes include a combination of biological, psychological and social sources of distress. Increasingly, research suggests that these factors may cause changes in brain function, including altered activity of certain neural circuits in the brain.
The persistent feeling of sadness or loss of interest that characterises major depression can lead to a range of behavioural and physical symptoms. These may include changes in sleep, appetite, energy level, concentration, daily behaviour or self-esteem. Depression can also be associated with thoughts of suicide.
The mainstay of treatment is usually medication, talk therapy or a combination of the two. Increasingly, research suggests that these treatments may normalise brain changes associated with depression.

Requires a medical diagnosis
The persistent feeling of sadness or loss of interest that characterises major depression can lead to a range of behavioural and physical symptoms. These may include changes in sleep, appetite, energy level, concentration, daily behaviour or self-esteem. Depression can also be associated with thoughts of suicide.

People may experience:

Mood: anxiety, apathy, general discontent, guilt, hopelessness, loss of interest, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, mood swings, or sadness

Sleep: early awakening, excess sleepiness, insomnia, or restless sleep

Whole body: excessive hunger, fatigue, loss of appetite, or restlessness

Behavioural: agitation, excessive crying, irritability, or social isolation

Cognitive: lack of concentration, slowness in activity, or thoughts of suicide

Weight: weight gain or weight loss

Also common: poor appetite or repeatedly going over thoughts

Treatment consists of antidepressants

The mainstay of treatment is usually medication, talk therapy or a combination of the two. Increasingly, research suggests that these treatments may normalise brain changes associated with depression.

Therapies

Cognitive behavioral therapy
A talk therapy focused on modifying negative thoughts, behaviours and emotional responses associated with psychological distress.

Behaviour therapy
A therapy focused on modifying harmful behaviours associated with psychological distress.

Psychotherapy
Treatment of mental or behavioural disorders through talk therapy.

Medications
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)
Eases symptoms of depressed mood and anxiety.

Antidepressant
Prevents or relieves depression and elevates mood.

Anxiolytic
Relieves anxiety and tension. May promote sleep.

Medical procedure
Electroconvulsive therapy
Treating mental illness by sending electric currents through the brain to trigger a seizure. Also known as shock treatment.

Specialists

Clinical Psychologist
Treats mental disorders primarily with talk therapy.

Psychiatrist
Treats mental disorders primarily with medications.

Primary Care Provider (PCP)
Prevents, diagnoses and treats diseases.

Emergency Medicine Doctor
Treats patients in the emergency department.

ADHD

It stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is a type of disease which shows various changes in child’s behavioral & development such as hyperactivity, inattention & impulsive attitude. It has been observed that boy child face ADHD more in compare to a girl child Children suffering from ADHD are unable to focus & act without thinking. ADHD refers to a chronic developmental and behavioral disorder that initially manifests in childhood. ADHD includes a combination of problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. You may know it by the name attention deficit disorder (ADD). It may begin in early childhood and can continue into adulthood. It is more common in boys as compared to girls. Symptoms sometimes lessen with age. Symptoms have been associated with difficulty in academic, emotional, and social functioning. While treatment won't cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications and behavioral interventions. Early diagnosis and homeopathic treatment can make a big difference in
ADHD refers to a chronic developmental and behavioral disorder that initially manifests in childhood. ADHD includes a combination of problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. You may know it by the name attention deficit disorder (ADD). It may begin in early childhood and can continue into adulthood. It is more common in boys as compared to girls. Symptoms sometimes lessen with age. Symptoms have been associated with difficulty in academic, emotional, and social functioning. While treatment won't cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications and behavioral interventions. Early diagnosis and homeopathic treatment can make a big difference in outcome. However, it can be difficult to distinguish between ADHD and normal kid activities. If you spot just a few signs, or the symptoms appear only in some situations, it’s probably not ADHD. On the other hand, if your child shows a number of ADD signs and symptoms that are present across all situations—at home, at school, and at play then it’s time to take a closer look.
Causes
The exact cause is not clear, but ADHD tends to run in families. It has been seen in many cases that children with ADHD often have some family member suffering from this disorder. Some other risk factors for developing ADHD include: Premature delivery, very low birth weight, birth injury (to the brain) and smoking during pregnancy.
Symptoms
Children suffering from ADHD have focusing difficulties, hyperactivity (too much activity), and impulsivity (acting before considering the consequences).
1.    Difficulty in paying attention/ lack of concentration
2.    Normally has problems organizing tasks or activities
3.    Frequently inattention
4.    Excessively talkative
5.    Forgetful and loses needed items frequently, such as books, pencils or toys
6.    Difficulty remaining seated and seemly in continuous movement
7.    Difficulty following through on instructions
8.    Easily distracted
9.    Frequently fails to finish schoolwork or other tasks
10.    Frequently interrupts on others conversations etc.
Diagnosis
ADHD is diagnosed after a child has shown some or all of the symptoms of ADHD continue for more than six months. There is no single test that can be used to diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The diagnosis involves a full physical examination, including vision and hearing screenings and gathering information from several sources, such as schools, caregivers, and parents. The homeopathic doctor will consider how a child's behavior compares with that of other children the same age.
Role of Homeopathy in ADHD
Homeopathy treats every child as an individual and this is the beauty of Homeopathy. Every ADHD is individual and chances of getting cured are very high by homeopathy in short span of time. Homeopathic medicines reduce the impulsiveness and hyperactivity of the ADHD child and in turn improves the deficit attention and concentration. Dr Vikas Agrawal strongly recommends Homeopathy for ADHD as it has definite role in treating it and that too without any adverse effects.

Autism 

Autism or ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) refers to a broad term of problems that comes under the group of neurodevelopmental disorders. The problem can result in several issues in affected people. Social interaction and communication are the two issues mainly characterized by people with autism. So, it results in repetitive, restricted, and typecast pattern of behavior. The problem affects a child during their development in the womb. But it becomes evident when a child is around one or two years old. It affects children of all races, culture or economic background.
Causes
The exact cause that triggers Autism remains a mystery. But several factors can trigger the issue. Some of the risks suspected in developing autism among children include:
•    Having members of the family (immediate) with autism
•    Genetic mutations
•    Low birth weight
•    Fragile X Syndrome
•    Genetic disorders
•    Having older parents
•    Metabolic Imbalances
•    Low Birth Weight
•    Medical history of viral infections
•    Exposure to environmental toxins and heavy metals
•    Fetal exposure to medications like Thalomid (thalidomide) and Depakene (Valproic acid)
Symptoms of Autism
A child can show signs of autism by the time they reach one year. So, most parents can detect the issue between the ages of one to two years. The initial sign of the problems includes delayed social and language development. The other issues may crop as the child ages. Therefore, the other issues may include:
First Category: Communication and Social Interaction Development
•    Trouble sharing interests, emotions, or maintain conversations with others.
•    Issues with non-verbal communication like reading body language or maintaining eye contact
•    Difficulty in forming intimate bonds or maintaining relationships
Second Category: Repetitive/Restrictive Behavior Patterns
•    Fixated preoccupations or interests
•    Inflexible adherence to specific behaviors or routine
•    Decrease or increase in sensory information sensitivity (like the negative reaction to a particular sound)
•    Repetitive speech patterns, motions, or movements
In order to determine a child is autistic, each sign within the two categories is evaluated. Depending on the assessment of the severity of the signs, a diagnosis is made. For an autistic diagnosis, a child must display all three symptoms from the first category. They also need to show at least two signs described in the second category.

Homeopathy Cure
Unlike the allopathic medication, the homeopathy offers treatment to the whole person and not just specific signs. The allopathic doctor address each of the problems like impaired social functioning, incontinence, bowel problems, heightened sensitivity or language delay separately. So, each symptom needs separate treatment in conventional treatment methods. But the homeopathic treatment provides a single remedy based on the severity of the issue to address all the symptoms. It makes it easier to seek treatment. So, the homeopathic doctor looks into the child's needs and offers remedy accordingly.
Dr. Vikas Agrawal is one of the few doctors in India who treats genetic, congenital diseases efficiently in children. Dr Vikas Agrawal has experience of handling enumerable Autism children. You can consult him personally or online.