Prevalence of Depression among the Medical Students in Nepalgunj Medical College

Introduction: Mental health is an important aspect of overall health of a person. Depression is a common mental health problem all around the world. According to WHO, as many as 350 million people suffer from depression all over the globe. Medical studies are well known to be stressful for students and psychological problems like depression are quite common among medical students. Although many studies are done on mental health of students worldwide, studies on depression among medical students of Nepal are quite few. Aims: To find out the prevalence of depression among medical students in Nepalgunj Medical College. Methods: A descriptive study was done in the batch of 2016 with a Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI) Questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of depression among the study subjects was found to be 25.9%. Bullying was found to be a strong factor responsible for depression among medical students. Conclusion: Depression was highly prevalent among the medical students. Students who were bullied and had appropriate pocket money suffered from higher levels of depression.

Anxiety of Older Persons Living Alone in the Community

Anxiety is a common mental health problem among older persons, and the prevalence is higher in those who live alone than those who live with others. This study aimed to explore the experiences of anxiety in older persons living alone. A descriptive phenomenological approach was used to collect and analyze the interview data from 15 older persons (5 males, 10 females) living alone in Seoul, South Korea. Four main themes emerged from the data analysis: fear of being alone, concern about having an aged body, apprehension mixed with depression and loneliness, and fear of economic difficulties. These findings indicate that older persons living alone should receive continuous attention to prevent them from being neglected and their anxiety from worsening. Above all, it is vital to ensure comprehensive support for older persons living alone to alleviate their anxiety.

A Case Report of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) for a Japanese Patient with Recurrent Depressive Disorder: The Importance of Layered Processes in CFT

Major depressive disorder is a common mental health problem around the world. To treat depression, cognitive behavioural therapy is highly recommended by some guidelines. However, there are reports pointing out the existence of patients who do not respond to cognitive behavioural therapy because of dissociation between thoughts and experiences. To treat such patients, compassion focused therapy was developed, but there are no reports of compassion focused therapy for Japanese patients. This report presents a case of compassion focused therapy for a Japanese female with major depressive disorder and suicidal feelings. After receiving compassion focused therapy, the patient recovered and began to have social interaction with others again. This case suggested the importance of psychoeducation, exercises involving compassionate images and breathing, and a compassionate relationship in conducting compassion focused therapy.

Depression with Somatic Symptoms in Patients Attending Psychiatry OPD of Nepalgunj Medical College

Background: Depression is the most common mental health problem but its presentation may not be the same all the time. Presentation of depression in the form of somatic symptoms makes it difficult to identify by untrained eyes which needs detailed investigations before labeling them as having a psychiatric problems. Methods: This is a descriptive study done in patients attending psychiatry OPD of Nepalgunj Medical College, Kohalpur, for six months from the month of May to October 2014. Results: Out of the 240 study subjects, the most common age group is 21-30 years, 90(37.5%), followed by 11-20 years, 50(20.83%). Among the physical symptoms, Generalized weakness 145(29.84%), loss of appetite 106(21.81%), vague pain (joint/abdomen) 84(17.28%), headache 80(16.46%), burning and tingling sensation 71(14.61%).Conclusions: Depression is a common psychiatric entity but may present in the form of physical symptoms. The commonest being generalized weakness 145(29.84%), followed by loss of appetite 106(21.81%).JNGMC Vol. 12 No. 2 December 2014, Page: 17-19

Early-onset and late-onset depression in older adults: psychological perspectives

Depression is the most common mental health problem in old age, presenting a significant challenge to mental health services for older adults. The high chronicity, relapse and mortality rates associated with late-life depression suggest that existing treatments for late-life depression are insufficient. Therefore, current theoretical understandings may require further development. Given the growing population of older adults, the need to improve our understanding of late-life depression is increasingly urgent.