CLINICAL APPROACH

In 2011, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare positioned mental illness as the "five major illnesses" along with the "four major illnesses" of cancer, stroke, heart disease, and diabetes, and strengthened measures from the perspective of prevention. The number of people with stress-related mental illness is increasing rapidly.

Every person can feel depressed or depressed because of various events in their lives. However, such depression and depressed mood will recover naturally when the cause is resolved or even if the cause is not resolved, the mood changes or time passes.

However, even if the cause is resolved, the mood does not recover, and a strong feeling of depression continues for a long time, making it difficult to lead a normal life, or depression occurs when there is no conceivable cause. is.

Depression has symptoms called "depressive mood" such as depressed mood and depressed mood, as well as mental symptoms (mental symptoms) characteristic of depression such as lack of motivation and disorientation. .. In addition, many people have physical symptoms (physical symptoms) such as being unable to sleep and being easily tired.

Depression is a disease whose mechanism and cause are not clearly understood, and it is often unknown, but the person's original "depression-prone nature" and "stress due to environmental factors" Is believed to be involved. It has also become clear that there are abnormalities in brain function, such as a decrease in the amount of substances that transmit information to the nerves of the brain.

Treatment in modern medicine is centered on drug therapy. Generally, the following three kinds of medicines are used.

1. 1. Antidepressant: A drug that enhances the activity of serotonin and noradrenaline.
2. Anxiolytics: Relieves anxiety and tension.
3. 3. Sleeping pills ... Promote sleep.

The problem is the medicine that is prescribed. Although there is no drug that has zero side effects, the side effects are so great that it often interferes with people's lives, and there are many cases in which they are drugged and unable to reintegrate into society. Drugs are prescribed just to disguise the underlying symptoms without knowing the cause. Medications are prescribed to make the brain feel no normal reaction.

In recent years, it has become clear in modern medicine that there is a "brain-intestinal link" at the root of mental illness. This means that similar nerve cells are distributed in the brain and intestines, they are connected by autonomic nerves, what you think in the head is reflected in the intestine, and changes in the intestine are projected on the head. For example, when stress occurs, the peristaltic movement of the intestines is disturbed, and good food and stools may collapse, resulting in gradual depression and illness. Conversely, overeating may trigger behaviors that try to improve intestinal peristalsis to relieve stress.

As it is said in oriental medicine that the mind and body are one, we originally thought that the mind (spirit) and body are not separate but related to each other. The idea is that mental disorders are closely related to the deterioration of human sensory function, and in a broad sense, the deterioration of physical function. Similarly, in mental illness, it is important to improve mental symptoms by improving the intestinal environment rather than acting directly on the brain.

"Depression" is not a disease. It is a normal reaction of animals. "Depression" is found not only in humans but also in animals. I know that it is also found in fish. If you put a natural enemy in an aquarium containing fish, it will run away at first. Some friends will be prey in front of you. Fish also feel stressed. Some of them will not escape even if natural enemies approach. This is the "depression" symptom. When an animal is exposed to stress, some of it suffers from "depression" -like symptoms. I'm not sick. It's a normal reaction. Therefore, please do not go to the hospital. Even if you have symptoms, it is better than being non-human due to the side effects of medicines. Take a rest and get in shape. I repeat. "Depression" is not a disease. It's just a little stress vulnerable. Please continue to receive Thai traditional medicine.