Treatment of depression patients focuses on physical and mental balance

"The essence of depression is that the balance between body and mind is broken. Only by understanding the essence of depression and carrying out targeted treatment can we help patients with depression get out of trouble." Recently, Guo Rongjuan, chairman of the Psychosomatic Medicine Branch of the Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and deputy secretary of the Party Committee of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Oriental Hospital, said in an interview that with the development of society and the accelerated pace of life, people are facing more and more pressure, and the number of patients with depression is also increasing. Among them, teenagers, the elderly, working people, and pregnant women are all high-risk groups for depression.

Loss of interest in anything, irritability and fatigue, cognitive impairment, insomnia or poor sleep quality, dizziness and panic are usually early signs of depression. "At present, there is a general consensus in the academic community that depression is treatable, and a high cure rate can be achieved by adopting scientific treatment methods." Guo Rongjuan said that depression treatment often adopts comprehensive treatment, including Chinese and Western medicine, psychotherapy, physical therapy and other means, and intervenes from multiple levels. In addition, self-adjustment is an effective way to relieve depression, such as regular work and rest, moderate exercise, and a reasonable diet.

However, for patients with more severe depression, drug therapy is still the most important treatment method and must be used throughout the treatment of depression.

Guo Rongjuan introduced that depression is called "depression" in traditional Chinese medicine. "The advantage of traditional Chinese medicine is to 'replenish' and solve the problem of insufficient energy in the human body. Depression is actually a protective mechanism of the human body against stress. Long-term stress will cause the body to be depleted, which is what traditional Chinese medicine calls deficiency syndrome. When patients use traditional Chinese medicine for treatment, they will feel that they have strength, can eat and sleep, and are in a good mood. This also reflects the advantage of traditional Chinese medicine in regulating the mind and body." Guo Rongjuan said that the focus of traditional Chinese medicine in treating depression is to regulate the mind and body, and use the holistic view of traditional Chinese medicine to analyze from multiple aspects such as physiology, psychology, and society. Traditional Chinese medicine also uses acupuncture, individualized treatment of decoctions or herbal pieces to treat depression.

"The treatment of depression emphasizes multiple targets and multiple links rather than a single mechanism. Traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine complement each other to improve the treatment effect and ultimately achieve the goal of preventing and curing depression." Guo Rongjuan said, for example, the Chinese patent medicine Shugan Jieyu Capsule used to treat mild to moderate depression can effectively improve the levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine in the brain, further regulate the function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, which is beneficial to relieve depression. It has also been clinically proven to be effective in relieving mood disorders and psychological stress, and there are no obvious adverse reactions or side effects during use.

Guo Rongjuan believes that it takes courage for patients with depression to face up to mental health problems. As a psychiatrist, she hopes to further enhance society's respect and tolerance for mental health issues so that every patient who really needs it can get professional help.