Conquering
Depression
World Health Organization
Regional Office for South-East Asia
New Delhi
Coordinating Author:
Dr Sudhir Khandelwal
Department of Psychiatry
All-India Institute of Medical Sciences
New Delhi, India
Co-Authors:
Dr AKMN Chowdhury
H.no. 6/C
12/10 Mirpur
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Dr Shishir K. Regmi
Department of Psychiatry
Institute of Medicine
Kathmandu, Nepal
Dr Nalaka Mendis
Department of Psychological Medicine
Faculty of Medicine
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Dr Phunnappa Kittirattanapaiboon
Suanprung Psychiatric Hospital
Chiang Mai, Thailand
© World Health Organization 2001
This document is not a formal publication of the World Health Organization
(WHO), and all rights are reserved by the Organization. The document may,
however, be freely reviewed, abstracted, reproduced or translated, in part
or in whole, but not for sale or for use in conjunction with commercial
purposes.
The views expressed in documents by named authors are solely the
responsibility of those authors.
! Paintings on pages 9, 17, 21, 26, 36 and 41 have been contributed to WHO by
Ms. Yogeeta, an eminent artist.
! Paintings on pages 13, 34, 39 and 45 are part of a WHO-sponsored global
school contest on mental health for children aged 6-9 years.
! Computer graphics on pages 6, 15, 19, 23, 24, 28, 31, 33, 38, 43 and 46 were
created at Exposure Multiples.
Authors
SEA/Ment/120
Distr: General
Conquering
Depression:
You can get out
of the blues
INTRODUCTION
6
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
10
MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT DEPRESSION
14
WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
18
DIAGNOSING DEPRESSION
30
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES
32
CONSEQUENCES OF DEPRESSION
37
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
40
Contents
Coordinating Author:
Dr Sudhir Khandelwal
Department of Psychiatry
All-India Institute of Medical Sciences
New Delhi, India
Co-Authors:
Dr AKMN Chowdhury
H.no. 6/C
12/10 Mirpur
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Dr Shishir K. Regmi
Department of Psychiatry
Institute of Medicine
Kathmandu, Nepal
Dr Nalaka Mendis
Department of Psychological Medicine
Faculty of Medicine
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Dr Phunnappa Kitti