Low awareness among the masses that depression can be managed with psychatrists' advice, medicine and modern methods of treatment is the main reason why depression is increasingly becoming a major problem worldwide, affecting as many as 340 million people worldwide according to two world renowned psychiatrists from USA, Dr. Alan J , Gelenberg, a former faculty member of the Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital and currently Professor and Head of Department of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona, and Dr. Max Fink, an international authority on electro-convulsive therapy (ECT). The two experts are in India as part of ongoing symposia being organized by Wockhardt's Mastermind division being held in Chennai, Kolkatta, Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai.

According to Dr. Gelenberg, unipolar major depression is amongst the top 10 causes of disability and premature death worldwide. Eight to 19 per cent with major depressive disorders are severe enough to go for hospitalization and many of them commit suicide, according to him. It is stated that suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. However with the advent of modern psychotropic medicines, medical practitioners have got encouraging results, enabling many patients to return to normal productive life.

According to Dr.Max Fink, eight per cent to 38 per cent of schizophrenics develop catatonic schizophrenia, a type of schizophrenia which can be treated with medicines failing which one has to resort to ECT. "Depression occurs among people across social classes, countries and cultural setting, One out of four women and one out of 10 men can expect to develop depression during their lifetime. It is estimated that by 2020 depression will be the second largest cause of death and disability," he further added.

"There are chances that ECT can be done on patients without having to undergo medication but modern medicines have the capability of curing depression and the decision of whether to use medication or ECT rests with the psychiatrists," Dr. Fink claimed, while explaining that the ECT itself has undergone a lot of change with psychiatrists now resorting to different approaches. "The technology itself has changed with respect to administering the ECT as well as managing the chemical changes that occur in the body when one is in a depressed mood. It is altogether a different ball game when it comes to medication and ECT," he further explained. "For catatonic schizophrenia, ECT is the only remedy and success achieved is almost 95 per cent," Dr. Fink exclaimed.

"Economists would depict an economic model to explain the losses caused by depression and related diseases. While on one hand depression can be treated on the other the low awareness is a big hindrance. We will have to have a sustained effort globally to ensure that depression does not become a public health concern as other diseases, Dr. Gelenberg maintained, claiming further that psychiatrists are now being consulted by other medical practitioners while treating the patient of other ailments. "It is not far off when psychiatrists will form a member of the team treating patients of other ailments," he further reiterated.

The ongoing symposium will bring together practicing psychiatrists in India with the two US experts and imbibe more about the changes in approach of treatment for depression and other technological advances.