Mental health is significantly important for our overall well-being. Many people experience depression, and it's crucial to find effective treatments, especially for those who don't respond to usual therapies. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is the last option for people with treatment-resistant depression, giving them hope and a chance to have a better life.

 

Further, the Indian Mental Health Act 2017 acknowledges the mentally ill and recognizes DBS as an option for treating resistant depression. Recently, there was a case in news where a foreign national who had been battling depression for the past 26 years became the first to undergo a psychiatric operation in Mumbai and perhaps the first in India since the new Mental Healthcare act was passed in 2017.

Depression is a common mental health problem that affects a lot of people, around 15 percent of the population according to some studies. As per the World Health Organization, (WHO), it is the leading cause of disability worldwide. The condition can take a toll on how you feel, the way you think and how you act bringing with it feelings of sadness and/or causing you to lose interest in activities you once enjoyed. Besides, it can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and affect your ability to function optimally at work and at home. Fortunately, it is treatable, however, for some individuals, depression is hard to treat, even after trying different medications and therapies. Deep brain stimulation is offered as the last resort when other treatments fail to give results. DBS involves a surgery where doctors implant tiny electrodes in specific parts of the brain. These electrodes send electrical impulses to those areas to help regulate abnormal brain activity and restore balance. While initially used for Parkinson's disease, DBS is now being explored as a possible treatment for severe depression that doesn't respond to other therapies.

 

While some individuals with the condition welcomed the first ever surgery for the treatment of depression, others are skeptical of the procedure and would prefer to wait for more successful stories. The public in general had differing views with one of them saying, “depression can take a serious toll on your overall health and it is important to seek medical help if you are facing symptoms of the mood disorder. While deep brain stimulation may not work for everyone, but it offers a lifeline to those who have tried everything else.”

 

Ongoing research is helping us understand DBS better and determine who can benefit from it the most. Ethical concerns, safety measures, and follow-up care are crucial to ensure the best outcomes for patients.

 

By addressing mental health needs, we can create a society where people can thrive and be healthy in every possible way.