Patient's question:
My mother has never had a good appetite and once suffered from duodenal ulcer, which was cured later by taking traditional Chinese medicine. After retiring, she has nothing to do at home and follows Buddhist beliefs, eating a vegetarian diet. Currently, she is in menopause and experiencing obvious depressive symptoms, such as pessimistic mood, excessive worry, lack of deep thinking, restless sleep, frequent chest tightness and pain, feeling tired and annoyed with everything, and having no life aspirations. Because she is currently suffering from duodenal ulcer, she cannot take antidepressant medications. On a daily basis, she only eats millet porridge, worrying about the side effects of Western medicine. She wants to seek treatment with traditional Chinese medicine, but she always feels the effects are not satisfactory and keeps changing hospitals.Previous Treatment and Effects:
She has been cured of duodenal ulcer.
Kind of Help Needed:
I would like to ask, in such a case, should depression be treated first or the duodenal ulcer? What can she do in daily life to alleviate her emotions? Besides
Doctor's answer:
Engage in more social activities. A strong social network contributes to better physical and mental health. Participate in more social events and spend time with people you care about. Also, never underestimate the importance of exercise, as it can bring pleasure. Scheduling exercise activities daily helps maintain high energy levels. Exercise acts as a natural antidepressant to boost mood. Menopause is a common gynecological condition that can easily occur, and during medication, women need to pay attention to their self-care, especially in terms of personal hygiene.