Dr. Debasmita Psychiatrist

Imagine you are lost in the jungle and suddenly come face to face with a tiger. What would be your response? Naturally, you would panic. While you panic, let’s check out what happens inside your mind and body. The brain senses danger and activates the body’s fight and flight response. Rational thinking shuts down (this is no time for mind games!). The heart beats fast, you sweat profusely, your body starts to shake, you feel short of breath and there is a sudden lump in your throat. This is exactly what happens to a person living with anxiety disorders. Trivial triggers like getting into an elevator, making a public appearance, going for a job interview or facing an examination makes their brain see red. Their brain is wired to sense the same level of danger in these situations as it would in a life-threatening situation. Obviously, the person experiences a panic attack when faced with such triggering situations. With time the brain learns what it must do to avoid such attacks. The b...

Those looking at options for depression treatment in Kolkata almost always prefer counselling or psychotherapy to medications. However, given that there are so many different types of therapy options, the client is often confused. Today’s article is a brief overview of the most widely used therapy for depression treatment in Kolkata, namely Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. Before we start, a few basics. In cases of severe depression, psychotherapy or counselling as a standalone treatment is rarely helpful. Medications are essential to prevent the patient from going rapidly downhill. A point to note here. Counselling and psychotherapy are not synonymous. Although the general notion is that both are “talk therapies”, psychotherapy is a structured, evidence based, scientific treatment approach that can only be administered by a skilled psychiatrist or clinical psychologist. In a word, it is more than just sitting and talking to the client.   The principle behind Cognitive Behavi...

  Depression is, ironically, quite rampant in the city of joy. However, the number of treatment seekers is not that huge. Most people take a lot of time to accept that they actually need treatment for depression. When they do, they are left utterly confused by the wide array of therapies available. In most cases however, the last treatment modality they prefer is pharmacotherapy (or simply put, medications). The common notion is that medications make one drowsy and have long term side effects. The truth however is quite different. Let us understand what happens to the brain in depression. The “happy chemicals” in the brain networks are in short supply. The mind, as a function of the brain, therefore is unable to feel pleasure. Once that happens, the motivation or drive to work or perform our day- to -day activities is lost. And remember that the brain is the controlling center of the human body. So once there is a dysfunction in the control room, it is quite natural that the enti...

  If you are battling depression in the city of joy this article is for you. There are multiple options for depression treatment in Kolkata. For starters, people usually start with alternative forms of therapy like meditation, yoga or dance therapy. These are excellent treatment methods for those suffering from depression of lesser severity. These people still have the motivation to engage in these therapeutic activities. Depression treatment in Kolkata also relies heavily on psychotherapy, commonly known as ‘counselling’.   This involves a skilled therapist talking to the patient and explaining the negative thought processes that lead to depression. A series of home assignments are designed for the patient to practice. Those seeking depression treatments in Kolkata for themselves or their near ones should understand the nature of the disease and learn to make a primary assessment of the severity before deciding on their course of action. Depression is far beyond a state of ...

It is interesting to note that most people search for the top psychiatrist in Kolkata when they are seeking help. They usually end up getting a reference of a busy doctor. But then they grumble about the long waiting period for an appointment. They complain about the lack of quality time spent with them and the expensive investigations ordered. And the doctor’s fee is just exorbitant, they say. The irony of this is that they typed top psychiatrist in Kolkata into the search engine in the first place. It really is not necessary to find the top psychiatrist in Kolkata for yourself. The smart thing to do is search for doctors near you, go through the services offered and find an appointment slot that suits you. If you have to jeopardize your work schedule every time you have an appointment with the doctor, chances are you will miss the follow-up appointments. And bear in mind, the follow-up consultations are necessary in the field of psychiatry. Your treatment is complete only when the d...

To start with, there is never a one size fits all formula. A doctor who is just perfect for patient A might be totally wrong for patient B. For starters, understand this. You are expected to pour your heart out to a complete stranger (your psychiatrist) at the very first encounter. That is   a pretty challenging task if you are not comfortable around him/her. The reasons of discomfort might be many – gender difference, generation gap etc. The best psychiatrist in Kolkata for you would be the one you are comfortable with. Next, there is a question of approachability . If you are intimidated by your doctor, you will not be totally truthful with him/her, especially when it comes to the dark part of your psyche. If that is the case, you will end up having a half-baked therapy. Again, that would be a waste of time, both for you and your doctor. Then there is clarity . In the early visits, your psychiatrist should be able to give you a complete treatment plan that suits your require...