Answered by : maneesh on Fri, 04 Mar 2011

Dear Nagalaxmi,

I am sorry to read about your negative and nihilistic thoughts. I can assure you that help is available.

You mention having thoughts of death and being preoccupied in them until someone disturbs you. This suggests that your thoughts are taking over control of your mind rather than your mind being in control of your thoughts. This inverse situation is what we Psychiatrists call Depression. A state of mind where the control gets relinquished to the illness induced thoughts and thus make us and our feelings, a consequence of our illness.

I admit it is antidepressants which I would strongly advocate at the moment, for the simple reason that they are the best known tool to reverse this change in your brain, to reduce the thoughts and put you back in control. The fact that you had headache and giddiness earlier, points that depression had started earlier but was either not recognised or not treated aggressively.

Your immediate concern is your exams and your apparent inability to concentrate on studies. You can get help if you repose some faith in antidepressants and meet/consult a psychiatrist. Remember, depression is treatable. Please ask for help.