What makes October so special apart from the fact that it has the best colors that welcomes autumn, and transitions to winter. It is also the month that celebrates variety of festivals across culture and across the world. Well, from a health perspective, it is one of the most important month, called the Depression Awareness Month. The importance of this month on the onset of winter makes it even more significant, as the winter season is often associated with depression, due to SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder, this is a type of depression related to the change of season that mostly begins in fall or winter. Common symptoms include persistent sadness, low energy, and a loss of interest in activities.

In the US, the month is recognized as National depression Awareness Month and the origin is rooted in a larger, ongoing effort to combat mental health stigma. While there is no one founding event, the designation has grown from initiatives like the World Mental Health Day, which falls on October 10, and began in 1992 by the Federation for Mental Health. It was designed to raise global awareness on mental health. The month-long campaigns were deigned to educate the public, encourage conversations around the subject, as well as provide resources for those who are depressed. In the US, the Mental Health America, played a significant role in establishing mental health awareness initiatives.

What Is Happening In The US?

As per America's Health Rankings, out of 48 states with data on mental health, West Virginia had the highest rate of depression in the nation, with around 31% people suffering from a depressive disorder.

In 2021, an estimates 14.5 million US adults aged 18 or older had at least one major depressive episode with severe impairment in the past years notes the National Institute of Mental Health, US. Major depression, notes Mental Health America, is one of the most common mental illnesses, affecting more than 8% or 21 million of American adults each year.

Dr Ahmed Faheem, who is a psychiatrist with Appalachian Psychiatric Services, told 59 News, "Just lending a helping hand, opening up the dialogue, talking to them, especially in this depressive event and, you know, it is really important to be aware and look around. You may find a colleague that you might have thought if everything is okay, might open up to you and say, 'I'm glad you asked'."

Is There Anyone Prone To Depression?

Depression can affect people across all ages, races, ethnicities, and genders. It is a serious mental illness, which may include any of the following signs and symptoms:

• Continued feelings of sadness, hopelessness, pessimism, emptiness
• Fatigue, lack of energy
• Changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Anxiety, irritability, restlessness
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Loss of interest or joy in hobbies and activities
• Poor school performance
• Tearfulness or frequent crying
• Withdrawal from friends and family
• Lack of enthusiasm and motivation
• Trouble concentrating, thinking clear, or making decisions
• Unexplained aches and pains
• Thoughts of deaths or suicide or self-harm behaviors

With Delhi winters coming in, the spell of late smog is most likely to stay not just outside the homes, but it could in fact, follow you inside your homes. A study by the University of Delhi's Satyawati College, Jamia Millia Islamia, and US's South Dakota University, reveal that bacterial levels were recorded to be 10 fold higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended safety limits.

Studies have also found that air inside the city homes have 12 times more fungal spokes than the WHO safety limits. They can cause skin allergies, respiratory issues, and anxiety. As per a 2021 study by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC India), PM 2.5 levels for low-income and high-income households in Delhi were high during the winters. The concentrations reported 23 and 29 times higher than the WHO safe limits, respectively. These findings also suggested that high-income households were 13 times more likely to own air purifiers than low-income households.

In Delhi, No One Gets To Breathe

Dr Kenneth Lee, who was the lead author of the study said, "In Delhi, the bottom line is - whether someone is rich or poor, no one gets to breathe clean air."

Lee further adds, "It’s a complex vicious cycle. When you do not know about the pollution levels inside your homes, you do not worry about it, and hence you are less likely to take corrective actions. Only with increased awareness, demand for clean air may gain momentum.”

The study also found that indoor PM2.5 levels were higher than the value reported by the nearest government monitor. The PM2.5 levels spiked in the mornings and evenings when households were most likely to be cooking.

The recent study published in Frontiers in Public Health 2025 notes that long term exposure to high fungal and bacterial concentration make indoor air in several parts of Delhi as harmful as the smog outside. The study also noted that most fungal particles were smaller than 2.5 microns, this is why they can easily penetrate through your bloodstreams.

The study revealed a distinct seasonal trend in indoor air quality across Delhi. Fungal levels rose steadily from winter, peaking at around 6,050 CFU per cubic metre between September and November, just before the city’s infamous smog season. Bacterial concentrations, meanwhile, climbed from winter to summer, reaching their highest levels in August before tapering off in the fall.

Health complaints among residents were widespread: 33% reported frequent headaches, 23% experienced burning or irritated eyes, 22% suffered persistent coughing or breathlessness, and 18% struggled with sneezing and allergic rhinitis. Another 15% reported skin irritation and itching.

Who Are At Most Risk Of Indoor Pollution?

The study highlighted that children and young adults were particularly vulnerable, about 28% of children under 12 and 25% of young adults (18–30 years) experienced breathing difficulties, coughing, or allergy-related symptoms. Researchers attributed children’s higher susceptibility to developing lungs, increased physical activity, and longer indoor exposure.

Women also reported more eye and skin problems, making up nearly 60% of dermatological and eye irritation cases, likely due to spending more time indoors.

Conducted over a year in North Delhi, the study, “Microbial Indoor Air Quality Assessment and Health Correlations in Densely Populated Urban Areas of Delhi, India”, found that fungal and bacterial levels inside homes were several times higher than WHO’s safe limits, underscoring that Delhi’s pollution crisis extends well beyond outdoor air.

You must have heard many people saying that moon disrupts your sleep cycle, and mental health. But, is there really any truth in that? Neurologist Joanna Fong-Isariawongse, who specializes in sleep medicine and how sleep affects brain writes for Scient Alert that yes, the moon affects sleep, however, its impact on mental health could be "much less certain".

The conventional belief is that moon bears an impact on people's mood and behavior, in fact, the term 'lunacy', comes from the word 'luna', which is Latin for Moon.

How Does Moon Impact Your Sleep?

There are studies, notes Joanna, that show that people sleep differently in the days that lead up to full moon. This is when the moon shines brightest. As per a 2013 study, titled 'Evidence that the Lunar Cycle Influences Human Sleep', notes that people sleep 20 minutes less, take longer to fall asleep and another 2014 study published in journal Sleep Medicine show that they even spend less time in deep, restorative sleep.

Another 2021 study, published in the journal Neurophysiology, people across different cultures tend to go to bed later and sleep for shorter periods in the nights before a full moon.

Why does this happen? The answer is in the light. The bright moon, says the neurologist, could delay the body's internal clock and reduce melatonin. Melatonin is the hormones that is responsible for signaling bedtime. This is why the brain stays more alert.

Most people lose 15 to 30 minutes of sleep, notes Joanna, however, this is measurable. This change is noticed strongest in places without artificial light, for instance in rural areas or while camping.

There are several research that also suggests that moon can impact differently to women. Joanna notes, that men seem to lose more sleep during the waxing period, while women experience less deep and restful sleep around the full moon.

Is There A Link Of Moon And Mental Health?

There are folklores that suggest that full moon could spark bipolar disorder, provoke seizures in people with epilepsy, or even trigger psychosis in those with schizophrenia. However, the logic is simple, notes Joanna. This is because people lose sleep under a bright moon and it makes their mind more vulnerable.

Research too says that sleep loss itself is a powerful reason for mental health issues. A 3034 study published by the Sleep Research Society notes that just one rough night could increase anxiety and drag down one's mood. There are also evidence that show that ongoing sleep disruption could raise one's risk of depression, suicidal thoughts, and flare-up conditions like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

This means even if you lose just 15 to 30 minutes of sleep during a full moon, you could be at risk.

However, notes Joanna, that when researchers look at the same theory at large groups of people, the evidence is weak. There are no reliable patterns found between the moon and hospital admissions, discharges, or lengths of stay.

However, there are other studies that may suggest small effects. For instance, in India, psychiatric hospitals record more use of restraints, as noted in the 2021 study published in The Journal of Biological and Medical Rhythm Research, during full moons. This is based on the data collected between 2016 and 2017. Another study done in 2019, published in the same journal show that in China, there was a slight rise in schizophrenia admissions around the full moon. The study used hospital data from 2012 to 2017.

Joanna asks an important question: "If the science is so inconclusive, why do so many people believe in the 'full moon effect?'" The answer is, the psychologists point to this as the illusory correlation, we may notice something unusual that coincides with a full moon, and forget that there may have been many full moon nights when nothing happened. Lastly, she writes, that moon is also highly visible, unlike the other sleep disruptors like stress, caffeine, or scrolling on phone, which is why it becomes easy to blame.

If you remember Tony's Law, a legislation which formed part of the Police, Crime, and Sentencing Act 2022 after it received royal assent, all thanks to Paula Hudgell, from Kings Hill. For those uninitiated, she adopted Tony Hudgell, a 7-year-old child, who was abused by his birth parents, so severely that she had to get his legs amputated. This is what led Paula to campaign for Tony's Law to increase the sentence for child abusers from 14 years to life.

While Paula is no stranger to overcoming challenges, she faces a new challenge with her degrading health. Now 58, she is battling terminal cancer, reported the Mirror.

What breaks her heart is that Tony, who is now 11, also expresses his concern about her health to his teacher. "Life has been so tough for Tony but he never, ever complains so it breaks my heart to know he has approached his teachers at schools a few times to say he's 'worried about mummy'."

Discovering Stage 4 Cancer

She discovered that she had stage 4 terminal cancer in June and that her cancer had metastasised to her lungs and peritoneal. She also said that she was diagnosed 14 times over 4 years, to finally get to the diagnosis. The Daily Star reports that doctors had missed her cancer 14 times.

She says, "My prognosis has affected the entire family's mental health. It is hard for all of us to get our heads around, but I am trying to prepare them as much as possible. I was on the school run with Tony last week and he turned the radio up, because there was a love song playing that he liked. He told me he was going to have it at his wedding. It suddenly hit me that I won't be at his wedding. I had my tears from him but it hurts so much that I won't see him grow up or get married. I am just devastated for him and all of my children. It shouldn't have been like this."

Paula was initially diagnosed with bowel cancer in February 2022. The diagnosis happened when she first consulted a GP after she experienced episodes of diarrhea and constipation. However, she was informed that she had IBS and was discharged. It took her 14 visits to the GPs, only to be dismissed with dietary advice, antacid prescriptions, or attributions to menopause.

"I knew something wasn't right, so I made an appointment with the GP, but was told it was IBS. I kept going back, but my symptoms would last for three or four weeks and then settle down, so I thought maybe the GPs were right.

I got used to my symptoms, but then, after four years, I was on the loo and it was almost like my late mum spoke to me and I called the GP with the grit I'd have used if one of the kids was ill and said 'I need an appointment today.' I went with a different attitude and wouldn't take no for an answer. I'd started seeing the bowel cancer adverts on TV and demanded they test a stool sample. I knew deep down something was wrong, but I was so busy being a mum I put my problems on the back burner," she said.

When the results came out, her cancer markers were "through the rood" and two weeks later, she was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer. The delay in diagnosis is what allowed the tumor to grow through the bowel wall.

While she underwent a six-hour surgery, and chemotherapy, her complications arose as her bowel blocked twice. This required further surgical intervention and the change in location where the bowel had been sectioned. Amid this, her husband was also diagnosed with prostate cancer, however, his treatment was effective and was declared cancer free this year.