Life is not easy and there are many struggles that we have to go through. This is all-natural, and we get through it, but there are times when things just get too much. We might get anxious and depressed and often land in a deep dark hole with no ladder. We might feel that everything in our lives are wrong and we don’t know how to get back to normal. Once depression hits, we have no vision and all we see is darkness.
Depression goes hand in hand with anxiety. In fact, most people with a mental illness, have symptoms of more than one mental illness. Take note that if you are anxious it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are depressed.
What is depression?
Depression is a very difficult emotion to describe and if someone has never been through depression, they might not even realize that they are depressed, or they might think that someone with depression is overreacting.
There are many possible causes for depression, but it is usually a combination of things that cause distress.
In layman’s terms social, psychological, and biological factors come together for a party and cause a dysfunction in the brain. All these factors play around with the neural circuits of the brain and cause a feeling of sadness or loss of interest.
These feelings of sadness and loss can lead to a range of behavioural and physical symptoms that can influence normal behaviour to become abnormal like:
Sleep disorders, loss of self-esteem, concentration problems, loss of appetite, low energy levels etc.
All these factors together can make a person feel like a lonely sock in a tumble dryer. Their normal behaviour can change, and they might act totally different than usual. They can have emotional tantrums and might even have feelings of suicide.
The solution is sometimes as easy as taking medication. The medication helps with the return of normal activity in the brain. However, it is a matter of finding the right combination of medication that makes the person feel better.
Once the medication is started, it is not a miracle cure, and it can take up to two weeks for the results to show. It is wise to go for therapy in the meantime and a combination of medication and talk-therapy can produce the best result.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is our body’s natural response to stress. Many people experience anxiety differently and an anxiety attack can be an extremely terrifying experience.
There are various anxiety disorders where people may feel anxious on an everyday basis. They worry about a lot of things and sometimes they worry even if there is nothing really to worry about. In their minds, it is their way to cope, but indirectly it makes them miserable and stressed.
Others have phobias and can go into a frenzy when they have to face their fears. This can include anything from spiders to elevators. It can be something very simple, but it can cause a lot of panics.
Some people are socially anxious and can go into a panic when they have to be between many people. They avoid going into crowds and distance themselves from other people.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD, in short, is also a type of anxiety disorder. Many people might develop compulsive behaviour and have unreasonable thoughts and fears. For example, they can have a fear of germs and wash their hands' hundreds of times per day.
Anxiety happens because of a build-up of stress-related issues. Continuous work, health, money, or relationship issues can cause a lot of stress and a person can only take so much. This can trigger anxiety and can even lead to a panic attack.
If you have never had an anxiety attack, it can feel as if you are having a heart attack. It hits hard and causes a rapid heart rate. It can include dizziness and at times the person may even become non-responsive.
To solve this and to make people less anxious there are various types of medication that can be taken to relieve axiety, but if you want to try and cut down on stress there is a lot you can do to avoid panic attacks.
Exercise
Exercise is needed for physical and mental health. It helps keep your brain busy when you focus on something specific. Three to four exercise sessions can take away a lot of stress and it will keep you healthy in other ways as well.
Sleep
People who are naturally anxious have issues falling asleep. They sleep less because they are anxious, and their brains don’t shut down. Quality sleep is much more important than the quantity of sleep you get, although you should try to get at least 6 – 8 hours of sleep per night. Make sure that you sleep with no distractions and stick to a schedule to make your body used to the routine.
Cut down on sugar and caffeine
Sugar gives you energy and caffeine is a natural stimulant. Try to drink less coffee and try to take in as little sugar as possible. Eat healthily and make sure you get all the nutrients you need.
Make use of breathing exercises.
If you feel some anxiety coming on, take yourself to a happy place and breath. Breath in deeply and breathe out slowly. Continue this until you are less anxious. While you sit and breath, take time to think about your fears and what your purpose in life is. This time is then not wasted, and you have your own little therapy session while you figure out your life. Just keep on breathing and then once the anxiety is gone, you can take a last deep breath and continue with your daily tasks.
If you are a naturally anxious person make sure that you take enough time to relax, and you should realize that you are definitely NOT alone. Thousands of people struggle with depression and anxiety on a daily basis. If you know of someone with depression, be there for them, and talk about possible ways to help. Let them know that they are not alone and that there any thousands of us that struggle through the same thing daily.
There is nothing wrong with taking medication if it helps your condition. Stop being ashamed and ask for help when you need it before it is too late.
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Very good advice especially in these times of confinement and that our children and youth are so anxious for the confinement! Thanks for sharing!