Depression & Anxiety
Often grouped together, these are two separate conditions, with each having different symptoms and impacts on the sufferer.
Depression can begin with low mood, but doesn't have the up and downs on a short term basis. If you are suffering depression, it will be a continuous feeling for many weeks and months.
Depression can affect you physically as well as mentally, causing sleep disruptions, loss of appetite or sex drive.
Anxiety is the overwhelming feeling of fear or dread that we experience in certain situations. Usually these are linked to specific triggers from our past, but they can also appear from nowhere and require understanding.
You can learn specific skills to reduce and halt Anxiety when it occurs and even go on to remove it completely.
How do I know if I'm depressed or just feeling low mood?
The scale of Depression can increase the longer you suffer, so it is vital to address this as soon as you become aware of it. What may begin as feeling down or having low mood, can continue to worsen over time. You will find yourself losing interest in activities that once brough you joy. You may be in a constant state of unhappiness or see little hope for the future.
These feelings can cause a person to 'hit rock bottom' where it is a struggle to rebuild your confidence and find any positives. This traps you in a cycle of needing those happy moments to help improve, but being unable to experience those happy moments because you are too low.
How did I become depressed?
Depression can begin through any number of ways, but is mainly due to big life-changing events we experience. These might be negative ones such as bereavement, job losses, relationship breakdowns. But they can also come from events that should be happy such as moving home or having children. The common theme for any of these events is the stress and pressure that is brought on by them.
You are also more likely so suffer depression if your family has a history of it, with a lot of genetic evidence being proven.
Your therapist can explore the origins of your depression to establish what has caused it and what triggers might be for the future.
Do I need medication for depression?
A therapist is unable to prescribe or advise on medication. You will need to consult your Doctor to discuss medication options. Some Doctors will put you on a course of medication which could last many months or years, whilst others prefer to combine medication with talking therapy, as this has proven to be the most effective approach.
Different medications can affect people in different ways and your Doctor may need to change your medication type depending on how it impacts you.
Can you cure my depression?
A therapist can treat your Depression and work alongside you to find coping methods to help you through episodes easier. We are unable to guarantee a 'cure' but will help you learn skills that will reduce the impact depression has on your everyday life.
Depression can be something we live with for life, or that will return in episodes with certain triggers. However it is also something that can be managed and controlled.
Is there anything I can do to relieve my depression?
Alongside the techniques discussed with your therapist, you can make lifestyle changes that will ease your depression and help boost your mood.
Adding or increasing positive habits such as exercise and healthy eating will benefit you greatly.
Reducing or removing negative habits such as alcohol, smoking and drugs will also benefit you.
When does Anxiety become a problem?
Everyone experiences some level of anxiety. It becomes problematic when it begins to impact our lives and affect us day to day. Pressure, Fear and Threats will cause us to become anxious. These are justifiable responses to facing these situations. Anxiety manifests when we are constantly worrying about every small thing or worrying about things we shouldn't need to.
How do I know if I have Anxiety?
As with any condition, your Doctor can diagnose this. However some signs to be aware of are:
Tiredness and irritability
Shaking, trembling, dizziness
Inability to make decisions
Worrying about past / future situations
Thoughts of 'impending doom'
Aches to the head, stomach or muscles
Change in heartbeat - stronger, faster, irregular
Why do I get so Anxious?
Everyone experiences anxiety for different reasons. Your therapist will help you discover the source of your worries and work with you to reduce and remove them.
They are usually linked to our upbringing and environment, or through events that we have been exposed to during our lives.
Is it possible to stop Anxiety?
Yes! Anxiety affects everyone differently, but it is treatable like any illness. Your therapist can teach you specific skills that will work for your individual situation. You can practice and perfect these each time you suffer anxiety and over time, this will reduce and can eventually be removed. You may need to try several different methods before finding one that work personally for you.