Anxiety & Depression: The Perfect Storm
Analogies are a great way to describe the seemingly indescribable. One example that may help explain depression and anxiety to someone is to view them as the development of a hurricane. After all, they have their own tropical depression phase before they become a destructive storm.
Depression develops like an Atlantic system coming out of Africa. Anxiety heightens depression like the warm waters of the ocean and the Caribbean Sea, strengthening a disturbance. Your feelings of hopelessness cause anxiety and depression to build.
We are unable to create wind shears that can weaken a storm, and similarly, we are unable to turn off a depressive episode. We can see the storm, we know what it needs, we can logically think about how to stop it, but it cannot be done.
And just like a hurricane, a depressive episode must be allowed to run its course. Sometimes it will dissipate after a few days in the middle of nowhere, other times it will erupt into chaos and destruction, but theres always sun at the end of the storm.
When To See Your Gp
Although feelings of anxiety at certain times are completely normal, you should see your GP if anxiety is affecting your daily life or is causing you distress.
Your GP will ask you about your symptoms and your worries, fears and emotions to try to find out if you could have GAD.
Read more about diagnosing GAD
Whats The Best Way To Describe A Situation
Avoid speaking badly of current/former company, co-workers, supervisors, or direct reports. Try not to come across as superior in your past or current role. Conversely, dont play yourself down unless its explaining how youve grown. Dont describe a non-work-related situation, unless you have no relevant work experience to share.
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Even Though Anxiety And Depression Are Used To Describe Emotions That Everyone Has It Is Not An Emotion But A Disorder For Some
Anxiety and depression are emotions that everyone feels at time in response to stressors. At this occasional frequency, they are a normal, healthy part of life where you can expect the emotions to subside once the stressor has passed. However, for those with anxiety and depression, these emotions dont subside. They dont just disappear once the stressor has passed. Instead, they are persistent and build upon each other as more stressors are encountered throughout the day.
What Do You Say When You Want To See The Doctor
Symptoms refer to signs we experience when we are not feeling well. Some examples are: Vomiting Toothache Sore throat Headache Fever You may have to make an appointment before you see the doctor. You can say: I would like to make an appointment to see the doctor.
Avoid speaking badly of current/former company, co-workers, supervisors, or direct reports. Try not to come across as superior in your past or current role. Conversely, dont play yourself down unless its explaining how youve grown. Dont describe a non-work-related situation, unless you have no relevant work experience to share.
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Taking The First Step
Many of us are comfortable talking with our hairdresser about our emotional issues rather than talking to our doctor? Well, it happens to a lot of us. When we have self-doubt, possibly feeling embarrassed combined with having a natural resistance not to open up and be vulnerable. These thoughts are natural barriers we face when attempting to explain our feelings, emotions, and experiences to our doctor. Mental health is a very personal and sensitive issue that you need to discuss. However, prioritising who to talk with your general practitioner should be at the top of your list.
People also reach out to a psychologist or counsellor to start a conversation. Talking with a psychologist is a great alternative to your GP and should be included in your go-to list to begin the healing process.
Ultimately, our mental health is an important issue which you must take responsibility to take the first step to seek the outcome you want. Decisions should be made after careful consideration and research And the conclusions and the course of action you must own. But please, whichever path you choose, make sure you are honest, open, and able to talk freely about what you are feeling.
Anxiety Is Worry Fear Unease Or Dread
It is a general term used to describe a range of disorders. Caused by stress, this disorder is a normal human reaction under many circumstances. Almost everyone experiences it at various times in life due to stressful situations such as work obligations, an impending exam, getting married, breaking up, money troubles, or simply walking through a dangerous part of town. It can even be a useful reaction at times, as feeling stress allows you to get things done when you need to.
An anxiety disorder, however, is characterized by excessive, prolonged worry or dread over a real or imagined event that affects someones daily living in a negative way. A person with anxiety may not be able to control such feelings even if they realize they are excessive and irrational. Anxiety disorders typically last at least six months. They can get worse if they go untreated, so its important to seek help as soon as possible.
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Coping Support And Resources
In addition to your prescribed treatment, you may want to join a support group. It can be very helpful to talk with other people who are experiencing symptoms similar to yours. Its good to know that you are not alone. Someone else with similar symptoms can understand what youre going through and offer support and encouragement. Being part of a group can also help you develop new social skills.
Your community will likely have several support groups, either for your specific disorder or for anxiety in general. Check with your medical professionals to learn what resources are available in your area. You might ask your:
- mental health provider
- primary doctor
- county mental health services agency
You can also participate in support groups online. This may be a good way to start if you have social anxiety disorder or feel uncomfortable in a face-to-face group setting.
Treatment of diagnosed anxiety is often multi-disciplinary. This means you may see one or all of the following medical practitioners:
- primary care physician
Who Can Prescribe Anti
In general, any physician or psychiatrist can prescribe anti-anxiety medication.
However, you must see a doctor in person for anxiety medications that are classified as controlled substances. Online doctors cannot prescribe benzodiazepines, such as Xanax.
That said, online doctors can prescribe antidepressants, which are the first line of treatment for anxiety and have been proven to be highly effective. They also have less side effects and risk factors than benzodiazepines.
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What Else Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider
If you have an anxiety disorder, ask your provider:
- Whats the best treatment for me?
- Do I need medication? What type?
- How long should I take medication?
- What type of psychotherapy will work best?
- What else can I do to manage my symptoms?
- What other conditions am I at risk for?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
An anxiety disorder can make it difficult to get through your day. Anxiety disorder symptoms include feelings of nervousness, panic and fear. You may also have physical symptoms such as sweating and a rapid heartbeat. But you dont need to live like this. Several effective anxiety disorder treatments are available. Talk to your healthcare provider to figure out your diagnosis and the best treatment plan. Often, treatment combines medications and therapy. Anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants, together with CBT, can help you feel your best.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 12/17/2020.
References
How Avoidance Leads To Fear Learning And More Anxiety
Most of us would agree that hiking is not typically a very dangerous activity. And while theres always the risk of falling off a cliff or getting attacked by a dangerous wild animal, in most scenarios going for a hike is a pretty safe thing.
And yet, many people are too anxious to go hiking. They turn down an invitation to hike, no matter from whom they only go for walks in well-know paths or areas they even avoid movies about hiking and traveling through nature. But how can this be? Why doesnt Aunt Shirley believe me when I tell her that it doesnt make sense to be afraid of something as innocuous as hiking because its perfectly safe!?
The trouble is, its not a matter of what they believe what matters is what their amygdala believes. And to a large extent, our amygdalae tend to believe what we teach them.
People with anxiety disorders have most likely triggered a process called Fear Learning which has taught their amygdala to be overly sensitive to potential dangers and fear things that are not actually threatening. To unpack this, lets imagine that youre an average Joe out for a hike in the foothills on a beautiful spring day.
Thankfully the same mechanism the amygdala uses for fear learning can be applied to achieve the opposite, Safety Learning, which is the key to undoing any anxiety you may have developed.
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Anxiety Disorders Are The Most Common Mental Health Problems In America
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 40 million adults in the U.S. are affected by anxiety disorders every year. Women are 60% more likely than men to develop an anxiety disorder. Teenagers are not immune from anxiety disorders a national survey indicates that about 8% of those aged 13 to 18 have one.
There are many different types of anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder , generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia. Each of these has different symptoms, but excessive, irrational fear or dread is the common link between them. It is not unusual for a person with an anxiety disorder to also have one or more other mental and/or physical health issues, which may exacerbate symptoms and make the disorder harder to identify. In such a case it may be necessary to treat the other illnesses first before the anxiety can be addressed.
If Your Loved One Is Struggling With Depression Or Anxiety Supporting Them Doesnt Mean Youre Making It Too Easy Coddling Or Enabling
Yes, your fears may feel valid. If you dont support someone who is experiencing depression and anxiety to move past these emotions and the issues that cause them, are they ever going to get better? But the key here is support.
Pushing or challenging them can exacerbate an already stressful situation and make them feel worse. Here are some ways you can support someone who has anxiety and depression:
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What To Do If Youre Diagnosed With Anxiety
Focus on managing your anxiety rather than on ending or curing it. Learning how best to control your anxiety can help you live a more fulfilled life. You can work on stopping your anxiety symptoms from getting in the way of reaching your goals or aspirations.
To help manage your anxiety, you have several options.
The Frustration Of Trying To Explain Depression And Anxiety
17 million adults in the United States alone have had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. Awareness is improving, but the dialogue has a long way to go. If you are one of the many struggling in silence, or just want some tips on how to explain depression to someone who doesnt have it, here are some tips from Steps Recovery Center of Utah.
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How Do I Know If My Child Has An Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety-related problems in children share four common features. The anxiety:
- Is typically a fear or fixation that interferes with the ability to enjoy life, get through the day or complete tasks.
- Is puzzling to both the child and parents.
- Does not improve after logical explanations to address the worries.
- Is treatable.
Try A Book Or Online Course
When you are diagnosed with GAD, your GP may recommend trying self-help treatments before having more intensive psychological therapy or medication.
This will usually involve working from a book or computer programme for around six weeks or longer. In some cases, you may be closely supported by a trained therapist who you will speak to every week or two, although some treatments only involve minimal or occasional contact with a therapist who will monitor your progress.
There are a number of different books and courses available that can help you learn to cope with your anxiety, but the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence only recommends trying treatments based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy .
CBT is a type of psychological treatment that can help you understand your condition better and how your problems, thoughts, feelings and behaviour affect each other. The aim of CBT-based treatments is to help you learn ways to manage your anxiety by modifying negative or unhelpful behaviour and thoughts.
Find out more about Living Life – a service which offers appointment-based telephone support based upon cognitive behavioural therapy.
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What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder
With GAD, you may feel extreme and unrealistic worry and tension even if theres nothing to trigger these feelings. Most days, you may worry a lot about various topics, including health, work, school and relationships. You may feel that the worry continues from one thing to the next.
Physical symptoms of GAD can include restlessness, difficulty concentrating and sleeping problems.
How Are Anxiety Disorders Diagnosed
If you have symptoms of an anxiety disorder, talk to your healthcare provider. Theyll start with a complete medical history and physical examination.
There are no lab tests or scans that can diagnose anxiety disorders. But your provider may run some of these tests to rule out physical conditions that may be causing symptoms.
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How To Deal With And Treat Anxiety
People who have severe anxiety often can’t live full lives. When someone has anxiety, they often want to avoid situations that will bring more of it around.
A lot of the time, that means they will isolate themselves or feel obligated to engage in behaviors that other people don’t understand in order to appease the anxiety. This tactic just ends up alienating people and making their problem even worse.
How to treat anxiety depends on the specific type of anxiety. A lot of the time, pinpointing the source of your anxious thoughts can help you start tackling and changing your problem.
However, the two mainstream treatments for anxiety disorders are psychotherapy and medications. Most people benefit most from a combination of the two, although there are some who don’t need both.