Depression and Anxiety

Millions of people suffer from some form of depression or anxiety disorder, and studies have shown that quite often they coexist. Understanding depression and anxiety is the key to treating and curing the problem. Depression and anxiety overlap on so many occasions with different people that doctors are now beginning to realize that depression and anxiety are in fact the same illness.

Everybody will experience a moment of feeling sad in their lives, this is perfectly natural and usually it passes. Many things can cause this sadness from a death in the family, loss of a job or even very normal disappointments. These things will cause a mild depression and some people will also experience anxiety when stressful situations arise. These feelings are all perfectly normal and won't need to be treated by anyone as they will pass on their own.

However some people go onto to feel immense fatigue, you will have an overwhelming sadness and hopelessness. Huge changes in your sleep patterns and appetite will go on for long periods, and simply carrying out daily tasks will seem too much. If these symptoms carry on for a number of weeks, then you will be diagnosed with depression. Often if you are suffering with anxiety, you will have huge fear and worries. Your anxiety level is over the top and more than the stress factor being experienced. You probably will be having panic attacks on a regular basis even when there is no visible reason why. If this is the case then you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder. These two illnesses are so often linked that to deal with one you must treat the other.

Both of these conditions will affect your day to day life, you will not be able to experience a normal life or relationship. You must treat depression and anxiety before it becomes so bad that you won't leave your home, once this happens then it is a struggle to every regain your life. To treat the anxiety you may have to deal with the depression first, being depressed you will be tired and not want to co operate with treatment. Finding out what is causing the anxiety is very important, quite often it will have been triggered by a memory of your past, and if you deal with the anxiety head on then you can stop the depression ever happening in the first place. To gain successful treatment of both you will need to deal with both illnesses, as successful treatment of one often includes treating the other.

Often the way that doctors treat depression is with drugs, they are designed to help you through the difficult period. They are not to be used as a long term fixture as they can be addictive and you do not want to rely on the drugs. Relaxation techniques are often used for depression and anxiety, learning to calm you through breathing exercises can help the anxiety the moment it begins. Another method of anxiety treatment is to get you to focus on good things, rather than the things which are worrying you. Depression and anxiety are not totally incurable, but you must ask for help before it gets too bad, developing a healthier happier lifestyle is the way forward.