Psychoeducation About Anxiety And Treatment Including Potential Health Benefits
Psychoeducation may be the most important management step. Providers should inform patients that they have a treatable condition and should address stigma, misinformation, and other common and surmountable barriers to treatment. Emphasize the importance of treating anxiety for improving quality of life, health, and brain health. Include the family in these discussions.
Ways To Identify The Conditions
If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression, one place to start is to speak with your primary care doctor. They can do an initial screening and may look for medical conditions that could be contributing to your symptoms. You will likely then be referred to a mental health professional for an official clinical diagnosis.
The mental health professional will use the standard reference manual for diagnosing recognized mental illnesses in the United States, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition .
The DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for depression and each anxiety disorder are different. A diagnosis might be harder to make when anxiety and depression overlap.
Tips For Living With Depression
Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Everything feels more challenging when you’re dealing with depression. Going to work, socializing with friends, or even just getting out of bed can feel like a struggle.
But there are some things you can do to cope with your symptoms and improve your quality of life. Here are eight tips for living with depression.
This video has been medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD.
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Treatment For Depression And Anxiety
If you have been living with anxiety and depression, it is so important for you to reach out for support. You dont have to struggle through it alone.
Getting in contact with a healthcare provider like Priory Group can help you to receive a diagnosis along with a treatment programme that will work for you. The treatment options that are available for people living with depression and anxiety here at Priory Group include:
Signs And Symptoms Of Anxiety
There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, , social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias.
For people with anxiety disorders, the anxiety is often persistent and can get worse over time. The symptoms may interfere with their daily life.
Some of the most common signs and symptoms of anxiety include:
- Excessive fear and worry
If you experience these symptoms for six months or longer, you may have an anxiety disorder.
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What Is Major Depressive Disorder
Major depressive disorder is a serious mental illness that affects how people feel, think, and go about their everyday tasks. The condition can also impact a persons sleep habits, appetite, and ability to enjoy life.
Major depressive disorder isnt something that eventually passes.
While most people feel sad at times in their lives, major depression is when a person is in a depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks. Some people feel depressed without knowing why. The onset can happen at any age, but usually begins in adulthood. People may only have one depressive episode, but most have multiple episodes over time.
While the exact causes of major depression are unknown, some risk factors include a family history of depression and significant life events such as trauma, times of high stress, loss of a job or relationship, or the death of a loved one. People with a serious medical illness such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or Parkinsons disease, may be at an increased risk of developing major depression.
Soaring Beyond Your Comfort Zone
Lets talk about faith. What is faith? The actual definition of faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Tonight I had faith in more than one person.
I went flying with a dear friend of mine, Brandon, he is a pilot. His job is something that a lot of people are scared to do. He has more faith than most people out there. Faith that his plane is going to fly without any issues, and that it will get him off the ground and back on the ground safely. He even has this faith after hitting a flock of idiot birds in a plane, and having to have an emergency landing. How he has this faith, I didnt understand until tonight.
As I sit in this tiny little 4 seater plane , I had a thought. We hit turbulence almost immediately, and for a split second, I was scared. I thought what if this is the moment that I have been waiting for? What if this is my time to die?Then I remembered who was with me in the plane. I remembered that Brandon, and Kyle had their pilots licenses, and I was in good hands.
Not only did I have full faith in Brandon and Kyle, I had full faith in God. God has never put me in a situation that didnt make me learn something, or grow from it in some way. God has never put me in a situation that I cant learn from, or think on . My point is, God has never lead me astray.
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Different Types Of Depression
Your doctor may diagnose you with depression that is mild, moderate or severe depending on your symptoms. You may also be diagnosed with a specific type of depression, such as:
- Dysthymia: mild depression that lasts for several years
- Seasonal Affective Disorder : depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern
- Postnatal Depression: depression that many parents experience after having a baby. Some people experience antenatal depression during pregnancy
For many people with depression, symptoms are usually severe enough to cause noticeable problems in daily activities or relationships with others.
In many cases, anxiety occurs along with other mood disorders, especially depression.
Medication And Older Adults
As you get older, body changes can affect the way medicines are absorbed and used. Because of these changes, there can be a larger risk of drug interactions among older adults. Share information about all medications and supplements youre taking with your doctor or pharmacist.
Use this worksheet to help track your medications.
Treatment, particularly a combination of psychotherapy and medications, has been shown to be effective for older adults. However, not all medications or therapies will be right for everyone. Treatment choices differ for each person, and sometimes multiple treatments must be tried in order to find one that works. It is important to tell your doctor if your current treatment plan isnt working and to keep trying to find something that does.
Some people may try complementary health approaches, like yoga, to improve well-being and cope with stress. However, there is little evidence to suggest that these approaches, on their own, can successfully treat depression. While they can be used in combination with other treatments prescribed by a persons doctor, they should not replace medical treatment. Talk with your doctor about what treatment might be good to try.
Dont avoid getting help because you dont know how much treatment will cost. Treatment for depression is usually covered by private insurance and Medicare. Also, some community mental health centers may offer treatment based on a persons ability to pay.
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Changes To Your Role In Life
Even life changes that youve expected and planned for can be harder to adjust to than you expect. Changes in role, like becoming a parent or retiring, usually affect important areas of your life, such as:
- peoples expectations of you
- who you have around to support you.
The difficulty, challenges and conflict that come along with these life changes can contribute to depression and anxiety.
Keep in mind that a major change for one person can affect the whole whnau. For example, having a baby doesnt just involve new roles and responsibilities for the parents. It can also bring about changes for the whole whnau, including brothers and sisters, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. These changes require some adjustment by everyone.
Find out more about some of the most challenging changes we go through below:
Aim To Get A Good Nights Sleep
Not enough sleep can worsen symptoms of both anxiety and depression but too much sleep can also affect well-being and mood.
Experts recommend most adults get
These tips can help you get the sleep you need:
- Make a habit of going to bed and getting up around the same time each day.
- Turn off electronic devices about 1 hour before bedtime.
- Create a soothing ritual that helps you wind down before bed.
- Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet.
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Why Is Dealing With Depression So Difficult
Depression drains your energy, hope, and drive, making it difficult to take the steps that will help you to feel better. Sometimes, just thinking about the things you should do to feel better, like exercising or spending time with friends, can seem exhausting or impossible to put into action.
Its the Catch-22 of depression recovery: The things that help the most are the things that are the most difficult to do. There is a big difference, however, between something thats difficult and something thats impossible. While recovering from depression isnt quick or easy, you do have more control than you realizeeven if your depression is severe and stubbornly persistent. The key is to start small and build from there. You may not have much energy, but by drawing on all your reserves, you should have enough to take a walk around the block or pick up the phone to call a loved one, for example.
Taking the first step is always the hardest. But going for a walk or getting up and dancing to your favorite music, for example, is something you can do right now. And it can substantially boost your mood and energy for several hourslong enough to put a second recovery step into action, such as preparing a mood-boosting meal or arranging to meet an old friend. By taking the following small but positive steps day by day, youll soon lift the heavy fog of depression and find yourself feeling happier, healthier, and more hopeful again.
How To Reach Out For Depression Support
Look for support from people who make you feel safe and cared for. The person you talk to doesnt have to be able to fix you they just need to be a good listenersomeone wholl listen attentively and compassionately without being distracted or judging you.
Make face-time a priority. Phone calls, social media, and texting are great ways to stay in touch, but they dont replace good old-fashioned in-person quality time. The simple act of talking to someone face to face about how you feel can play a big role in relieving depression and keeping it away.
Try to keep up with social activities even if you dont feel like it. Often when youre depressed, it feels more comfortable to retreat into your shell, but being around other people will make you feel less depressed.
Find ways to support others. Its nice to receive support, but research shows you get an even bigger mood boost from providing support yourself. So find waysboth big and smallto help others: volunteer, be a listening ear for a friend, do something nice for somebody.
Care for a pet. While nothing can replace the human connection, pets can bring joy and companionship into your life and help you feel less isolated. Caring for a pet can also get you outside of yourself and give you a sense of being neededboth powerful antidotes to depression.
10 tips for staying connected
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Depression Is Different From Sadness Or Grief/bereavement
The death of a loved one, loss of a job or the ending of a relationship are difficult experiences for a person to endure. It is normal for feelings of sadness or grief to develop in response to such situations. Those experiencing loss often might describe themselves as being depressed.
But being sad is not the same as having depression. The grieving process is natural and unique to each individual and shares some of the same features of depression. Both grief and depression may involve intense sadness and withdrawal from usual activities. They are also different in important ways:
- In grief, painful feelings come in waves, often intermixed with positive memories of the deceased. In major depression, mood and/or interest are decreased for most of two weeks.
- In grief, self-esteem is usually maintained. In major depression, feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing are common.
- In grief, thoughts of death may surface when thinking of or fantasizing about joining the deceased loved one. In major depression, thoughts are focused on ending ones life due to feeling worthless or undeserving of living or being unable to cope with the pain of depression.
Grief and depression can co-exist For some people, the death of a loved one, losing a job or being a victim of a physical assault or a major disaster can lead to depression. When grief and depression co-occur, the grief is more severe and lasts longer than grief without depression.
Epidemiology Of Anxiety Disorders Throughout The Lifespan
Table I shows prevalence estimates from several large epidemiologic studies that focused on elderly persons. As a whole, the studies suggest that generalized anxiety disorder is the most common anxiety disorder and is as common, or more common, in older as in younger adults other anxiety disorders are less common. Several excellent reviews of the epidemiology of late -life anxiety disorders exist2–4 and we will not recapitulate them, but will note two key and related points from them. First, epidemiologic studies have produced wide variations in prevalence estimates of anxiety disorders in elderly persons. One systematic review found 28 epidemiological studies of anxiety symptoms, or disorders, in older adults: 19 in community samples, and nine in clinical samples. The range of anxiety disorder prevalence estimates in those studies varied markedly, ranging from 1.2% to 15% in community samples and from 1% to 28% in medical settings. The prevalence of clinically significant anxiety symptoms ranges from 15% to 52% in community samples and 15% to 56% in medical settings.2 Second, anxiety disorders , already difficult to measure accurately in young adults, are more difficult to assess in older adults. In a section below, we will discuss difficulties in the assessment and diagnosis of anxiety disorders and symptoms in older adults and how these might affect prevalence estimates.
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Depression Can Look Different Depending On A Persons Cultural Background
Signs and symptoms of depression can look different depending on the person and their cultural background. People from different cultures may express emotions, moods, and mood disorders including depression in different ways. In some cultures, depression may be displayed as physical symptoms, such as aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems.
Risk Factors For Depression
Depression can affect anyoneeven a person who appears to live in relatively ideal circumstances.
Several factors can play a role in depression:
- Biochemistry: Differences in certain chemicals in the brain may contribute to symptoms of depression.
- Genetics: Depression can run in families. For example, if one identical twin has depression, the other has a 70 percent chance of having the illness sometime in life.
- Personality: People with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic appear to be more likely to experience depression.
- Environmental factors: Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression.
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Questions To Ask Yourself
Again, its very common to feel low or sad, stressed or anxious, or any combination of the above, on occasion.
All the same, youre the best person to recognize whats typical for you. If you start to experience new, uncomfortable feelings, changes in your energy and motivation, or any other unusual symptoms, it never hurts to connect with a mental health professional for more guidance.
You might wonder whether an online self-test for anxiety or depression could offer more insight about the changes youve noticed. Some people do find these a helpful place to start but a more personalized route might involve asking yourself a few questions:
- Do I spend a lot more time worrying than I have in the past?
- Do I feel sad, empty, or hopeless often?
- Have I lost interest in the things I used to enjoy?
- Have I started to avoid spending time with friends and loved ones?
- Do I worry about things I cant control to the point where I have a hard time thinking about anything else?
- Do I become irritable or annoyed more quickly than I have in the past?
- Do I often feel restless, on edge, or unable to relax?
- Do I cycle through dark, unwanted, or fearful thoughts I cant seem to stop?
- Is it difficult to fall asleep, get enough sleep, or wake up on time most days?
- Have I noticed unexplained pain, tension, or other physical symptoms?
- Do these changes affect my daily life or relationships?
If you answered yes to most of the questions above, it may be time to reach out to a therapist.