Tips & self help for depression & anxiety

Anxiety and depression are not imaginary ailments. And they can get worse if you don't deal with them.

There's a difference between anxiety and depression. In a nutshell, depression is about feeling down, hopeless. And anxiety is about feeling overwhelmed by fear or worries.

In practical terms, there is some common ground:
- many of the people who are depressed also have anxiety, and vice versa.
- the commonly used medications (serotonin reuptake inhibitors, aka SRI's) act to regulate mood disorders; some are used for both depression and anxiety.

If you have any suicidal thoughts, seek help immediately. At the very least, call 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or visit metanoia.org/suicide.

If your ability to function in daily life is severely impaired, see your doctor or a psychopharmacology specialist. There are now many medications (SRI's) that help regulate the body's chemistry as it affects anxiety and depression.

Medication does not work overnight. And finding the medication that's best for you may be a trial-and-error process. It is a good idea to see a doctor you feel comfortable with, so you can talk freely about your symptoms, as well as the possible side-effects of some medications.

As medication reduces the debilitating symptoms of anxiety or depression, you will be better able to reap the benefits of counseling.

If you are able to function in daily life, but experience anxiety or depression as something that affects your quality of life, counseling will help you:
- understand the underlying causes of your anxiety or depression,
- identify ways of coping with life that work better for you, and practice them so that they become second nature.

See:

- Overcoming depression

- Proactive psychotherapy

Couples counseling

Mindfulness

Positive / Proactive

Feeling stuck