How to Tolerate Anxiety & Depression

According to the Mayo Clinic, depression is considered to be one of the most common ailments worldwide. It affects your body and your mind with a host of physical and emotional symptoms such as prolonged sadness, irritability, restlessness, loss of interest in regular activities, feelings of hopelessness and unexplained physical pain. Anxiety can also interfere with daily life, with symptoms such as rapid heart beat, increased perspiration, having your mind go blank, constant worry, restlessness, shortness of breath, increased irritability, muscle aches, insomnia, lack of concentration, nausea or diarrhea. Coping strategies can help you to tolerate your condition.

Instructions

Finding Light in the Darkness

1. Take action and talk to your doctor. This is the first step to regaining your life. Your doctor will be able to recommend medication to alleviate your symptoms, refer you to a behavioral therapist if needed and offer tips for self-care.

2. Take your medication as directed. Certain medications, such as benzodiazepines, act quickly and provide short-term anxiety relief. Others, such as buspirone (an anti-anxiety medication), or many antidepressants can take several weeks to become fully effective.

3. Find a good psychotherapist. This is crucial in coping with and overcoming both depression and anxiety. Psychotherapy can help you to identify any potential triggers for your condition, as well as underlying causes. It can also help you to find coping methods, set goals, problem-solve and explore healthy relationships.

4. Find and join a local or online support group. Having other people around you who are going through something similar can help to give you unparalleled support, understanding and compassion.

5. Make lifestyle changes. Adopting a healthy diet, engaging in regular exercise, getting adequate amounts of sleep and setting reasonable daily schedules can help to alleviate stress and boost your natural mood-lifting brain chemicals. Relaxation and stress reduction techniques (such as tai chi, meditation or yoga) can help to give you an additional outlet.

6. Reach out to family and friends. You are not alone in your illness. The people who love and care about you want to help and want to spend time with you. Resist the urge to isolate yourself and form strong connections with the people around you. You will feel happier, and you will also have a ready-made support system to help you through difficult times.

Tips & Warnings

• You may need to try several medications before finding one that works for you. Some antidepressants such as fluoxetine, escitalopram, sertraline and paroxetine can help to alleviate both depression and anxiety symptoms by enhancing your brain's levels of neurotransmitters. Low levels of neurotransmitters (such as dopamine or serotonin) are linked to depression and generalized anxiety disorder.

• Avoid alcohol and illegal drugs. Alcohol can interact with many psychiatric medications. Drugs and alcohol can also worsen depression symptoms and alter your brain chemicals.

References

• Mayo Clinic: Depression
• Mayo Clinic: Generalized Anxiety Disorder