Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and depression can take hold for a number of reasons. They may be separate conditions or intertwined. Anxiety may involve excessive worry or ruminating accompanied by unpleasant thoughts and physical symptoms. Whilst depression may feel like a persistent low mood, intense feeling of hopelessness or like you’re constantly under a dark cloud.
Long term anxiety may lead to depression as your internal resources deplete.
The effect on your nervous system can become overwhelming. There’s a notable increase in the prevalence of depression and anxiety due to increasing environmental day to day pressures but you can find hope in reaching out for support. Depression and anxiety can affect how you think, feel and act and carry numerous physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural symptoms that may overlap.
Signs of Anxiety and/or Depression may include:
- Prolonged sense of feeling down
- Unusually sad mood and/or teary
- Feeling numb and empty
- Avoidance and suppression of feelings
- Physical responses, racing heartbeat, tightness in muscles
- Loss of interest in activities you previously enjoyed
- Persistent negative thoughts
- Lack of energy
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Under sleeping or over sleeping
- Headaches, tension and muscle aches
- Loss of confidence and social anxiety
- Low self-esteem
- Sense of hopelessness or helpnessless
- Less productive at work or school
- Tendency to abuse substances more such as drinking more alcohol than usual
- Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
