Anxiety And Depression

Everyone goes through stages of anxiety and depression in their lifetime. This is perfectly normal in times when life feels too much to cope with. Losing a job or breaking up from a relationship can produce feelings of sadness, loneliness and anxiousness.

Usually when someone mentions anxiety or depression we think of something serious but it's not always the case. States of anxiety often bring about feelings of fear, worry, nervousness and apprehension. These emotions are triggered by the body's natural stress response to let us know that something is wrong.

We sometimes get stressed even about the little things such as forgetting to take out the rubbish or missing the bus. It's when we experience anxiety and depression everyday that we should take note.

Sufferers of depression experience a constant lull of energy combined with feelings of sadness and hopelessness. They may experience numbness in their mental ability to function and suffer from low moods. In addition, there have been links to heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Also people with depression are at a greater risk of suicide.

Anxiety and depression affects some people on a daily basis. Surprisingly, 1 in 5 adults suffer from clinical depression or an anxiety disorder. What's more between 5 and 10% are at a level where help is required.

Different treatments and therapies are available. Many people however, do not seek support or help when they need it the most. This can be down to a number of reasons; many feel that their condition is embarrassing to talk about; some simply do not think they need help; and others have simply tried everything to no success and given up on help.

People who have an anxiety disorder are likely to develop depression. Statistics show that 50% suffer from both depression and an anxiety disorder. More commonly Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which alone affects 5% of the population. Social phobia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Panic Disorder are also quite common.

Both anxiety and depression normally develop in adulthood. Causes include prolonged emotional stress and poor quality of life. Unassertive and passive people who have low confidence are at a higher risk of developing mental disorders.

Focusing on the bad things in life often brings more unwanted negativity in one's life. Just as fat people get fatter and rich people get richer, people fall into habits. Negative behaviors, emotions and habits can be learnt.

It's important to realize that feelings and emotions are just states when experiencing anxiety and depression. We have the power to change the way we behave and even feel. Through psychotherapies such as CBT, the subconscious can be influenced reforming negative patterns in our thinking.