Introduction
What is Anxiety and Depression?
Symptoms of anxiety and depression are signs that all is not well in your world. Both anxiety and depression have some common features and if you are suffering from one, it is highly likely that you have symptoms of the other as well. It is less common to have symptoms of only depression or anxiety. Problematic drug or alcohol use can also accompany anxiety and depression. What follows after this introductory chapter are 5 easy ways to combat anxiety and depression. Anxiety In his book, “The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook”, Bourne takes a comprehensive look at anxiety and depression1.
If you are wondering whether you are predominantly suffering from anxiety, the common symptoms are:
- Physical: These symptoms can often be mistaken for other physical illnesses such as a heart attack, but in reality there is a pronounced difference between heart attack and panic attack symptoms.
- Anxiety symptoms are: Shortness of breath, rapid heart beat, trembling or shaking, sweating, choking, nausea or churning and painful stomach, diarrhoea or constipation, headaches, tight and sore muscles, numbness, dizziness and hot flushes or chills. Chronic anxiety can create poor memory and concentration (but it’s not early onset of dementia!)
- Emotional: Feelings of dread, terror, panic, angst or fear are common. So is feeling jittery, speedy and being hypervigilant for ever-present dangers or threats. Fears can be about dying, going crazy or out of control and impending doom. Feelings of anger, irritation or impatience also occur. Thinking: is accelerated or racing and tends to be future focused on all the negative things that could happen. Thoughts are distorted, confused and unclear.
Depression
If you think you are predominantly suffering from depression, the common symptoms are:
- Sadness or feelings of emptiness
- An inability to cry even though you feel sad or feel like crying
- Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
- Thoughts or behaviour about self-harm or suicide
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt (as though deserving to be punished)
- Loss of response to previously pleasurable activities
- Poor concentration and memory
- Lack of interest in pleasurable activities
- Loss of interest in sex
- Lack of concern for appearance and self-presentation, work, housework or study
- Loss of interest in children or pets
- Loss of appetite leading to loss of weight or increased appetite leading to weight gain
Sleep may be affected in a number of ways. For example you may:
- Have difficulty sleeping even when tired
- Be too alert or agitated to go to sleep
- Wake up through the night and have trouble getting back to sleep
- Wake up far earlier in the morning than you want to
- Feel tired after sleeping
- Use sleep as a means of escape.
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