Depression and Anxiety: Simple Ways To Overcome My Depression And Anxiety

Posted on 26 March 2010 by simon

Being depressed is a form of loneliness that is way too intense and much more painful. A person who is suffering from this condition has difficulties with pursuing the normal life they used to live. Instead, they are greatly affected by the sadness that they would rather stay in bed or inside their house. Another hump they have to go through is the presence of anxiety. These two conditions do overlap. Despite all these sad news, there are simple ways to overcome depression and anxiety.

During the episode of depression, the patient tends to linger with certain negative thoughts. Hence, anxiety often surface. A depressed person gets anxious due to thinking too much of their worries. In this case, depression and anxiety could actually appear at the same time, and at the same person. Yes, it is double the pain, but there are solutions that could make things a lot easier.

The first thing a sufferer has to overcome would be the idea of recognizing the condition. It is acceptance that usually makes the journey of treatment a lot easier. Once you have accepted the facts, you may already proceed to trying different kinds of solutions. Yes, you actually have to decide which one amongst the techniques you would like to try. One tactic might work for you, and another one might not. So, be patient.

Depression is the first thing you have to attend to, because this is the condition that triggers your anxiety. Reach out. Talk to your family and friends regarding your concerns. The mere fact that you get to share your thoughts gives you a relief. You may also find a support group that undergoes the same condition as what you have. Your family will help you but a support group knows what you are actually feeling. They can even give you tips on how to get through depression.

One certain scenario where depression and anxiety usually overlap is failing to achieve your goal. The idea that you were not able to reach your goal can be depressing. To top that, you might be thinking of another plan in order to pursue your dreams. You might need to do some adjustments. Try to make changes on your standard. Make a goal that you could actually reach.

Make a diet overhaul. If you are eating a lot of junk foods, the ingredients that make up the chips and sweets you eat can directly affect your mood. So, try to be healthy. Rid of the unhealthy snacks that you are making. If you eat well, this will reflect on your body. Also, exercise well. If you get to work out, your brain will release a feel-good substance that could uplift your mood.

Now, let us proceed to tactics that would help you when you are attacked with your anxiety episode. The first thing you have to do is to attend to the physical signs. Check how you are breathing, and your pulse. If you are having difficulty breathing, or palpitating, the best quick fix is to do a breathing exercise. You may reach out for a medium-sized paper bag and breathe through it.

What you have to do is to cover your mouth and nose with the bag. Then breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. Simple, inhale and exhale within the bag. This will be of help when you are hyperventilating. Do 6 cycles, and check your breathing. You may easily purchase clean brown paper bag from your local grocery store.

Take it one day at a time. You can still have life after depression and anxiety. You simply have to observe these simple ways to overcome my depression and anxiety.

Depression and Anxiety: The Proper Treatment to this Combination

Posted on 03 March 2010 by simon


Feelings of loss and loneliness are usual happenings in our lives. We laugh and celebrate when we are happy, while we mourn during sadness. These are two important opposing poles that make life very much interesting. But, how does it feel to be stuck in one pole? Is there a way out to it? Join me as we explore the overlapping world of depression and anxiety, and let’s discover the proper treatment to this combination.


People who are depressed also experience feelings of anxiety. Most of the patients who suffer from this disorder have more than one condition. They often worry too much, that their concerns have elevated to fear. They are constantly bothered by their predicament that it becomes obsessive thoughts. Episodes of panic are also prevalent due to worrying. Sleepless nights, palpitation, and cold sweaty hands are some of the episodes that depressed patients with anxiety cases have to deal with.


These two conditions are somewhat overlapping. Same with people who have depression, patients with anxiety disorders also have a feeling of depression. There is a feeling that they can no longer be freed from the painful effects of their anxiety disorder. Aside from the symptoms of anxiety, they also feel an intense kind of sadness, hopelessness, and discouragement.  Their daily lives are hampered by these factors. As a result, their relationships are put into risk, they perform poorly in school or in work, and their health is put in danger.


The usual conflict in this scenario would be which condition you should treat first. Maybe we should try to hit two birds with one stone. One of the best changes I did to fight my anxiety was adapting a healthy lifestyle. In this pursue, I need to alter my diet and live an active life. I began to wary of my fat, sugar, and caffeine intake. These 3 are the usual culprits that could affect my heart and circulation. During panic attacks, palpitations can take place. Hence, I would like to lower down my risk in that department.


I also felt a little depressed when I learned of my condition. It seems like I can no longer live the life I had before due to my anxiety attacks. But, I was wrong. I have learned that exercise is a natural depression-buster. When I work out, I feel very good afterwards. A scientific reason for this would be the serotonin or the feel-good chemical that the brain releases when a human being gets active. This is instant mood uplift and it also improves my cardiovascular performance.


There is more to life than taking a medicine. A person needs to be diagnosed by an expert before one can take an anti-depressant. If the depression is not merely the case, the anti-depressant might counteract the manic condition of the patient. There should be a different treatment for people with bipolar disorder. Also, the medicines have after effects that might negatively affect the body in the long run.


Apart from exercise, I also do breathing exercises. If you are interested with yoga you may also try it. Yoga is known for its relaxing effect to the mind and body. It’s like doing an exercise while you improve your breathing. However, it is still important that you know at least one breathing technique. When I experience a panic attack, which is another symptom of my anxiety, I usually do the “brown paper bag breathing”. I cover my mouth and nose with a paper bag, and I inhale and exhale through it. When I have a panic attack, I tend to over breath. It is the decrease of the carbon dioxide inside the body that causes the problem. Breathing though a bag allows me to regain the carbon dioxide I need.


Just because depression and anxiety tends to work hand in hand, you should not be afraid of this combination.  There is always a treat to these cases. All you have to do is to believe that you can actually get out of this situation, and you have the power to treat yourself.

Nature of Clinical depression

Posted on 24 November 2009 by simon

“The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved”, this is a line from the late Mother Teresa. For people with clinical depression, loneliness is not the only enemy. There are other things apart from the sadness that they feel. In this article, I will be discussing the nature of clinical depression, and how it can affect an individual’s life.

One of the earliest lessons we have would be that of loneliness. As a child, we have experienced petty-kind of sadness, we cried, but after awhile, we move on. As we grow up, we encounter predicaments, and the problem gets severe as we age. Some of us have difficulties in getting over their concerns. In this kind of situation, a depression often exists.

Major depressive disorder, major depression, unipolar depression, and unipolar disorder, are another terms for this case.  This is a form of metal disorder. Its signs include severe low mood with low self-esteem. Also, the patient loss his or her pleasure and interests. The sadness and low energy of the person is very noticeable.

It is the American Psychiatric Association that coined the term “Major Depressive Disorder”. It is designated on the cluster of mood disorder on DSM or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This has been the term utilized in the medical field since then. The word depression can be used as a general term to characterize other types of psychological disorder. The need to be very specific is only required in the field of medicine and research.

This disorder can be debilitating, as it can greatly affect ones’ relationship, work, school life, diet, and sleep. In America, there are 3.4% cases of major depression with suicide attempts. Actually, 60 percent of people who attempted suicide are clinically depressed, or they have a mood disorder. Depression can be really dangerous, as it can be emotionally and physically painful for the patient.

To tell if a person has a depression, the expert makes use of the self reported experiences, noticeable behaviour (by family, friends or colleagues), and mental status exam. There are no laboratory tests for this case, like blood samples or cat scans. However, some physicians might actually ask for a physical exam just to check other disease, or the health status, that might cause some complications.

It is at the age range of 30-40 where depression usually sets in. Then, on ages of 50 to 60, it may peak. Depression usually affects women rather than men. Also, there is a higher rate of attempted suicides amongst females, compared to males. However, there is a higher risk for men on completing suicides.

The usual treatment for depression is an antidepressant medication. It is paired with counselling or psychotherapy. There could be recommendation of hospitalization if a patient harms himself / herself, or there is self-neglect that is taking place. Another option is ECT or Electroconvulsive Therapy. This treatment is given with a short-acting anaesthesia.

Some cases could last for a lifetime. Hence, they have recurrent major depressive episodes. Other cases would last for a few months, and would not recur. According to a study, people who are depressed have shorter life expectancies. This is due to greater vulnerability to illnesses and suicide.

Today, people are more enlightened on what clinical depression really is. People are now aware that a prolonged sadness, is not merely loneliness, but it is a health concern. However, there are still current discussions that must be done in order to give light to this case. Research is still done in order to explain its genetic, evolutionary, and biological factors.

Dealing with Manic Depression

Posted on 24 November 2009 by simon

Life is a roller coaster ride. Sometimes, we are up, and sometimes we are down. This is a similar scenario with people who suffer manic depression. However, the downward and upward spikes that they encounter are much steeper. A week they will be “Oh, so happy”. Then, after a week, they will experience a very intense sadness or depression. This article aims to inform people about the nature of this bipolar disorder.

It is also known as manic depressive disorder or bipolar affective disorder. This type of mood disorder is characterized by an abnormal elated mood or mania, and its milder form which is hypomania. People who undergo mania commonly experience episodes and symptoms of depression. There are even situations when both of these extreme moods are present, which is known as mixed episodes.

The episodes of mania and depression are sometimes separated by normal moods. Hence, there are times that the patient is actually in his or her normal state. However, this episode should not fool you, as one of the moods might surface some other day. If the normal moods are not present, mania and depression would alternate, this situation is known as rapid cycling. This mood episode is subdivided into different levels: bipolar I, bipolar II and, cyclothymia. The divisions are based on the severity and intensity of the episodes experienced.

According to a study conducted in United States shows a variation regarding lifetime prevalence: a rate of 1 percent for Bipolar I, and .5% to 1% for Bipolar II or cyclomythia. The full symptoms of bipolar mostly surface during young or late adulthood. Bases of the diagnosis are: patient’s self-reported experiences, and observed behaviour. Distress, disruption and attempted suicides, are just few of the episodes that are associated with this abnormality.        There are patients who have devastatingly long-lasting bipolar disorder. On the other hand, there are episodes that are associated with achievements, striving goals, and creativity.

The root of this case is usually detected on the genetic arena. This is the factor that greatly contributes to a person’s risk of developing bipolar disorder. Of course, there are also studies that claim the implications of environmental factors. Usual treatments are medications or other psychiatric drugs. There are also therapies available as treatments, such as psychotherapy, which provides a recovery of stability for the patients. If the case is severe, wherein the patient harms oneself or other people, involuntary commitment is recommended.

Cases that call for an institution or asylum are those that involve sever manic episodes, hand in hand with dangerous behaviours, and suicidal attempts. Another issue that these patients encounter would be the stereotypes, prejudice, and social stigma that are associated with their disorder. In addition, their case can be misdiagnosed as another serious mental illness like schizophrenia.

The relationship that exists between mania and melancholia has long been a topic amongst the people of medical field. The first formal study, that started it all, was from a team of French psychiatrists back in 1850s. It was a German psychiatrist named Emil Kraeplin who coined the term manic-depressive illness or psychosis. The name that was given is used to characterize any kind of mood disorder back then. It was in year 1957, when the episodes are classified properly by Karl Leonhard, a German psychiatrist. The terms that he gave birth to are unipolar disorder – major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder.

Too much of something can be dangerous. This saying applies to your emotions and feelings too. Just like these cases of mania and melancholy, or manic depression. A little of those two in our lives are just normal. However, if they are too intense, that it halts our regular activities to push through, then an expert’s advice must be taken.

Treatment of Depression

Posted on 29 October 2009 by simon

In this article I am aiming to enlighten people about the different treatments of depression under Psychotherapy. There are three major treatments that are mostly used by the experts, these are:  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT, Interpersonal Therapy and different combinations of therapies.

Depression needs treatment. This kind of episode is recurrent and is best treated with short-term interventions partnered with ongoing maintenance therapy. An individual who has depression may even acquire chronic mental illnesses that demands for the team of medication and psychiatric expertise.

Psychotherapy techniques would always include counseling. The therapy’s duration can be from 2-3 weeks, and may even extend to twenty weeks, depending on the progress of the client. In this approach, the family is also involved in the therapy. This is done to help the patient as well as his / her loved ones to cope with the stress of the disorder.

First on the list is Cognitive Behavior Therapy or CBT, this intervention focuses on the thinking or thought process of the patient. The aim of this therapy is to stop the negative thoughts which depressed individuals are inclined to think about. Hence, their thought process is directed towards the realistic and positive side of consequences.

Interpersonal Therapy or IPT is a short-term version of therapy. It is usually limited to 15 – 20 sessions, which last for about an hour each. The purpose of this treatment is to be able to determine and work around the root of the patient’s problem or depression. It would be very helpful for the client to be able to free him / her from the root cause of the episodes.

Other forms of Psychotherapy treatment are combination of the interventions mentioned above. In this style, there are cases where a group session is executed. This allows the patients to be able to interact with other people. Group activity is said to be effective as the sufferers openly share their problems with fellow patients, and they even help each other out with ways to handle their situations.

Depression: Symptoms and Treatment

Posted on 21 October 2009 by danielle

Being sad once in a while is just a part of life. When a loved-one leaves for abroad, we feel a tinge of loneliness, despite the fact that we can easily communicate with them. This is also true when the team that we are rooting for was not able to make it in the finals. The sadness is there but it does not linger. Today, I will be discussing about the intense and lingering kind of sadness or depression, its symptoms, and treatment.

Depression makes it difficult for a person to function normally and enjoy life as they did before. Their friends and hobbies have ceased to interest them. Often times, they feel really exhausted and the mere idea of getting through the day can be very overwhelming. This kind of situation can make things seem hopeless. It is like being inside a tunnel without the “light at the end” in sight.

Often times, people make use of the term depressed to characterize a feeling of depression or disappointment.  However, it is a different case for those who have clinical depression. The sadness is much more intense and the feeling lingers for a long period. Most of the time, the feeling of depression is characterized by a feeling of an imminent doom. For other depressed patients, they don’t feel loneliness. Instead, there is strong sensation of emptiness, lifeless and being apathetic.

Basically, depression is very much different from the loneliness that surfaces in your day-to-day life. It is a far cry from the sadness that gets in between your ability to eat, work, study sleep and fun. Just imagine being completely conquered by the feeling of hopelessness, helplessness and losing your self-worth.

For you to have an idea about clinical depression or if you have intentions of checking if you are currently experiencing one, check these depression symptoms:

  • You find it difficult to sleep or you have sleeping to much than normal
  • You find it hard to focus or concentrate with whatever you are doing (e.g.: work or academics)
  • Your previous daily tasks seem to become difficult
  • There is a lingering feeling of hopelessness and helplessness
  • Your mind is always occupied with negative thoughts that you can’t seem to sweep off your system
  • You have greatly lose your appetite or you can’t stop yourself from eating
  • You are easily annoyed, irritated or short-tempered than usual
  • You have thoughts that life no longer worth living (In this case, you have to seek for help immediately).

Unlike with other illnesses, depression is highly complicated. It is not merely an imbalance in the chemical make-up of the brain, which a medication can bring a solution to. According to experts, depression is caused by the combination of biological, psychological and social aspects of the sufferer. There were even studies that suggest the vulnerability of a person to depression can be traced in their genetic make-up. Given these factors, the solution also concerns your lifestyle, relationships and coping capacities.

The mere fact that you are informed about depression can be of great help. This will allow you to help yourself as well as the people around you. It is in uncovering the real cause of your depression that enables you to overcome the problem. Say, you are depressed due to losing your job, the treatment for this would be finding yourself a more fulfilling career. Thus, you don’t have to take anti-depressants right away. Another coping strategy that you could help you is finding new friends. You may find new buddies at work or through a similar hobby. Sometimes, merely changing the situation can do wonders to your depression.

Understanding Depression

Posted on 07 October 2009 by simon

Loneliness is a part of our life. We have experienced pain one way or another but after a few days, it subsides. We move on and find happiness again. This kind of cycle is not applicable for people who experience depression. For them, hope is non-existent. They just bask in their sadness and cease to move on.

Depression or Major Depressive Episode according to Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) is characterized by a feeling of emptiness, sadness, and irritation. People who experience this episode appear tearful or easily move to tears. It usually last for 2 weeks or more. Depression can easily recur if it’s not attended properly.

The effect of this disorder intensifies to a point that a person has trouble sleeping. Insomnia seeps in making it very difficult for a depressed person to recharge and relax. Hence, the symptoms’ effect intensifies. A significant weight loss or weight gain can also be observed. For some people, loneliness drives them to eat more, as a deviation for their feeling of emptiness. On the other hand, some lost their appetite due to their sadness.

The worst outcome of depression is suicide. This is the part where a person feels worthless that they would rather cease living. For the prior signs I’ve mentioned, its best to consult the experts for treatment. Most of all, for the state of suicide attempt. In this period, it really is the experts, such as psychologist and counsellors who should take the lead.

For parents, teachers or guardians, being keen is a huge factor. One of the signs can be an indication of depression. To ensure the safety of children and the people you love, the mere attention can already alleviate the pain from depression. Sometimes, it’s the common question of “How are you?” that can save lives.

How to Evaluate Anti-Depressants

Posted on 05 October 2009 by simon

I can’t take anti-depressants seriously, they are a serious drug, but they’re just a tool.  Nothing to get too hung up about.  This cartoon made me chuckle.  Especially the first square!

How to Evaluate a New Medication

Anti-Dressants: A Crutch NOT A Cure

Posted on 03 September 2009 by simon

Many people hop along to their GPs for anti-depressants thinking that they’ll be the answer. They think their mood will be lifted, all their troubles carried away and we’ll all live happily ever after.

In some cases, usually temporary “life event” type depression they can work. This temporary lift from depression allows people to carry on with life, and then when they stop taking them, the mind has gotten used to being not depressed so carries on being so.

But for people with longer term depression, or other conditions such as general anxiety, it’s important to realise that their use can only ever be a crutch, not a cure.

Their use can be very useful if a person needs support to get them through a difficult time, or to get them working again. When the patient stops taking them again, they very well may find their old conditions returning. This is mainly because nothing has been done to treat the cause.

The best way to use anti-depressants is with another form of treatment, probably a therapist-directed course of treatment involving one of many different techniques, to try to change behaviours at a deeper level.

Personally, I resisted taking prescribed anti-depressants for many many years, knowing that they weren’t a cure. I tried lots of other methods instead. More recently though, I have been taking anti-depressants and their efficacy is to be debated! They’re certainly not a one-shot simple solution.