Anxiety/Depression

Hi All,

I should say first that anxiety/depression is not something I am used to at all. I had always been a person who was fairly confident and 'happy go luck'. It s my conscience a little to say that in the past I had little sympathy for those who suffered from depression or anxiety. I took the stance of 'get on with it' etc and thought you could just persevere through. I viewed them as weak.

It comes as a surprise then to suddenly find myself experiencing all the things that I felt were easy to get over. In a way I feel 'weak' like I can't handle the daily grind of the world just like everyone else does. I find myself worrying about things and sticking my head in the sand on decisions. Worrying about the worst case scenario in all situations. Linking into this weakness is the feeling that I can't really tell anyone how I am feeling as then they will perceive me this way. I don't feel like I can speak to anyone about it.

Now at the moment I wouldn't say that I am depressed but it feels like that's the way that I am heading. I want/need to get a grip on this before that happens.

If anyone can share their experiences if similar to this and how they dealt with them it would be a start

Well, the general advice for depression is to get out of the house and hang out with family and friends. Do things that make you happy. Go to movies, plays and concerts. Go hiking in the woods and get plenty of exercise. Listen to upbeat music and watch comedy TV shows and movies. If this is just a temporary funk, it will pass. If it doesn't you might need a little Ativan to relieve some stress and get you through any tough spots. Get out and about.

I deal with depression/anxiety with exercise, diet, journaling, socializing, mapping goals, limiting tech use, and sleep.

• Exercise- I now have a personal trainer.

• Diet- More greens & fruit & protein. No dairy.

• Journaling- Monitoring thoughts, feelings, triggers.

• Socializing- Scheduling outings at least 1x month.

• Goals- Assessing short & long term plans.

• Tech use- no phone usage after 9pm, limit TV watching by watching shows on DVR and Netflix. This limits commercial exposure. Also limiting total time spent watching TV per week to about 1-2hrs.

Hello, Thanks for your post. I admire your strength. Depression and anxiety is something many people experience. Try to clear your head, think positive, and coping. What calms you when you feel this way?. Relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, exercising, journaling. Try to write your thoughts on a sheet of paper, don't re-read anything but rip the paper. This releases feelings. Best!

The world changes and you change as you get older. The way you see the world also changes.

That's why we can become anxious. The weight of the world feels heavier. More things are life changing and worth more.

You should try to not give so much weight to everything. Usually things aren't so life and death as we make it out to be. You are stronger than you know and can survive more than you think.