Anxiety & Depression: Coping

Last Updated: Jan 01, 2022

'Depression is often considered a low energy state and anxiety a high energy state. Depression generates emotions such as hopelessness, despair, and anger. Energy levels are usually very low, and depressed people often feel overwhelmed by the day-to-day tasks and personal relationships so essential to life. A person with anxiety disorder, experiences fear, panic or anxiety in situations where most people would not feel anxious or threatened. The sufferer may experience sudden panic or anxiety attacks without any recognized trigger and often lives with constant nagging worry or anxiousness.

However, anxiety and depression are more related than people think. Inside, a depressed person often experiences a lot of anxiety – even leading to panic attacks. Having panic attacks and experiencing anxiety can in turn bring about depression. Any lack of control within our lives can contribute to depression.'[1]

These conditions can effect anyone: young people, seniors, those living with Dementia, Parkinson's, ADHD, special needs or Autism. Those with Mental health needs. Quite literally any person person dealing with any illnesses/conditions/difficult situations in their lives - because both conditions are in-discriminatory.

So how can one tell if someone is suffering from these conditions or indeed if we are suffering from them ourselves?

Symptoms of Anxiety and depression and what to look out for

Anxiety

Mental

• feeling tense or nervous
• being unable to relax
• worrying about the past or future
• feeling tearful
• not being able to sleep
• difficulty concentrating
• fear of the worst happening
• intrusive traumatic memories
• obsessive thoughts

Physical

• faster, irregular or more noticeable heartbeat
• feeling lightheaded and dizzy
• headaches
• chest pains
• loss of appetite
• sweating
• breathlessness
• feeling hot
• shaking

Changes of behaviour

• not being able to enjoy your leisure time
• difficulty looking after yourself
• struggling to form or maintain relationships
• worried about trying new things
• avoiding places and situations that create anxiety
• compulsive behaviour, such as constantly checking things

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Depression

Symptoms of low mood

Symptoms of a general low mood may include feeling:

• sad
• anxious or panicky
• more tired than usual or being unable to sleep
• angry or frustrated
• low on confidence or self-esteem

A low mood often gets better after a few days or weeks. It's usually possible to improve a low mood by making small changes in your life. For example, resolving something that's bothering you or getting more sleep.

Symptoms of depression

If you have a low mood that lasts 2 weeks or more, it could be a sign of depression.

Other symptoms of depression may include:

• not getting any enjoyment out of life
• feeling hopeless
• not being able to concentrate on everyday things
• having suicidal thoughts or thoughts about harming yourself

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Family, friends and carers can struggle too

If we find ourselves in a situation where we have condition related depression (anxiety and depression arising from having or dealing with an illness/condition) we might have support from others. Sometimes our carers mental health can be affected too. It's only natural that they be perceived as a strong support for those that are dependant on them but they are human and can suffer all the same. They will have emotional reactions to the person they are caring for when those people are at their lowest and may also have symptoms of anxiety or depression because of the situation they find themselves in, especially if they are family or friends and not professionals.

What can be done to help support those with Anxiety or Depression

• try talking about your feelings to a friend, family member, health professional or counsellor. You could also contact Samaritans, call: 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.org if you need someone to talk to
• try the 6 ways to feel happier, which are simple lifestyle changes to help you feel more in control and able to cope
• find out how to raise your self-esteem
• consider peer support, where people use their experiences to help each other. Find out more about peer support on the Mind website
• try mindfulness, where you focus on the present moment
• listen to free mental wellbeing audio guides

• do not try to do everything at once; set small targets that you can easily achieve
• do not focus on the things you cannot change – focus your time and energy into helping yourself feel better
• try not to tell yourself that you're alone – most people feel low sometimes and support is available
• try not to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve a low mood. These can all contribute to poor mental health

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Coping at home & accepting help

As we've seen above, anxiety and depression can be severely debilitating especially when coupled with another condition or disease. Help is imperative and accepting it even more so. Looking after ourselves comes as an after thought as our mind is full of other 'stuff'. Simple tasks like washing ourselves, nourishing ourselves, or having decent connection with loved ones are difficult to keep up and we can become lost and stuck in a mire of negativity. Not venturing out of the house, perhaps not moving at all. But with courage and assistance we can move forward step by step.

There are a number of ways that we can improve our situation. There is of course, amongst other information that can be found, the advice as presented above, and there is also our services on offer to help support in a modern and new way.

We've designed CallAssist to be a cost effective way to help maintain independence, support safety in the home, reduce burden on others and help keep you balanced, cared for and self-sufficient for longer. By giving small but important reminders at just the right time, it allows you to keep doing the things you need to do in order to stay connected, feel happy and live life to the fullest in an independent way.

A call from CallAssist can help support and manage those living with anxiety and depression

By sending one-off or regular calls to remind them to take medication. By alleviating the stress and pressure of trying to remember to do things - like wash the dishes, brush their teeth, go to sleep. Even to just say hello or let a loved one know they are being thought about. Personalised messages or live calls from professional carers help them feel safe, supported and calm - affirming to them they are wanted, loved and cared for. So very, very important.