Skip to navigation | Skip to content

Share your knowledge. Make a difference.

"Do I Suffer from Anxiety and Depression", What Causes Anxiety and Depression and How to Heal Anxiety and Depression

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 7 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Ranked #1663 in Health, #21302 overall

Donates to ASPCA

Rated G. (Control what you see)

Healing Anxiety and Depression: Medication and Therapy

 

If you are suffering from both anxiety and depression, healing anxiety and depression can be done, but it will take a bit of effort and time on your part. Your doctor may prescribe medication to begin healing anxiety and depression, but your doctor may also recommend therapy along with medication. By combining both therapy and medication, you are giving yourself a much better chance of healing anxiety and depression.

Methods of Healing Anxiety and Depression 

Healing anxiety and depression with medications has become a much better option within the last ten years. Medications have become much better at solving the specific problems that may be causing the anxiety and depression. It is thought that one main cause of depression or some forms of anxiety occur due to chemical imbalances within your body and brain.

This chemical, serotonin, is naturally occurring within your brain, but occasionally, it is not produced in sufficient quantities. This can lead to depression and some forms of anxiety. Healing anxiety and depression in this case will usually involve taking an anti-depressant. There are many different types of anti-depressants available, and you and your doctor should work together to find the right variety for your situation.

Along with medication, sometimes therapy is recommended. This is especially true about certain forms of anxiety. Healing anxiety and depression with therapy will work for most people, but as with medications, it will take time and some effort on the patient's part to make the most of the therapy sessions. Working with your doctor to find the right combination for your situation can take some time.

Finding the right medication that will accomplish the most for you can be a situation involving trial and error. If the side effects of one medication make it unbearable, talk to your doctor and try another. There are plenty of options out there, and all of them have slightly different benefits and side effects.

Healing anxiety and depression can take a while, but it is possible. Finding the right way to combat both anxiety and depression can take a while, but with your doctor's help, you can find a solution to your problems and hopefully eventually rid yourself of the worst symptoms of anxiety and depression. It may be a slow process or it may be quicker for some; the key is to not give up on your treatment options and consult with your doctor for the best remedy for your situation.

The SelfSteps Program: Beat Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Anxiety is a Multifaceted Mix of Emotions and Physical Sensations 

Anxiety is felt by almost everyone at some time or the other and it involves a multifaceted mixture of emotions consisting of fear, apprehension as well as worry and very often there is accompanying physical sensations such as palpitations, nausea, chest pain as well as shortness of breath. Doctors say that anxiety is in many cases considered to be cognitive, somatic, and emotional and has several behavioral mechanisms. To begin with, the cognitive mechanism implies that the patient expects or has a diffusion of uncertain danger.

Somatic Anxiety 

In the case of somatic anxiety, the body makes ready the organism to cope with a threat that is known as emergency reaction, where blood pressure as well as heart rates increases and there is also sweating and increased blood flow to the key muscle groups. On the outside, somatic signs may appear in the form of paleness of skin, sweating, trembling as well as dilation of the pupils.

Emotional or Behavioral Anxiety 

In the case of emotional anxiety, the patient feels a sense of foreboding or panic and is physically afflicted with nausea as well as cold chills. In the case of behavioral anxiety, which may either be voluntary or involuntary, it may cause the patient to attempt to flee or avoid the source and such behaviors are recurrent as also maladaptive and are the most extreme types of disorders. This does not however, mean that anxiety is always maladaptive or pathological. It is a usual emotion that coexists with fear, anger, sadness and happiness and plays a vital role in the survival of the patient.

From a medical point of view, anxiety is thought to be caused by neural circuitry that involves amygdale as well as hippocampus. When the patient is confronted with stimuli that are neither pleasant nor harmless and these include foul smells and odors or tastes there are bound to be an increased flowing of the blood in the amygdale. It may result in moderate levels of anxiety and this indicates that it is a mechanism that protects in order to prevent the organism from taking part in potentially detrimental behaviors such as eating food that is rotten.

A patient's life may be seriously affected when he or she has continually recurring cases of anxiety and this can be clinically diagnosed. The most common of these disorders are generalized anxiety disorders, panic disorders, social anxiety disorders, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorders as well as posttraumatic stress disorders.

Anxiety and Depression: Understanding the Causes and Possible Remedies 

There is nothing really wrong with anxiety and depression when they do not interfere in a person's everyday lives. Anxiety by itself may help spur a person in facing an upcoming task and depression may result in slowing down a person and thereby offer one time to pause and reflect.

Only Acute Bouts of Anxiety and Depression Need to be Worried About 

The words "anxiety and depression" are used to describe moods which the average person is familiar with. The problem arises when the anxiety or depression appears out of the blue, does not go away for weeks on end and there is no relief as it interferes with normal daily functioning. In such cases, one may safely assume that the person is suffering from anxiety and depression that is out of the ordinary and needs to be treated through medical intervention. Anxiety and depression are forms of mental illness which, thankfully can be treated.

A person suffering from anxiety disorders will show signs of shakiness, have muscle aches, sweating, hands become cold and clammy, dizziness, very fast heart beat as well as dryness of the mouth. They will also be emotionally irritable and apprehensive, having dark feelings of bad things about to occur. On the other hand, depression is more common and may have occurred in at least 25 per cent of women and ten per cent of men at some point of time in their lives even though often, it is hard to recognize it.

Theories abound about what causes anxiety and depression as these may be caused by physical and environmental triggers that together give rise to anxiety and depression in some people. Anxiety and depression are illnesses for which successful treatments are available - using a mixture of psychotherapy as well as medication often helps. Anti-anxiety medications and anti-depressants as well as other medications are aimed at alleviating anxiety and depression and these are available through physicians. Depression may also be treated through electroconvulsive therapy.

Anxiety and depression together, cause a person to feel lonely and frightened and may trigger thoughts of suicide, which is especially prevalent in depressed people. For treating anxiety and depression one can try out a number of remedies such as prescription drugs, herbal alternatives, dietary supplements, visualization therapy as well as cognitive behavior therapy. There are also people who feel very strongly that anxiety and depression may be treated effectively without taking recourse to prescription drugs. The bottom line regarding what causes anxiety and depression is that it results from a chemical imbalance that exis

Determining the Cause of Anxiety 

Being anxious is one of the natural emotions of an individual. Who isn't anxious about a particular test result, about an office presentation or their own wedding? It is when this anxiety gets out of control and begins to interfere with one's daily routine that the matter should be looked into more closely.

The cause of anxiety is usually based on a variety of factors. Usually, people feel that several things are attacking them all at once and they can't take it anymore. The typical situation is of a high school teacher, who has to deal with a demanding schedule and unruly teenagers at work, then he comes home to a complaining wife and crying kids, and at the back of his mind, he constantly worries about due bills and mortgage payments.

Probing into the Patients Recent and Remote Past 

In all cases, it is the patient himself who is the biggest help to diagnose the actual cause of anxiety. Psychiatrists often ask the patient to keep a detailed journal about his symptoms and the events leading to them. The patient is asked to jot down his thoughts before the start of the anxiety and where he was when this happened. Often, the cause of anxiety attacks can be determined by reviewing these log books and noting the most common trigger to anxiety.

A detailed history of the patient's childhood and adolescence can also help figure out the cause of anxiety. Traumatic events in one's childhood can scar the person for life. Death of a loved one in a hospital can make an individual fear doctors and hospitals forever. Or maybe, a dog bite in the person's childhood will lead to a life long phobia of dogs. The patient is usually unaware of these feelings, until they are brought out by probing into his past.

Desensitization Process 

Determining the cause of anxiety is the most important aspect of combating anxiety. The problem can be tackled step by step after the root of the problem is discovered. Gradual desensitization can be used to help the patient overcome his fears over time.

For instance, if the patient is scared of drowning in water, the doctor will help him by exposing him to different levels of water, beginning from the bath tub and ending at the beach. This usually helps overcome the fear completely, but requires a lot of time and patience.

Once the cause of anxiety is figured out, the battle is half won and the management can now continue by focusing on the actual problem.

Did you Know that Depression and Anxiety Disorder is Curable? 

The SelfSteps Program: Beat Anxiety and Panic Attacks
There are way too many people out there who are suffering from depression and anxiety disorders.

In third world countries, women are usually not treated at par with men and such illnesses sky rocket. These women have a tough time proving that they are suffering from a disease as they are often labeled as hypochondriacs or attention-seekers.

Depression and anxiety disorder has very little endorsement there as these women still have a long way to go before they are treated equally..

In spite of the advances in the field of medicine, this serious affliction, depression and anxiety disorder is still prevalent and often incorrectly diagnosed.

Recognizing Depression and Anxiety Disorder 

Forewarned is being fore-armed. Everybody must know the details of this affliction so they would be ready to understand it and fight it. There are many types of manifestations:

There is Disthimia which is characterized as a mild depression and described as it being the younger sister of depression. This form of depression is totally curable. Unless it is treated in time, it might lead to chronic complications. Cyclothermia is another form of depression. If you suffer from this type of depression; you will find that you also get tremendous swings of moods alternated by the depression. Lack of treatment for this type of depression, unfortunately often results in suicide.

The root cause for depression, or better described as the active supporter, is anxiety. Anxiety will make you see the slightest problem seem insurmountable, your ability to deal with it less than zero, and will provoke hyperventilation and even heart palpitations. Anxiety, if left untreated will first transform into depression, and then at times people end their lives, mostly because they feel helpless.

This looks childish from outside, but it is very far from being childish. This is in fact, a very serious affliction which can get complicated in no time, leading to self-destruction. There are many, many types of anxiety depression disorders and only a trained professional can make a sound diagnosis. Do not attempt to self-medicate yourself or a loved one for any kind of depression. It could cause more harm than help.

A cure can be possible once the affliction is recognized and treatment initiated. Hence, the crux of the matter remains that this disorder if left untreated, can lead to the serious complications - and even death.

Non-Medical ways to Cope with Anxiety Stress Symptoms 

Anxiety is one of the most common complaints of people from every walk of life. If not managed, this anxiety grows steadily, becoming uncontrollable and slowly takes over one's life.

With the rise in advertising of pharmaceutical companies, it is easy to start taking medications and become dependant on them. Often, patients become so addicted, that these drugs become a source of anxiety, rather than an antidote. There is a rapidly increasing group of people who have now decided to detach themselves from allopathic medication and try to look for other ways to free themselves from anxiety stress symptoms.

The first step to coping with anxiety is to address the cause of anxiety. Once the root of the problem is determined, focused steps can be taken to overcome the anxiety once and for all.

Sometimes the simplest and most effective way to get anxiety stress symptoms out of your life is to share your worries with someone. Find a friend, a neighbor or someone at the church, who can listen to your problems and sympathize with you. Keeping your feelings bottled up will never help the situation.

Focus on your Health 

Staying healthy keeps your mind fresh and strong enough to fight anxiety. A balanced diet, adequate exercise and sleep are the key to complete fitness. Caffeine, alcohol and other drugs which make you feel low should be avoided as much as possible.

Work is often the biggest stressor in people's lives and so it is important to take a break now and then, to spend time with your loved ones. Planning a fun activity once a week can be the ideal way to eliminate anxiety stress symptoms.

Try Relaxation Techniques 

Relaxation techniques have an amazing effect on the body as well as the soul. There are several techniques used and relaxation centers are becoming more and more popular day by day.

The simplest way of relaxation is to sit in a secluded area, close your eyes and focus. Deep breathing should be continued for 10 - 20 minutes, to help you achieve the most of this meditation.

Hypnosis is also gaining popularity as a good way to combat anxiety stress symptoms. Affirmative statements are used in this technique which helps counteract negative thoughts and refresh the mind.

Everyone has their own special way to achieve complete relaxation. Yoga, music, spiritual books, anything can be used to relieve anxiety stress symptoms. Once this is accomplished, individuals will feel a boost in their morale and newly gained confidence in their everyday life.

How to Diagnose an Anxiety Disorder Symptom 

The first and most crucial point for any disease is the diagnosis. If any cure or treatment should be applied, then you must first know what you are suffering from in the first place. The diagnosis is hence, of paramount importance. The right diagnosis is as important as the therapy itself.

Recognizing the Anxiety Disorder Symptoms 

All diseases have their own peculiarities so you can speed up the recognition. Unfortunately, not many understand or know what to look for to recognize the anxiety disorder symptom disease. Some of the most common anxiety disorder symptoms are,

1. Sudden mood swings and high irritability
2. Everything looks totally hopeless and futile. Patients become drawn inwards, as much as possible; they stay away form any type of company
3. they do not have any interest in anything. There in nothing that can excite the person anymore - no hobbies, no friends, and so on.
4. Total or partial loss of self-esteem
5. Very elaborate suicidal plans.
6. Total lack of sleep, or too much sleepiness
7. A constant feel of anxiety similar to what it feels like being chased or missing deadlines, etc.

From the above, pick the anxiety disorder symptoms that are applicable to you. Armed with this knowledge, you could then fight effectively against this disease. For treatment, you will have to forge a very close relationship with the doctor, as the treatment cannot be worked out in one session. The therapy would be launched in phases, and the dosages of the medicines be adjusted from time to time based on the reactions they give in controlling the disorder.

Only when the therapy for each of the anxiety disorder symptoms is implemented well, and the side effects controlled, that one can hope for a cure. Each one of the anxiety disorder symptoms would have to be targeted and destroyed before you could enjoy complete mental health.

Yoga and a number of alternative medicines have been providing several people with tranquility and peace. There are herbal treatments, and fruit juice therapies and vitamin therapies as well. There are so many ways to cure this affliction; however none of them will really get rid of everything till you understand it well and unless you have and enjoy a very supporting family.

The basic most ingredient of this therapy however, would be to change your mental attitude to becoming positive and try to adopt a positive demeanor to whatever is happening to you environment. Fortunately, people meet with a high rate of success, provided they really pay attention to the way their doctor works with them.

Anxiety and Depression Resources 

Anxiety and Depression
Beat Chronic Anxiety, Depression and Panic Attacks
www.anxietyhealingpro.com
Panic Away Official Site
How To Stop Anxious Thinking Effortlessly
www.signuphtml.panicaway.com
X
DutchBlogger

About DutchBlogger

"Beat Chronic Anxiety, Depression and Panic Attacks"

Beat Chronic Anxiety, Depression and Panic Attacks Will Expose the TRUTH about the Techniques That Doctors Simply Ignore That Can ELIMINATE Chronic Anxiety and Scary Panic Attacks...IN A MATTER OF SECONDS!


The SelfSteps Program: Beat Anxiety and Panic Attacks

 

For PROOF and the FREE 7-Part Ecourse, "The Anxiety Diet"...

Click Here

 

 

 

DutchBlogger's Pages

See all of DutchBlogger's pages

X

Gold Star

This is a certified gold star lens, which means it's the best of its kind on Squidoo (or shows some serious potential for getting there!)

Read more about gold stars »

X

DutchBlogger is a Giant Squid!

Giants are distinguished by their exceptional skill for making top-notch lenses, and lots of them. Whenever you land on a Giant Squid's lens, you know the person behind it is passionate about the topic and is hard at work making the lens worthy of your time and attention.

Learn more about what it takes to be a Giant »

X

DutchBlogger is a SquidAngel

Angels are passionate lensmasters who spend a lot of time looking at lenses on Squidoo, and have special powers to bless great lenses with a few extra LensRank points. They're also a huge help at keeping Squidoo safe from spam.

If you think your lens is just about as good as you can make it, stop by the Angels forum and test your luck!