Anxiety and Depression are real, so are we! Have you ever felt an all-encompassing feeling of dread or helplessness? A feeling that consumes you till only a sense of blackness remains, and nothing you do can get you from pulling yourself out of whatever predicament you are in. Doesn’t that summarize what depression feels like?
“A big part of depression is feeling really lonely, even if you’re in a room full of a million people.”
– Lilly Singh
That’s not all; there may be days when you find yourself cowering in fear, panic, or worry, probably before a big test or an important job interview, or even meeting new people. Sounds very much like anxiety, right?
Let’s not jump to conclusions; after all, life is not a bed of roses. It is absolutely normal to feel low or have things you are afraid of. Maybe you are just going through a rough patch in life, and you will get over it… eventually!
They do sound similar, right? Well, you may be right to an extent; in fact, depression and anxiety are like the two sides of a coin. While they may not be one and the same thing, they often tend to go hand in hand. Being depressed may cause anxiety, and anxiety often leads to depression.
“Having anxiety and depression is like being scared and tired at the same time. It’s the fear of failure but no urge to be productive. It’s wanting friends, but hate socializing. It’s wanting to be alone but not wanting to be lonely. It’s feeling everything at once then feeling paralyzingly numb.”
— Anonymous
Anxiety and Depression: What the Data Says!
Therefore, depression and anxiety are very different conditions!
Did you know? 1 out of 6 adults suffers from depression at some point in their life. Anyone can get depressed, and depression can happen at any age and in any type of person. The most common types of depression include — clinical depression, persistent depression, bipolar disorder, etc.
As per data by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder, are undoubtedly one of the most prevalent mental health problems around the world. In simple words, anxiety is your body’s reaction to emotions like worry or fear.
Since the two are often interlinked, people often suffer from both at the same time. Their symptoms include nervousness, irritability, sleep disorders, and lack of concentration. Although the causes of these mental health conditions may be different, they share similar symptoms and treatments.
As we enter the second year following the Coronavirus outbreak, cases of anxiety and depression are continually increasing. The sheer devastation caused by the pandemic due to the millions of deaths, economic conflicts, and unprecedented restrictions on social interaction has significantly affected people around the world.
My Tryst with Anxiety and Depression: If I Could do it, so Can You!
I lost a close friend to an accident pre-marriage days in Bangalore. He was my colleague, a confidante, best friend, and his death left a gaping hole in my heart and soul. He was the one I would discuss anything and everything, from the ego-struggle with dad for marriage to career growth, and stuff.
For days together, I moped and moped, eventually, the dam broke, and I fell into a bottomless pit of despair. There were nights where I used to cry myself to sleep and days were spent into oblivion. In hopelessness, one incident could lead to another and a chain of such failed attempts make it look like a mountain of melancholy.
Then came the time, when life felt like a burden and no visible recluse in hand. It was the beginning of my struggles with degression and anxiety.
From what I learned, depression comes with a torrent of vivid and powerful memories of the time lost, failures, and many things that you usually take for granted. It makes you feel extremely worthless and unwanted. If left untreated, it can even destroy you!
For a very long time, I was full of sadness, fear, anger, and a lot of other feelings I was unable to decipher. The final nail in the coffin was suicidal thought and a failed attempt! And BAMM, when my husband (then boyfriend) got to know and confronted me, all hell broke loose.
“Depression, for me, has been a couple of different things – but the first time I felt it, I felt helpless, hopeless, and things I had never felt before. I lost myself and my will to live.”
— Ginger Zee
Slowly but steadily, I started gaining control of my senses with a lot of help from my husband and friends. I got in touch with a therapist and began speaking my heart out. Around the same time, I started journaling, reading, meditating, exercising, and even joined a support group. In just a few months, the efforts began paying off, and I finally started feeling better.
I realize now that I have become stronger and more resilient due to the support of my loved ones and the will to let go of my sorrow and grief. My friend will not come back, and I have accepted that simple fact. The clutch his death had on the life, mixing marriage struggles and stagnant-career was later untangled. I could identify the differences and prioritize things.
If I could overcome anxiety and depression, so can you! No more excuses and waiting, take a stand for yourself and battle it out for your body and soul!
Recognizing the Symptoms and Potential Treatment Methods
As mentioned earlier, people with anxiety and depression may show similar symptoms, but that is not always the case. Let’s look at some of the most common symptoms, shall we?
- Constant bouts of tiredness and fatigue
- Difficulty in focus/concentration
- Distress and irritability
- Sleep disorders
- Physical problems like breathing issues, increased heart rate, headaches, sweating, abdominal pain, etc.
- Changes in appetite; eating too much or too little
- Panic attacks
- Suicidal thoughts
As a person who has gone through these feelings, I strongly believe that no one should feel either of these conditions and certainly not both of them at the same time!
Fortunately, there are various ways to treat anxiety and depression effective ways. All it takes is the willpower and determination to get out of whatever it is that you are feeling and take control of your life. After all, all of us have the right to be happy!
Some of the treatment methods include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Interpersonal psychotherapy
- Antidepressant medications
- Relaxation techniques
- Exercise
“You say you’re ‘depressed’ – all I see is resilience. You are allowed to feel messed up and inside out. It doesn’t mean you’re defective – it just means you’re human.”
― David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas
Parting Thoughts: Depression and Anxiety Wrecking your Life? Get Help!!
In a time where there is so much uncertainty around the world due to various reasons, be it the pandemic, natural disasters, social issues, or political conflicts.
As a bystander, most people living with anxiety and depression may appear alright; however, the reality is far from it. These conditions break the individual both emotionally, mentally, and physically too in the long run.
Seeking help (from anyone you trust) or a medical professional is the first step towards improving your current mental state and getting over the sadness, grief, worry, and any pent-up emotion that is pulling you down. With some effort and determination from your end, you will get over the condition, and you can get back control over your life!
Just believe in yourself and remove I CAN’T from your dictionary! You CAN do it!
This post is part of the CauseAChatter Initiative by BlogChatter.‘
To read the previous posts from the challenge, click here.
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32 Comments
Depression and anxiety step into our lives in a mute mode but they make themselves comfortable if we don not show them the door to go out. And to fight it, first we need to realize that we need help. I liked how honestly you shared your personal moments.
Yeah, that’s the character of these ailments. They attack when you are least expecting and most vulnerable.
Great post dipika. yes, mental health issues like depression and anxiety put a havoc on our mental as well as physical health. but on brighter side, they are manageable by keeping a positive approach and take professional help if needed. I really liked the way you have shared all different important aspects of these two common mental condition with inclusion of personal experiences. indeed a helpful post.
Thank you, Surbhi.
Depression and anxiety are something that needs to be handled properly, and it’s always good to go ahead and talk to someone whom you can trust and share. Loved the post!!
Expert care is must when face such a turmoil, thank you for stopping by.
I have gone through this depression and anxiety it’s so difficult to fight with ourselves and it was not easy for me to come out of it. Amazing pick of the topic loved reading it.
Thank you for stopping by.
I’m so sorry that you had to go through such a depressing phase Dips and am so proud to see you emerge stronger and wiser from it. Depression can hit anyone and judgement only makes it worse. Always seek help and share your thoughts. Speaking out is the best way out.
So true, V. We have seen this quite close and personal and know this is for real.
I am so this when i lost my family member to covid. and it took a lot from us. we took a lot of time, but eventually got over and things are normal.
Thank God things are normal for you now, take care.
After reading your post I feel so positive . Looking at you today no one can say that you could have gone through this hell but hats of to you for sharing this as people will have faith and hope that nothing is impossible. More power to your gal.
Thank you so much, Swati for such kind words. I learned a great deal about life from my own personal experience.
More power to you. I literally felt each of the things that you had mentioned, last year, with multiple losses of family members. You are a real hero to overcome such a state and bounce back with more zeal and power. I will share this article with some of my friends who are going through such phases in life.
Thank you for your support, Jhilmil. Means a lot to me.
I’m so sorry that you had to go through such a depressing phase dear, more power to you. Depression can hit anyone and sharing it with others help a lot. Good that you wrote about this, I will share it with my friends who are going through such a phase.
I have learned a great deal about life, from that experience. Thank you so much.
Anxiety and depression are real. the first step is of course recognizing and acknowledging them. And then fighting them and emerging triumphant. Really so nice of you to share your own experience that will help so many others.
Thank you for reading.
I didn’t realize that the loss of a loved one can make you feel so anxious and depressed that you were even contemplating suicide. Thanks a ton for sharing your painful story and how you mustered up the courage to not only come out of a painful past but also take full control of your life.
It was a phase of a mixed bag of feelings, the notion that most people suffering from depression feel. Thank you for reading.
I agree with you Dipika that the best way to deal with depression is to acknowledge and then seek help or talk/share your feelings with others.
Glad you connect with the emotions, Milan.
Anxiety and depression are such real issues and it is unfortunate that they are not given that much of importance and seriousness as it needs to be given. Thanks for sharing this post, hopefully it will help people in need.
True, the more we talk about it better it is.
I’m so sorry that you had to go through such a depressing phase Depression can hit anyone and judgement only makes it worse. It is good you came out
Thank you for your kind words.
Dipika this whole post is so relatable. At times I feel I have been through all these emotions but never knew if it was depression but for sure anxiety that seemed to never end. I would often find myself struggling with keeping my temper in control and would like to shout at everyone in the house. Over a period of time even talking to friends helped a lot and since the time I started writing about the importance of mental health I started feeling better and writing about the problem was like therapy for me and made me feel relaxed. Its important that we recognise the symptoms and take timely steps to cure it.
It happens with all of us, mostly we avoid it but for some coming out of this without help is tough.
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