Supporting Someone With Anxiety Or Depression
There are ways that you can help someone with anxiety or depression. It may be helpful to:
- let them know if youve noticed a change in their behaviour
- spend time talking about their experiences and let them know youre there to listen without being judgmental
- help them to get information from a website, library or community health centre
- suggest they go to a doctor or health professional, and help them to make an appointment
- offer to go with them to their appointment and follow up with them afterwards
- encourage them to get enough sleep, to exercise and to eat well
- encourage family and friends to invite them out and keep in touch, but dont pressure them to participate in activities
- contact a doctor or hospital if they become a threat to themselves or others.
It is unhelpful to:
- put pressure on them by telling them to snap out of it or get their act together
- stay away or avoid them
- tell them they just need to stay busy or get out more
- pressure them to party more or wipe out how theyre feeling with drugs and alcohol
- assume the problem will just go away.
If you or someone you know needs support, talk to a doctor or other health professional about getting appropriate treatment.
What Is Effective Journaling
Effective journaling is a journaling practice that helps you meet your goals or improves your quality of life. This can look different for each and every person, and the outcomes can vary widely, but they are almost always very positive.
Journaling can be effective for many different reasons and help you reach a wide range of goals. It can help you clear your head, make important connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and even buffer or reduce the effects of mental illness!
The 9 Best Teas For Stress And Depression
Tea has long been a natural remedy to reduce stress and unwind after a long day. The act of pouring a hot steamy cup of tea and sipping while enjoying your favorite novel or lounging in a comfy chair helps to boost mood and decrease stress. Scientific research also shows that tea contains powerful ingredients that can target stress and depression on a chemical level.
We’ve put together a list of the best teas for stress and depression to help you relax and feel your best. From minty and floral herbal teas to famously healthy green teas, you’re sure to find a tea that you love that can help you destress. Want to get your hands on tea to reduce stress and minimize symptoms of anxiety today? Check out our collection of the best teas for stress and depression right here.
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Quick Ways To Reduce Stress
Taking care of your long-term mental and physical health is an important part of stress management. However, there isnt always time to take a nap, hike a fourteener, or read a novel. Thus, here are 25 ways to reduce stress in five minutes or less. From eating chocolate to meditating, there is a quick stress-relieving tactic for everyone.
1. BreatheSlow, deep breaths can help lower blood pressure and heart rate. Try pranayama breathing, a yogic method that involves breathing through one nostril at a time to relieve anxiety. The technique is supposed to work the same way as acupuncture, balancing the mind and body.
2. Listen to Music No matter what the song, sometimes belting out the lyrics to a favorite tune makes everything seem all right. If youre in a public place, just listening to music can be a quick fix for a bad mood. Classical music can be especially relaxing right before bedtime.
3. Take a Quick Walk When youre feeling overwhelmed or having trouble concentrating, go for a quick stroll around the block. Youll get the benefits of alone time, physical activity, and a few minutes to gather your thoughts.
4. Find the Sun If its a sunny day, head outside for an easy way to lift your spirits. Bright light can be an effective treatment for people who suffer from depression, and can even cheer up otherwise healthy people.
8. Rub Your Feet Over a Golf Ball You can get an impromptu, relaxing foot massage by rubbing your feet back and forth over a golf ball.
12. Be Alone
Can A Placebo Replace Your Antidepressant
Media outlets were abuzz early this year with the news that antidepressant drugs don’t get rid of depression. The source was a Jan. 6, 2010, report in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association analyzing data from six clinical trials of antidepressants conducted between 1980 and 2009, involving 718 patients. The study concluded that when people with mild or even moderate depression took a pill, their symptoms improved. The kicker: The improvement was the same, on average, whether the pill was a real drug or a lookalike placebo. Only among people with more severe symptoms did the real drugs have an edge over the placebo.
Studies like those make great headlines. Far more complicated is how to apply the findings in real life. You can’t diagnose or track depression with a blood test or an X-ray. Assessing improvement relies completely on the patient’s subjective reporting of his or her state of mind. Plenty of studies have shown that the drugs work, though placebo effects are notoriously high in antidepressant trials, and the drugs’ advantage over placebos is usually modest.
If you’re not sure you need an antidepressant any more, talk with your doctor about reducing the dose or weaning off of it. Never stop an antidepressant suddenly or on your own you may be risking severe withdrawal symptoms.
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Stressed Or Depressed Know The Difference
If you are feeling overwhelmed by stress, you are not alone it’s practically a fact of life on college campuses. A poll conducted by mtvU and the Associated Press in the spring of 2009 reported that 85% of students say they experience stress on a daily basis.
Stress is good if it motivates you but it’s bad if it wears you down. Many factors can contribute to the stress you experience, and this stress can cause changes in your body that affect your overall physical, mental, and emotional health.
Depression is more serious and long-lasting than stress, and requires a different kind of help. In a 2010 survey by the American College Health Association, 28% of college students reported feeling so depressed at some point they had trouble functioning, and 8% sought treatment for depression.
The good news is that depression is a highly treatable condition. However, it’s not something you can snap out of by yourself, so it’s important to get help. How do you tell the difference between stress and depression? Both can affect you in similar ways, but there are key differences. Symptoms of depression can be much more intense. They last at least two weeks. Depression causes powerful mood changes, such as painful sadness and despair. You may feel exhausted and unable to act.
Here are common signs of stress and depression. Which fits you best?
Role Of Magnesium In Anxiety And Depression
So, how does magnesium help with any of these issues? Magnesium may help to regulate important hormones and chemical messengers in the brain, like serotonin, that are believed to be linked to depression and anxiety disorders. Additionally, its been found that taking magnesium on a daily basis can help improve overall mood, energy, and effectiveness of your sleep habits.
Sleep is crucial to fighting depression and anxiety, and many of us dont get enough or dont get high-quality sleep.
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When Youre Depressed You Cant Just Will Yourself To Snap Out Of It But This Guide To Depression Help Can Put You On The Road To Recovery
Coronavirus update
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many of us are dealing with social distancing, isolation, and lockdowns that make it even harder to cope with symptoms of depression. Whatever your circumstances, though, there are ways to overcome feelings of sadness and despair, improve your mood, and regain a sense of hope. In addition to the tips in this article, you can also find help for depression in our Coronavirus Mental Health Toolkit.
How Cbd Affects The Mood
When you take CBD be it through inhalation, oral consumption, or topical application it interacts with your nervous system through signaling the endocannabinoid system and several other systems in the body.
CBD indirectly engages with the cannabinoid receptors of the ECS, as well as with receptor-independent pathways. This leads to certain responses of the nervous system that ultimately influence your mood and behavior.
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Why Does Thc Cause Anxiety
THC is the psychoactive compound in weed that makes you feel high. THC binds to receptors in the area of your brain responsible for emotion . In some people, this binding results in a good high and stimulates feelings of euphoria, energy, creativity or relaxation. However, the amygdala also controls fear and paranoia so if you smoke too much or are susceptible it can trigger anxiety and paranoia.
The body also produces its own chemicals that are very similar to THC and CBD. They bind to the same receptors as THC and act like natural weed to help regulate your emotions. Recent evidence suggests that anxiety sufferers have lower levels of these natural endocannabonoids and smoking weed replaces them with THC and helps alleviate the feelings of anxiety and depression.
Many recreational and medical strains of weed have been bred to have high concentrations of THC. For recreational smokers this is a good thing because the euphoria of getting stoned is the reason for smoking! The high levels of THC in medical weed is also used to treat many common conditions such as nausea, pain and inflammation. However, if youre sensitive to THC induced anxiety then these high concentrations of THC arent good at all.
Benefits Of Journaling For Anxiety
For me, writing is a way of thinking. I write in a journal a lot. Im a very impatient person, so writing and meditation allow me to slow down and watch my mind they are containers that keep me in place, hold me still.
Ruth Ozeki
Journaling can also help people suffering from anxiety disorders. Like depression, the positive outcomes are well-documented for this purpose. In fact, compared to many other aims when journaling, it is extremely well-suited to helping you deal with anxiety.
Why is it so beneficial for anxiety?
According to psychologist Barbara Markway,
Theres simply no better way to learn about your thought processes than to write them down.
She notes that to address our problematic thought patterns, we first have to actually know what they are! Journaling is instrumental in helping us identify our negative automatic self-talk and get to the root of our anxiety.
Writing in a journal can positively impact your anxiety through:
Through mechanisms like those listed above, journaling has been shown to:
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Accept The Things You Can’t Change
Changing a difficult situation isn’t always possible. Try to concentrate on the things you do have control over.
“If your company is going under and is making redundancies, for example, there’s nothing you can do about it,” says Professor Cooper.
“In a situation like that, you need to focus on the things that you can control, such as looking for a new job.”
How To Use Cannabis For Treat Anxiety And Depression
In case you have access to cannabis grown and tested in the laboratory, the way of use does not play an important role. The main thing is that you can accurately calculate the dosage. If you are not sure about the genetics of cannabis flowers that you buy, there is another option CBD cannabis oil. It has the basic properties that are needed to treat depression and anxiety.
CBD oil is legal in more than 40 countries and it is easy to handle with it. The liquid consistency is the most convenient for calculating the dosage. In addition, this oil contains pure CBD without THC, which excludes the appearance of a high effect if you are not sure of your reaction to this condition.
Microdosing of CBD/THC hybrids is another way to treat anxiety and depression. This method is relatively new, but clinical studies showed positive dynamics in treating patients with this mental disorders. Take 2-5 mg of pot for few days and than add more cannabis is needed. The way of use does not play any role.
And now lets finally find out what are the best cannabis strains for depression and anxiety.
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Spend Time With Friends And Family
Social support from friends and family can help you get through stressful times.
Being part of a friend network gives you a sense of belonging and self-worth, which can help you in tough times.
One study found that for women in particular, spending time with friends and children helps release oxytocin, a natural stress reliever. This effect is called tend and befriend, and is the opposite of the fight-or-flight response .
Keep in mind that both men and women benefit from friendship.
Another study found that men and women with the fewest social connections were more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety .
summary
Having strong social ties may help you get through stressful times and lower your risk of anxiety.
Its hard to feel anxious when youre laughing. Its good for your health, and there are a few ways it may help relieve stress:
- Relieving your stress response.
- Relieving tension by relaxing your muscles.
In the long term, laughter can also help improve your immune system and mood.
A study among people with cancer found that people in the laughter intervention group experienced more stress relief than those who were simply distracted (
Try watching a funny TV show or hanging out with friends who make you laugh.
summary
Find the humor in everyday life, spend time with funny friends or watch a comedy show to help relieve stress.
Not all stressors are within your control, but some are.
One way to do this may be to say no more often.
The Scientific Research On Journaling/writing Therapy
There is a ton of evidence out there on the outcomes of journal writing therapy, and overall this evidence points to its effectiveness in helping people identify and accept their emotions, manage their stress, and ease the symptoms of mental illness.
It has even been shown to impact physical well-being avid journal writer and journalist Michael Grothaus notes that there are studies suggesting journaling can strengthen the immune system, drop blood pressure, help you sleep better, and generally keep you healthier .
There are also other, more specific benefits for people struggling with a wide range of issues.
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Foods That Help With Depression
Whatever your dietary preferences, there are a variety of options that can provide mood-boosting benefits. This isn’t to say that you need to overhaul your eating habits and only consume these foods, but being conscious of which foods impact your mood can help you better manage symptoms of depression.
Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression
The range of symptoms you might suffer is extremely varied and to make it even more confusing they can sometimes even seem to completely contradict each other!
Some of the more common symptoms of anxiety include insomnia or tiredness, racing heartbeat, chest pains, lack of appetite or hunger and feelings of hopelessness or terror.
The symptoms of depression can include all of the above as well as suicidal thoughts, social isolation, weight gain or weight loss, inability to concentrate and a lack of enthusiasm for getting out of bed or off the couch.
If you feel like you suffer from any of these symptoms then youre not alone. Anxiety disorders affect 18.1% of the adult American population and major depression affects 6.7% of the adult population in any given year. Thats massive!
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Handle On Your Household Chores
Depression can make it difficult to complete household chores, such as doing the dishes or paying bills. Depression can make you not to say thank you messages for friends, happy birthday wishes to girlfriend and boyfriend, but a pile of paperwork, the stack of dirty dishes, and floor covered in dirty clothes will only magnify your feelings of worthlessness. Take control of your daily chores. Start small and work on one project at a time. Getting up and moving can help you start to feel better in itself. But, seeing your progress in the home can be key to helping you feel better.
Exercise Is Something You Can Do Right Now To Boost Your Mood
Your fatigue will improve if you stick with it. Starting to exercise can be difficult when youre depressed and feeling exhausted. But research shows that your energy levels will improve if you keep with it. Exercise will help you to feel energized and less fatigued, not more.
Find exercises that are continuous and rhythmic. The most benefits for depression come from rhythmic exercisesuch as walking, weight training, swimming, martial arts, or dancingwhere you move both your arms and legs.
Add a mindfulness element, especially if your depression is rooted in unresolved trauma or fed by obsessive, negative thoughts. Focus on how your body feels as you movesuch as the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, or the feeling of the wind on your skin, or the rhythm of your breathing.
Pair up with an exercise partner. Not only does working out with others enable you to spend time socializing, it can also help to keep you motivated. Try joining a running club, taking a water aerobics or dance class, seeking out tennis partners, or enrolling in a soccer or volleyball league.
Take a dog for a walk.If you dont own a dog, you can volunteer to walk homeless dogs for an animal shelter or rescue group. Youll not only be helping yourself but also be helping to socialize and exercise the dogs, making them more adoptable.
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