Stress, Anxiety & Depression
Coping with Stress, Anxiety and Depression
Stress is well known to be a trigger for depression. While we all need some stress in our lives to keep us motivated, too much can be mentally, and physically damaging.
Different people react in different ways to stress. For some, it results in loss of control, anger and defensiveness and anxiety. For others, a slippery slope of depression looms, adding to our original stress and deepening the problem.
Counselling has been shown to be highly effective at dealing with these symptoms. Indeed, counselling is the preferred treatment, and has shown to be more effective, in the short and long term, than pharmacological interventions such as anti-depressants.
Symptoms of Stress, Anxiety and Depression
Symptoms of Stress, Anxiety and Depression can include:
- Irritability
- Over sensitivity to criticism
- Sleeplessness and poor sleep patterns
- Over drinking and smoking
- Indigestion, loss of appetite and related symptoms
- Loss of concentration
- Panic attacks
- Feeling out of control
- Feeling faint
Depression (including Postnatal Depression)
Depression is deeper and lasts longer than the normal short periods of unhappiness that we have all experienced periodically. It affects 20% of people at some time in their lives, making it much more common than we realise.
The reasons for depression may not be obvious. It may seem obvious – a failed relationship, bereavement or even the birth of a child – but often the reasons for depression is just not that clear. And depression can creep up without us really noticing.
Thankfully, help is at hand. Counselling is a powerful way of exploring what’s going on.
Symptoms of Depression
Symptoms of Depression can include:
Angry and aggressive behaviour
Harsh self-criticism
Thoughts going round and round
Unable to get out of bed and carry out usual activities
Conflict at work or with family
Lack of understanding and support from others
Feeling low at times of assumed happiness (e.g. after the birth of a baby)
Unable to sleep
Withdrawal
Not understanding feelings
Fear of taking medication or relying on them alone