What are the symptoms of anxiety and depression?

Denis July 31, 2019

Persistent sad, anxious or “empty” mood.
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism.
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness.
Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities, including sex.
Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling “slowed down”.
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions.
Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping.
Low appetite and weight loss or overeating and weight gain.
Thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts.
Restlessness, irritability.
Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders and pain for which no other cause can be diagnosed.

It’s perfectly normal to feel anxious or depressed occasionally, especially in response to life’s stressors. However, when these feelings become prolonged, disproportionate or apparent for no significant reason, they need to be addressed.

Thankfully diagnosis and treatment methods have come a long way, with many public health campaigns working towards bringing mental illness ‘out of the shadows’.

The co-occurrence of anxiety and depression is a noted feature of these disorders. While behavioral and emotional symptoms may differ within the two, the fact remains they are both an unnatural and unwelcome state of mental health.

Characterized by a constant overwhelming state of fear or worry, anxiety can be debilitating in its physical manifestations too. The symptoms of depression may be similar with unrelenting feelings of sadness or despair.

The exact cause is still unclear; however, changes in brain chemistry, genetic factors, and hormone function are all believed to play a role. Irrespective of the cause, mental illness requires and generally responds to professional treatment.

Best Methods of Treating Anxiety and Depression.

Our understanding of mental illness has evolved over time, yet it still presents certain difficulties. Diagnostically speaking, depression and anxiety primarily affects the way an individual think and feels, and in most cases subsequently behaves. Therefore, we generally rely upon patients to identify these changes themselves and seek help.

In some cases, family members or close friends may be able to identify vulnerable individuals and assist in requesting attention. Once diagnosed however, treatment can be quite successful using a variety of approaches. The most common of which are psychological therapies or ‘talking therapies’.

Such therapies are generally administered by a qualified psychologist and involve either behavior modification (Cognitive Behavior Therapy or CBT) or examination of intrapersonal and interpersonal patterns and behaviors.

Generally, work will be done to identify and address key triggers and ways of managing future events. Such therapies are often combined with a focus on improving nutrition and encouraging regular exercise, which itself can actively promote a healthy mental state.

Indeed, a safe and effective first step towards self-empowerment is taking control over one’s diet. The benefits are both psychological and physiological. Reducing or eliminating spikes caused by sugar-laden foods and stimulants, such as excess coffee, cigarettes, etc., will help in reducing the debilitating feelings associated with general anxiety.

Finally, and hopefully after exploring other options, the use of antidepressant medication may be required. This depends on the severity of the illness and is most often used in conjunction with psychotherapies. Antidepressants can be very effective in some situations. As in any medical case, treatment is ideally specifically tailored to suit the individual, based on a thorough study of personal history of symptoms, responses and environment.

Children and Young Adults Can be Affected Too.

Young people and children unfortunately are just as vulnerable to mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. While often harder to detect, once diagnosed, applied therapies specifically designed for children, can usually assist the child in living a happier and more fulfilling childhood.

“The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned about the potential for negative effects of social media in young kids and teens, including cyber-bullying.”
Forbes

Children and young people with depression can exhibit symptoms such as:

Anger and aggression
Risk-taking behaviors
Significant mood swings
Social isolation
Being quiet and shy
Denying that something is wrong.

A happier childhood better prepares the child for dealing with the stresses of teen years and young adulthood. The healthy and safe transition of young adulthood enables the individual to prepare for, and live, a life feeling in control, empowered and able to deal with everyday challenges.

Teen social media statistics

91% of 16 – 24 year olds use the internet for social networking
Social media use is linked with increased rates of anxiety, depression and poor sleep
Social media has been described as more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol.

“Social media addiction is a mental health problem… Excessive usage [is] linked to relationship problems, worse academic achievement and less participation in offline communities.”
BBC

Does social media cause depression?

What has been found is that when you use less social media, you are actually less depressed and less lonely.

“Survey results found that Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram all led to increased feelings of depression, anxiety, poor body image and loneliness.”
Child Mind Institute

What can parents do to keep their children safe from the negative effects of social media?

Start a dialog about social media with your kids at a young age and talk regularly
Ensure your children are equipped with the relevant skills to be able to navigate social media
Lead by example and model positive behaviours for your child
Teach students that social media can and should be utilized as a tool for good
Get videos you can watch WITH your children. These videos will start a healthy dialog that will keep them safe and smart online
Remind students that they can always come to you or a trusted adult if they ever need help
Wait until your child has shown that they can handle the responsibility of using social media before letting them set up their first profile
When you’re ready for your child to be online, read up on how teens can use social media safely

6 Ways to protect your mental health from social media’s dangers

Limit when and where you use social media – Commit to not checking social media during meals with family and friends, and when playing with children or talking with a partner. Make sure social media doesn’t interfere with work.
Have ‘detox’ periods – Schedule regular multi-day breaks from social media. Several studies have shown that even a five-day or week-long break from Facebook can lead to lower stress and higher life satisfaction.
Pay attention to what you do and how you feel
Approach social media mindfully
Prune – Now is the time to unfollow, mute or hide contacts; the vast majority won’t notice.
Stop social media from replacing real life

Consider a Social Media Detox

Take a moment and ask yourself: when was the last time you went a full day, from wake to sleep, without checking social media? If sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit disappeared tomorrow, would you feel empty and depressed? Has social media become an addiction for you?

Social media is a false reality. People selectively post what they want others to see. And this allows everyone to flaunt their good sides while hiding their bad ones. Nobody’s profile truly reflects who they are as a person — it’s all filtered and sterilized. Unfortunately, we tend to forget this. And we can fall into despair when we can’t seem to keep up with the supposed lives of our friends and followers, even to the point of depression.
Social media encourages narcissism. One of the biggest rewards in social media is when you make a post and somebody likes it. On Reddit, it’s upvotes. On Twitter and Tumblr, it’s retweets and reblogs. It’s all about your own satisfaction and gratification, and as you chase more and more likes, you can get swallowed up in yourself.
Social media promotes echo chambers. The nature of social media means you can follow those who are like you and ignore those who aren’t. This is the very definition of an echo chamber: everyone just parrots the same ideas back at one another. If you aren’t aware of this effect, social media can turn you into a close-minded person.
Social media is a privacy risk. You’d be surprised how much somebody can find out about you simply through your social media history. In the most extreme of cases, malicious users can make your life a living hell in many ways, including stalking, hacking, and more.
Social media sucks up time. A visit to Reddit can turn into two hours of mindless browsing. Checking Facebook or Twitter may only take a few minutes, but if you check several times an hour, that can add up to a lot of wasted time. What if you spent that time on something else, like a creative hobby, hiking a trail, or personal growth?