Depression, Anxiety and Coping With Life’s Ups and Downs

Spring can be a tough time for me, often triggering a depression similar to a seasonal affective disorder episode. This year I had a depressive period in April. Following a medication tweak, I’ve been doing well. On a mood scale I’d be scoring decent to good lately. But I’ve recently been reminded that depressed or not, life is full of ups and downs and they need to be dealt with.

Depression and Anxiety

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I’ve had a slight tingling sensation in my left foot for the past week or so. My logical brain tells me it’s probably nothing to worry about, that it may be a consequence of twisting my ankle a couple weeks back. But then there’s depressed/anxious brain whispering to me about all the bad things it could be.

Depression and anxiety are so intertwined for me. It’s like they’re doing this insidious dance and I keep getting stuck in the middle. Anxiety can be a depression trigger for me, so I know that I have to protect my healthy mood. So what to do? Here’s some top things that work for me.

Handling Depression and Anxiety - Techniques

• Talk it out – Free things up by talking, whether with a friend, loved one, or therapist or other professional. Even when there is no quick and easy solution, talking can still help create a healthy perspective. And I’ve known many a time when even a small shift in perspective can give me the strength to keep going.

• Write it out – Writing is a good way to express energy, whether it be anxious or depressed energy or anything else. Writing also helps keep track of things, which I find gives me a feeling of a little more control. For example, with my foot bothering me, journaling and keeping track of my symptoms helped me feel more grounded in dealing with the problem.

• Act it out – Try to take an action, no matter how small. For me, this meant making a doctor’s appointment to get my foot checked out when it was clear that the symptoms were bothering me both physically and mentally. Being able to look at the appointment on the calendar gave me some relief from my spinning thoughts. It added a bit of certainty to the morass of uncertainty in which I’ve been floundering.

When I find myself starting to sink into the mud of depression laced with anxiety, these are some of the life preservers I reach for. I reach for them again and again as my mind tends to run pretty circular with worry. But as long as I keep reaching, I figure that’s a good step in the battle.

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