If you are suffering the symptoms of General Anxiety Disorder, or GAD, the last thing you need is someone promising miracle cures that don't exist, but if you are anything like me, you would probably try anything to get a bit of relief.
Anxiety, at its best, is a persistent annoying obstacle that interferes with every aspect of our lives. At its worst, it can be downright scary. Symptoms like shaking, a racing heart, sweating and a non-stop sense of uneasiness makes even the simplest daily tasks seem daunting and unattainable. Fortunately, I have been free from the "scary symptoms" for quite some time, and while I still deal with the "annoying symptoms" at times, I have managed to begin living productively again. I'd like to share five-steps I employ in my life which allow me to cope from day to day. I hope this helps:
1. Exercise
Regular aerobic exercise, whether it's a long walk, steps on the treadmill or a more organized and strenuous activity helps to release pent up energy and change focus. I simply don't think about my symptoms when engaged in these workouts. Another nice bonus is the quality of sleep I now enjoy, which also helps combat troubling anxiety symptoms.
2. Meditate
Meditation is a simple, accessible way to ease anxiety symptoms. It relaxes my body and allows me to focus on the here and now. My mediation routine has helped me to avoid old thought patterns, such as worrying about the future and obsessing about the past, and has replaced them with more productive thoughts of contentment.
3. Monitor Your Diet
Regardless of how you're feeling, you have to eat, so you might as well eat healthy. I make sure I adhere to a well balanced diet, and have gradually cut out the things that consistently seemed to make me feel worse. Avoiding thing like junk food, caffeine and alcohol are important first steps towards feeling better.
4. Journal
Writing, whether in a journal or an online blog like this one, is a great way to cope with some of the symptoms of anxiety. Put some of those troubling thoughts and feelings on paper. When I was really anxious, I used to over think and over analyze everything. I was confused and all the "stuff" I was carrying around, especially things I needed to do or wanted to accomplish, seemed an incredible burden to remember. Writing these things down, in a place where I could easily access them, was such a welcomed release.
5. Share What Your Feeling
Please, please, please don't isolate yourself, regardless of how you're feeling. I know you think you are sparing others from the effects of your disorder, but you are doing harm to yourself and to them. Trust enough in the people you love to speak openly to them about your feelings. They want to help you, but they don't know how. You need you to communicate how they can assist you with your challenges.
Anxiety is a very real and very serious medical condition. There are many treatments available to those who acknowledge their illness and seek help. Please remember that the "scary parts" of this illness are not going to last forever. You will get better but you must be an active participant in your recovery.
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Can Exercise Help My Depression?
Can Exercise Help My Depression?
Many experts agree that regular, aerobic exercise can help alleviate the symptoms of depression so, taking their advice, I decided to put it to the test.
It was difficult at first. Trying to drag myself out of bed while depressed was an enormous undertaking, but eventually it got easier. I started exercising 4 times a week for 45 minutes. Initially I merely walked, moving as quickly as I could to raise my heart rate, but as I became more accustomed to the routine, I started to jog. In a month I was able to run continuously for two miles, and the results were very encouraging.
My mood improved significantly and it became much easier to sleep at night. I felt healthier in both mind and body, and the outward appearance, attained as a bonus, did wonders for my self-esteem.
The most noticeable change was that, while exercising, the destructive thought patterns associated with my depression seemed to disappear. The rigors of the exercise seemed to take my mind off all my troubles, and once I reached that point I noticed the feeling would remain throughout the day.
Try it for yourself and see what you think.
Many experts agree that regular, aerobic exercise can help alleviate the symptoms of depression so, taking their advice, I decided to put it to the test.
It was difficult at first. Trying to drag myself out of bed while depressed was an enormous undertaking, but eventually it got easier. I started exercising 4 times a week for 45 minutes. Initially I merely walked, moving as quickly as I could to raise my heart rate, but as I became more accustomed to the routine, I started to jog. In a month I was able to run continuously for two miles, and the results were very encouraging.
My mood improved significantly and it became much easier to sleep at night. I felt healthier in both mind and body, and the outward appearance, attained as a bonus, did wonders for my self-esteem.
The most noticeable change was that, while exercising, the destructive thought patterns associated with my depression seemed to disappear. The rigors of the exercise seemed to take my mind off all my troubles, and once I reached that point I noticed the feeling would remain throughout the day.
Try it for yourself and see what you think.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Take Advantage of Your Good Days
Even in the grips of your depression, you are bound to have some good days. Since these don't come very often it is very important to take advantage of them. Your ability to get things accomplished on days like these can go a long way to ensuring more good days to come. Clean house, do some writing or just take a walk. Send a signal of accomplishment to your brain. Get organized today and help quiet that nagging voice in your head that seems to accompany every one of your not-so-good days.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Depressed? Get up!
This is going to be short, simple advice, but it's perhaps the most important advice I can give to depressed people. Unfortunately, though, this advice is sometimes the most difficult for affected people to follow. My advice? Get up!
While I was depressed--really depressed--I faced a difficult decision every morning. I knew I had to get up and face the day, but every fiber of my being was telling me to stay put. I felt heavy and foggy, and the prospect of a new day was more than I thought I could handle. The real tough mornings were waking up where other people were also around. To say I was irritable would be a grand understatement. Every thing they did bugged the living you know what out of me.
If you have suffered from Depression, I can almost see you nodding your heads in agreement.
I knew I had to do something, and I was out of ideas. One day though, while surfing some web sites, I came across some pieces of information written (of all people), by Anthony Robbins, the TV self-help icon. Now I must admit, in the past I never gave much credence to the things he said(or wrote), but the advice I discovered that morning proved not only relevant, but quite useful as well.
In this article, Robbins urged me to do two things every morning without fail. They worked for me so I will pass them on to you:
1. Get up, start moving and breathe.
I know what you're saying, "wow, what a revelation," but please hear me out. He says the brain will respond in a positive way in accordance with healthy movement, combined with deep breathing. He was right! Since that day, I get up and walk around my block every morning, focusing on my breathing. I feel better and I no longer dread the mornings. In fact, I often look forward to the AM now. My "power" time gives me a chance to organize my thoughts and prepare for the day.
2. Be grateful.
If you're me, you find it quite easy to complain in the midst of your symptoms. When depressed, I would curse this disease and I was convinced that nobody could possibly understand what I was going through. Now, whether that's true or not is insignificant. The truth is everybody has concerns of their own, and the time they have set aside for dealing with yours is probably quite minimal, if it exists at all. I came to understand that complaining was a waste of energy I could be spending elsewhere. So I followed Tony Robbins' second piece of advice--be grateful.
I started scheduling 10 minutes every morning dedicated solely to gratitude. I thought of all the things and people in my life to be thankful for and discovered there were quite a bit. These thoughts became mantras for me, and I soon found it hard to complain at all. I had so many things going for me, and when I actively considered these thoughts, I could feel the transformation in both my mind and body. The best way to describe it: it felt like I had put on my favorite pair of jeans. The mood was comfortable and reassuring.
So there it is. Give it a try if you want, and remember to follow through. Make it a habit and you too can look forward to the mornings.
While I was depressed--really depressed--I faced a difficult decision every morning. I knew I had to get up and face the day, but every fiber of my being was telling me to stay put. I felt heavy and foggy, and the prospect of a new day was more than I thought I could handle. The real tough mornings were waking up where other people were also around. To say I was irritable would be a grand understatement. Every thing they did bugged the living you know what out of me.
If you have suffered from Depression, I can almost see you nodding your heads in agreement.
I knew I had to do something, and I was out of ideas. One day though, while surfing some web sites, I came across some pieces of information written (of all people), by Anthony Robbins, the TV self-help icon. Now I must admit, in the past I never gave much credence to the things he said(or wrote), but the advice I discovered that morning proved not only relevant, but quite useful as well.
In this article, Robbins urged me to do two things every morning without fail. They worked for me so I will pass them on to you:
1. Get up, start moving and breathe.
I know what you're saying, "wow, what a revelation," but please hear me out. He says the brain will respond in a positive way in accordance with healthy movement, combined with deep breathing. He was right! Since that day, I get up and walk around my block every morning, focusing on my breathing. I feel better and I no longer dread the mornings. In fact, I often look forward to the AM now. My "power" time gives me a chance to organize my thoughts and prepare for the day.
2. Be grateful.
If you're me, you find it quite easy to complain in the midst of your symptoms. When depressed, I would curse this disease and I was convinced that nobody could possibly understand what I was going through. Now, whether that's true or not is insignificant. The truth is everybody has concerns of their own, and the time they have set aside for dealing with yours is probably quite minimal, if it exists at all. I came to understand that complaining was a waste of energy I could be spending elsewhere. So I followed Tony Robbins' second piece of advice--be grateful.
I started scheduling 10 minutes every morning dedicated solely to gratitude. I thought of all the things and people in my life to be thankful for and discovered there were quite a bit. These thoughts became mantras for me, and I soon found it hard to complain at all. I had so many things going for me, and when I actively considered these thoughts, I could feel the transformation in both my mind and body. The best way to describe it: it felt like I had put on my favorite pair of jeans. The mood was comfortable and reassuring.
So there it is. Give it a try if you want, and remember to follow through. Make it a habit and you too can look forward to the mornings.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Tame Your Depression: Six Steps toward Feeling Better Now
For the past fifteen years I have lived with chronic depression. I use the word lived but that’s a bit misleading. For the majority of that time I allowed the symptoms of my depression to take over my life. I existed, sure, but I certainly didn’t live.
One day that changed—it had to—and I got my life back. I’ll explain that in a bit, but first let’s take a look at Depression and its uncanny ability to assault your life.
Depression is a very serious medical condition, but unfortunately for those who suffer its effects, it is very misunderstood. I lost count of all the people who, while trying to help, consistently urged me to “cheer up,” or “just relax.” Their support was well meant, but their ignorance of this disease left me feeling very frustrated. Believe me, I wanted to cheer up, but I just couldn’t. It’s similar to asking someone with COPD to just quit coughing: it’s just not going to happen.
Consequently, depression made me feel very lonely and hopeless. I thought there was nothing I could do and I felt paralyzed. Here’s what I was dealing with. You will undoubtedly recognize the items on this list, as they are classic symptoms of this curse:
Feelings of darkness, heaviness and persistent “blah”
Loss of interest in things I used to enjoy
Anxiety
Inability to focus or concentrate
Irritability
Sleep Problems
Loss of energy
Yep, I had it all, and it had me.
Sadly I relinquished a large chunk of my life to this illness—a chunk I can’t get back-- but one day I finally decided to fight back. I was taking medication at the time, and although it helped somewhat with the nagging symptoms, I knew I needed to take additional steps. I read everything I could get my hands on and began acting upon some of the solutions that had worked for other people. The advice I read seemed so simplistic, and to say I was skeptical at first would be an understatement. Regardless, I surged forward and I came up with a list of six simple steps that would ultimately change my life. Slowly and with significant effort, the darkness began to fade. The better I felt, the more progress I was able to make, and my world began to look a little brighter.
Below are the steps that helped me. Keep an open mind and give each one of them a try. I sincerely believe these simple steps can help you as well:
Six Steps Toward Feeling Better Now
1. Get Up!
• Even if you don’t feel like it or you have nowhere to go, get up, jump in the shower and get dressed. Believe me, that simple step will make a world of difference. Lying in bed all day will only make your depression worse.
2. Exercise.
• Dedicate 30 minutes a day to some form of aerobic exercise. Jog, walk or ride a bike. Exercise has been proven to perk up your mood, and help you sleep at night.
3. Get some sun.
• Many experts agree that spending time outside in the sunshine can help alleviate the symptoms of depression. Schedule some form of outdoor activity everyday: Take a walk, have a picnic or fly a kite. Any outdoor activity will help you beat the blues. Bonus: a little tan may improve your self-esteem.
4. Be positive.
• Depression makes it all too easy to take a negative view of your world, but these thoughts only worsen depression symptoms. Force yourself to spend some time considering all the positive things in your life. Plan a trip or take up a hobby. Give yourself something to look forward to and your life will take on a sense of momentum and hope.
5. Keep a journal.
• Writing is a great outlet for troubling thoughts, associated with depression. Keep track of your challenges and successes by putting them down on paper. Depression can make it difficult for you to concentrate and focus, so writing things down can be a helpful tool. After all, once it’s down on paper, you no longer have to remember it.
6. Talk about it.
• Depression can be very lonely. You convince yourself that nobody understands, and retreat into your own little world. This behavior is not only unhealthy for you, but can poison your relationships as well. Remember that your depression affects everybody close to you. Sharing your struggles (and your hope) with your family and friends is very therapeutic for everyone involved. Open, consistent communication will lead to healing and understanding.
Your life is too precious to have it imprisoned by depression. These steps worked for me, and I am willing to bet they’ll work for you as well, assuming you commit to them. It’s worth a try isn’t it? Implement each of these steps into your daily routines and you will feel better. What do you have to lose?
One day that changed—it had to—and I got my life back. I’ll explain that in a bit, but first let’s take a look at Depression and its uncanny ability to assault your life.
Depression is a very serious medical condition, but unfortunately for those who suffer its effects, it is very misunderstood. I lost count of all the people who, while trying to help, consistently urged me to “cheer up,” or “just relax.” Their support was well meant, but their ignorance of this disease left me feeling very frustrated. Believe me, I wanted to cheer up, but I just couldn’t. It’s similar to asking someone with COPD to just quit coughing: it’s just not going to happen.
Consequently, depression made me feel very lonely and hopeless. I thought there was nothing I could do and I felt paralyzed. Here’s what I was dealing with. You will undoubtedly recognize the items on this list, as they are classic symptoms of this curse:
Feelings of darkness, heaviness and persistent “blah”
Loss of interest in things I used to enjoy
Anxiety
Inability to focus or concentrate
Irritability
Sleep Problems
Loss of energy
Yep, I had it all, and it had me.
Sadly I relinquished a large chunk of my life to this illness—a chunk I can’t get back-- but one day I finally decided to fight back. I was taking medication at the time, and although it helped somewhat with the nagging symptoms, I knew I needed to take additional steps. I read everything I could get my hands on and began acting upon some of the solutions that had worked for other people. The advice I read seemed so simplistic, and to say I was skeptical at first would be an understatement. Regardless, I surged forward and I came up with a list of six simple steps that would ultimately change my life. Slowly and with significant effort, the darkness began to fade. The better I felt, the more progress I was able to make, and my world began to look a little brighter.
Below are the steps that helped me. Keep an open mind and give each one of them a try. I sincerely believe these simple steps can help you as well:
Six Steps Toward Feeling Better Now
1. Get Up!
• Even if you don’t feel like it or you have nowhere to go, get up, jump in the shower and get dressed. Believe me, that simple step will make a world of difference. Lying in bed all day will only make your depression worse.
2. Exercise.
• Dedicate 30 minutes a day to some form of aerobic exercise. Jog, walk or ride a bike. Exercise has been proven to perk up your mood, and help you sleep at night.
3. Get some sun.
• Many experts agree that spending time outside in the sunshine can help alleviate the symptoms of depression. Schedule some form of outdoor activity everyday: Take a walk, have a picnic or fly a kite. Any outdoor activity will help you beat the blues. Bonus: a little tan may improve your self-esteem.
4. Be positive.
• Depression makes it all too easy to take a negative view of your world, but these thoughts only worsen depression symptoms. Force yourself to spend some time considering all the positive things in your life. Plan a trip or take up a hobby. Give yourself something to look forward to and your life will take on a sense of momentum and hope.
5. Keep a journal.
• Writing is a great outlet for troubling thoughts, associated with depression. Keep track of your challenges and successes by putting them down on paper. Depression can make it difficult for you to concentrate and focus, so writing things down can be a helpful tool. After all, once it’s down on paper, you no longer have to remember it.
6. Talk about it.
• Depression can be very lonely. You convince yourself that nobody understands, and retreat into your own little world. This behavior is not only unhealthy for you, but can poison your relationships as well. Remember that your depression affects everybody close to you. Sharing your struggles (and your hope) with your family and friends is very therapeutic for everyone involved. Open, consistent communication will lead to healing and understanding.
Your life is too precious to have it imprisoned by depression. These steps worked for me, and I am willing to bet they’ll work for you as well, assuming you commit to them. It’s worth a try isn’t it? Implement each of these steps into your daily routines and you will feel better. What do you have to lose?
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