Low Self Esteem
Less confidence to react
Instincts
Sense danger and put body into state of alert
Reducing anxiety and depression
There are 3 main steps to reducing anxiety and depression
Step 1 – Realisation.
The first step is to realise you are suffering from anxiety and depression.
Step 2 – Understanding.
The second is to understand why.
Step 3 – Taking Action.
Take steps to reduce the anxious feelings and depressed state.
Below we go over each step in detail below.
Step 1 - Realisation of Symtpoms
It is a hard thing to admit to yourself, and others, that you are suffering from Anxiety and Depression.
Anxiety and depression comes with a lot of stigmas. It can be hard to admit to oneself that you are currently that type of person, but it must be done.
Now is the time to own your situation. This is where you are at and that is ok. Admit it to yourself and your friends. You will be surprised at how many others have or are also suffering.
By admitting it you are taking control of the situation. This will have rewards in itself and is the first step to reduction and recovery.
Step 2 – Understanding
After realising you are suffering from Anxiety and/or depression the next thing to do is understand why. What are the reasons causing this.
The second category is when suffering from anxiety and depression but the causes are not clear.
This can be very hard. Many people report that they are happy with their lives and have no idea why these strong negative feelings are happening.
Lets start with the cases where the causes are more obvious.
These may be:-
You are going through some difficult times that are dragging on.
Causes of the symptoms could be relationship separations, illness, death of people close to you, difficulties at work etc.
Connecting the causes to the effects can ease the symptoms.
The second category is when suffering from anxiety and depression but the causes are not clear.
Causes can go right back to childhood. Low self esteem is often a contributing factor. This can leads to a lowered ability to express oneself or take the appropriate actions. Allowing yourself to stay in the circumstances your instincts see are bad for you.
Read more about unclear causes of depression here.
Step 3 – Taking Action
Once you realise that you are suffering from Anxiety or Depression.
You have discovered the causes or source of the problem then you can take action.
Instinctive drives are there to protect us. When they perceive we are in danger, both physical and mental, they ready us for action. This is termed as the fight or flight response. Such direct responses are often not appropriate in modern society.
For example the boss is a bully. You cannot fight or run away. Fighting ends in breaking the law. Running away ends in no pay. We need to think about this calmly. Plan the best strategy and carry that through.