Introduction

Anxiety and depression are both prevalent mental health issues, but you don't have to manage these alone.

These can impact a person's thoughts, feelings, sleep, work, relationships and overall experience of life. Both anxiety and depression can happen together.

Knowing what you are going through can be an important step in accessing the right support.

Understanding Anxiety

Anxiety can also be the feeling of being worried, fearful, tense, or jumpy.

Occasional anxiety is normal. As a general rule of thumb, if your anxiety interferes with your daily life, you may have an anxiety disorder.

A person may experience:

Excessive worry

Restlessness

Difficulty concentrating

Sleep difficulties

Irritability

Physical tension

Avoidance

Understanding Depression

Depression is more than temporarily feeling sad.

Symptoms include depressed mood for most of the day, loss of interest in usual activities, low energy, hopelessness or worthlessness, inability to think clearly, sleep disturbance, change in appetite and disengagement from usual pursuits.

Symptoms vary between individuals.

Can Anxiety and Depression Occur Together?

Yes.

One may be very anxious or fearful, yet feel low, unmotivated, tired or disinterested.

Managing symptoms becomes especially challenging when daily tasks have multiple layers to them.

Professional evaluation may be helpful in this situation. Rather than labeling your experience as a way of identifying it on your own, a mental health professional can help you interpret symptoms and suggest support.

How Can Therapy Help?

Psychotherapy offers a safe and organized environment in which to look at your attitudes, feelings, actions, relationships, and life situations.

Therapy can assist with: Depending on what the person requires, therapy may assist.

Understanding emotional patterns

Identifying unhelpful thinking patterns

Developing coping strategies

Improving communication

Building healthier routines

Addressing relationship difficulties

Processing difficult experiences

Developing practical goals

Psychotherapy is one of the known treatments of depression and it can be offered in person or virtually.

Therapy Is Not About "Thinking Positive"

If someone has anxiety or depression, "thinking positive" can trivialize the reality of their situation.

Therapy is different.

It is about understanding the person's experience and being worked with towards change that is valuable to them.

The purpose is not to avoid difficult feelings. The purpose is to to learn to respond to them differently.

When Should You Seek Professional Support?

Consider speaking with a psychologist if symptoms:

Continue for an extended period

Interfere with work or studies

Affect relationships

Disrupt sleep

Reduce your interest in activities

Make daily responsibilities difficult

Cause significant emotional distress

Don't keep suicidal or self-harming thoughts to yourself- try to get urgent and professional help instead of just an article.

What Can You Expect From Therapy?

The process varies depending on the person.

Our first session may involve discussions around your reasons for therapy, current difficulties, your history and aims.

From there, your psychologist will be able to explore potential treatment goals and methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the relationship between anxiety and depression?

To treat both depression and anxiety: your therapist will need to consider your presenting symptoms and the unique circumstances of your life in order to tailor the appropriate treatment.

Do I need medication?

The use of medicine should be discussed with a suitably qualified medical professional like a psychiatrist or doctor. Some people get the best relief from some therapy, from medication, or from the combination of both.

Can online therapy help?

Psychotherapy may be provided via Telehealth if appropriate for the client and situation. Your psychologist can talk to you about whether online therapy may be appropriate.

Take the First Step

When you suffer anxiety or depression you might believe it will never change.

Seeking help doesn't mean you have to have all the answers.

Discussing your situation with a licensed clinical psychologist will give you a better awareness of what is going on and possible ways forward.

Ambreen Rashid Khan provides individual therapy and online psychotherapy sessions based on each person.