Working In Recovery Everyday
Sadness is a normal human emotion, that is also called a feeling that everyone experiences at some point in their lives. However, it looks different for every person. Such as some people experience unexplained stomach pains, headaches, not being able to sleep, sleeping too much, trouble concentration, appetite changes, difficulty making decisions or other health problems with no known cause.
The level of depression one person can handle is their experience and it usually runs in families. Depression can be triggered by a devastating life event or an unexpected life situation, which is sometimes called a traumatic experience.
Some women tend to suffer higher rates of depression after giving birth and/or men and women in the late fall with less day light and colder weather experience feelings of prolonged sadness.
Feeling anxious or nervous is another human emotion/feeling that we all experience but when it becomes a feeling that you are experiencing every day and finding it difficult to control excessive worry, racing thoughts, overthinking, racing heartbeat, sweaty palms, constantly shaking your legs or tapping your feet, when in new or uncomfortable places, social setting or when meeting deadlines.
Some people abuse alcohol and drugs as a method of coping, causing them to develop other medical problems. People who constantly experience depression and/or anxiety without seeking the help of a professional are at an increased risk of self-harm, increasing symptoms leading to relationship and/or career issues.
Depression is a mental illness, that can be mild, moderate or severe, and it is characterized by prolonged emotional symptoms including, but not limited to:
- Apathy
- Sadness
- Guilt
- Exhaustion
- Irritability
Diagnosing depression and anxiety involves a psychiatric evaluation and physical tests to determine whether a person’s symptoms are actually being caused by a different disorder. A person must have been experiencing symptoms for at least two weeks to be diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety. Every case is unique and requires individual attention, but there are a number of effective complementary ways of treating depression and anxiety, such as:
- Talk therapy aka psychotherapy, or counseling.
- Medication management
- Adopting a healthier lifestyle such as exercising, or journaling.