What does being depressed and anxious feel like?


What does it feel like when I’m depressed?
Depression is not just feeling a little sad. I don’t want to get out of bed, just curl up and sleep. I don’t want to talk to anyone. All the humour is drained from my body.  I feel there is no hope and life seems pointless. I want to cry. I am filled with negative irrational thoughts and feel exhausted.
What does it feel like to suffer from anxiety?
My skin burns and I feel sick. My head spins and I feel dizzy. I can’t think straight, I am agitated and can’t keep still. My mouth is dry and I have to speak slowly to avoid showing my anxiety. My lips and face tighten and the muscles in my neck and side of my head stiffen and this brings on headaches.
What does it feel like when I’m depressed and anxious?
I just have to be on my own and cry. I feel like screaming and am bombarded by terrible, negative thoughts. I just want it to stop and feel I can’t bear it for another minute. I just want it all to end and I need to escape from the house and be on my own.
I can understand why some people end their lives and don’t condemn them for that. For many, it is the inevitable solution to ending years of pain but we must admire the courage of those who go on living, despite all the setbacks. Having understanding loved ones, being able to talk and write openly, confiding in friends and having professional help are all prerequisites for my survival. Each person must find their own solutions, but above all find the determination and bravery to fight this desperate illness. There are many people struggling with mental illness who deserve to be admired because every day they get out of bed and face a world of uncertainty and shadows.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaac's Birthday

 It is that time of year again. Dark and short days and cold weather keeping us indoors. We can look forward to Christmas and for some, there is pleasure in the anticipation of family celebrations and the reaching of the shortest day with a promise of spring to come. But Christmas can be hard for many people. Those who are struggling to keep warm, those on the streets, and those who are dealing with illness and loss. There will be people on their own and people who are struggling with depression who can see little joy in the world around them. For me and those I love, Christmas is a time for celebrating but also remembering. Christmas and birthdays were Isaac’s great love and now he has been taken from us it is easy to believe that those wonderful days are somehow tarnished. His excitement was infectious, and we all bathed in his childlike delight. It’s almost two years since we lost Isaac and today would have been his 25 th birthday. I miss him so much and feel very down this morning
Read more

Decorating

 Just when I think I’m getting a grip on my mental health, I find circumstances change and I’m plunged into a mental crisis. It started with an innocuous agreement that we needed a new couch. That didn’t seem too bad, but it didn’t end there. We have now bought a new couch to be delivered on the 30 th of November, a new carpet to be delivered on the 15 th of November, and a new chair, to be delivered on the 27 th of November. We had the old fireplace removed, the chimney breast replastered, and a new fire surround fitted in October. My wife has painted all the walls in the long sitting room/diner and my role included the removal of the carpets and underlay and taking them to the recycling centre. Also, all the books and small furniture had to be carried upstairs and now fill the landing and spare room.  I thought that if we brought in professional help and did not try to do everything ourselves, I would cope much better, but I found myself in a very anxious state this morning. Tryin
Read more

AMC the patchwork quilt

 Andy’s Man Club is like a patchwork quilt. It is made up of lots of different bits that come together to make something positive and functional. Last night I talked to people suffering from grief, family problems, physical ill health, and deep emotional trauma. Some had little to say, and some spoke at length. Most men in the group were gentle types who might not speak out in other situations. Some are content that their comments, brief as they are, are taken seriously and advice given. Often advice is redundant since they just need to say out loud how they are feeling. Those of us who are in long-term therapy can talk endlessly about the small steps we are taking to recover from childhood trauma. It is fascinating to listen to each contribution and to know we are making a difference. It is always good to meet new members but also to rotate people in the groups so that we all get to know each other. Not everyone moves groups because the lead Facilitator understands that some people ne
Read more