Anxiety/Depression by Stephanie Carrera

In the month of April of this year, I started to have frequent panic attack that later tuned into anxiety  attacks, and mild depression. For over six months now, I can say that I am one of many of thousands or even millions of people who are unfortunately have suffer from an anxiety disorder or depression. I can say that I am doing okay with my anxiety right now in life but it is still a processes to achieve a full recovery. This blog is to show awareness to those who are and have gone through anxiety and depression and to let you know that you are never alone. Here are some things to know, there's a 6.9 percent of the population, according to the World Health Organization that suffer from depression, that is 350 million people worldwide. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year. Now you may be wondering what causes anxiety disorder and depression? Anxiety disorders are triggered by trauma, health illness, over exhaustion, and etc everyone has a specific trigger for what causes an anxiety attack. When it comes to anxiety there is different types:

·      Generalized Anxiety Disorder is constant worrying and fear for your life , this is the one i suffered from. It is an anxiety disorder characterized by chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry and tension, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it.

·      Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors such as hand washing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these so-called "rituals," however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety.

·      Panic Disorder - also known as Panic Attacks is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms that may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or abdominal distress.

·      Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - also known as PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.

·      Social Phobia (or Social Anxiety Disorder)- Social Phobia, or Social Anxiety Disorder, is an anxiety disorder characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. Social phobia can be limited to only one type of situation - such as a fear of speaking in formal or informal situations, or eating or drinking in front of others - or, in its most severe form, may be so broad that a person experiences symptoms almost anytime they are around other people.

Depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. It is treatable with medication or therapy. Depression causes feeling of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home. My blog was meant to inform those who are going through depression or anxiety or someone you may know to be aware of the signs and to be someone to help with people who suffer from mental illness. There is also different types of depression here are a few:

·      Chronic depression or dysthymia -is a milder form of depression that affects millions. Dysthymia, sometimes referred to as mild, chronic depression, is less severe and has fewer symptoms than major depression. With dysthymia, the depression symptoms can linger for a long period of time, often two years or longer

·      Atypical Depression - Many people with depression don't have the typical symptoms. Learn about the causes and treatment of atypical depression, with symptoms that include weight gain, sleeping too much, and feeling anxious.

·      Postpartum depression- is increasingly common. depression suffered by a mother following childbirth, typically arising from the combination of hormonal changes, psychological adjustment to motherhood, and fatigue.

·      Bipolar Depression- Learn all about the mood swings of bipolar depression (manic depression) from the elated highs of mania to the major depression lows.

Symptoms of Depression

• Trouble concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
• Fatigue
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness
• Pessimism and hopelessness
• Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or sleeping too much
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Loss of interest in things once pleasurable, including sex
• Overeating, or appetite loss
• Aches, pains, headaches, or cramps that won't go away
• Digestive problems that don't get better, even with treatment
• Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
• Suicidal thoughts or attempts

Symptoms of Anxiety

·       Feeling nervous, restless or tense

·       Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom

·       Having an increased heart rate

·       Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)

·       Sweating

·       Trembling

·       Feeling weak or tired

·       Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry

·       Having trouble sleeping

·       Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems

·       Having difficulty controlling worry

·       Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety


                Help, Resources, Hotlines 

If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety please seek the nearest medical help you have. For those who do not have medical there is plenty of free numbers, website, and therpist and groups that are free or low cost to help.

 You can always call the hotline or check out these website for additional information:
       https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
       https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/depression-hotline/
       http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=urgent_crisis_hotline
For local therapy check out:
            CG Jung Institute for licensed therapist
            Hollywood Sunset Free clinic 
            Valley community counseling Clinic in North Hollywood 
            NAMI- National Mental Health Institute in Glendale. 



You matter. Your life is worth living. You are strong.

The best advice I can give to who ever is struggling with Anxiety/Depression, is to never give up even when the storm seems to get worse. You have to overcome all the bad to achieve the good and as cliché as that may sound it is true. Don't let those who don't understand your struggle define you. Life is full of lessons we need to learn and sometimes we are unfortunate with tough ones but try to remain humble. patience and kind to yourself. You are worthy to live with happiness and hope for a lifetime. And having patience  is the key with your recovery, everyone needs more or less time to better cope with things. But most of all be happy with yourself and don't blame yourself for this. 

Carmen, 17.

Having depression is a feeling of isolation and discomfort. It’s very difficult. It’s a feeling of loneliness. I constantly put myself down. It felt like i was losing my true self, i was forgetting the person i was. I felt like i kept continuously doing something wrong and was never good enough. I never knew how to feel most of the time. i cared too much or didn’t care at all. Having not only depression but anxiety, just feels physically and emotionally draining. i was always confused and just trying to figure out who i am, or who i was once, and what i want in life. it is definitely an empty feeling. I distanced myself from those who i loved most. i was constantly thinking negatively and feeling hopeless. i felt like nobody understood me. i felt numb to my surroundings. it was hard to socialize with people and i even lost the desire to reach out to those important to me. i couldn’t open up to peel and express what i was feeling. Overall i was emotionally exhausted and lost as a person. Depression affects the mind and body and you lose all self-awareness, but the truth  is your not alone. you can overcome it. These despairing and painful emotions don’t define you nor me.

S                                                                           Sannet, 38.

S     Since an early age i could remember being depressed but it was something i hid from all my loved one’s. I came from a very traditional family and environment so this made it difficult to tell my family and friends i was depressed. I felt as if i tried to explain myself i wouldn’t be heard or understood because it was not common to have depression in my family. As the years progressed my depression only got worse and keeping it to myself only made me realize i need help. I ended up going to many different doctor’s that further told me i was depressed. In that moment it clicked that this is real, this is happening.I tried for many years to deny why i was depressed but i finally came to open up what led me here and why is manifest this long. My Depression did not only affect me mentally but also physically. Depression can affect everything in your life from my marriage to my friendships and family. I never really opened up and this would cause me to shut the one’s i love the most out of my life. When i finally opened up to the one’s i love about my depression i had many family and friends who were unsupportive and tried to compare my  situation to people who they knew. this only made me feel even sadder, i think one thing i would like to inform people is that never compare situation, everyone has different times of depression for however long. And not everyone’s treatment plan would work on just anybody. Eventually i met my husband who was very supportive and understanding but most of all loving. I am a happy mother of two with a great husband and sometimes i do have my moments of doubt and depression but i know i have a great support team now.