Blog – Health Purified

Is it Anxiety or depression?

How do you differentiate? Ever been with someone, who you don’t know much? maybe a cute guy at the bar? or your very nice co-worker? or a close friend who you do not speak to anymore, because they just seem to have vanished? But there is something about them you do not seem to understand?

Do they feel excessive uncontrollable, and irrational worry about everyday thing? And may or may not be disproportionate to actual source of worry? Does it effect their activities of daily living? Do they anticipate disaster and are overly concerned about everyday matters? If yes, they just may be characterized under generalized anxiety disorder.

Now a subsection of Anxiety is can be identified as panic attacks.Often those afflicted will experience significant anticipatory anxiety and limited symptom attacks in between attacks, in situations where attacks have previously occurred, and in situations where they feel “trapped”. That is, where escape would be obvious and/or embarrassing.

How to identify panic Attacks?

Trembling
Dyspnea
Heart palpitation
Chest pain or chest tightness
Derealization
Hot flashes, cold flashes, burning sensation
Hyperventilation

It is important to differentiate and understand that panic attacks are not caused by substance abuse, a medical condition or another mental health condition.

Whereas, depression is an illness that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Leading to various emotional and physical problems. Depression is a chronic illness that usually requires long – term treatment.

HelpGuide talks about “Anxiety disorders and anxiety attacks”, and that some level of anxiety is actually good for us. “Anxiety is a normal reaction to danger, the body’s automatic fight – or – flight response that is triggered when you feel threatened, under pressure, or are facing a challenging situation, such as a job interview, exam, or first date.”

Then how does a common central nervous system response go to being so severe that a person has no control over. Causing feelings like pounding heart, sweating, dizziness, frequent urination or diarrhea, shortness of breath and insomnia. Maybe we let this happen over and over again that our body is used to it, and feels as if this is the normal response.

Can we control anxiety? knowing you or your loved one has anxiety? What do you do to help them or help yourself control it better?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9wyNZ6ETTU

In order to control Anxiety, the following are crucial:

Diaphragmatic breathing
Meditation before bed (view below)
Daily Exercise
Sufficient sleep
Count 10 backwards to 1 slowly
Limit/ Avoid alcohol and caffeine

20 Minute meditation before bed

Before you go, view the video’s below and make a difference in yours and your loved ones lives.

Stay safe, Live Happy, Cherish Every Moment

Overcoming Anxiety – story of Jonas Kolker

When does it actually start? At birth.. childhood.. teenage years or adulthood? living in a broken family? not the smartest kid in the family? or being told the same thing over and over again when you didn’t like it but just couldn’t say it?

Clinical depression is currently the leading cause of disabilities in North America, and is expected to become the second leading cause of disability worldwide (after heart disease) by the year 2020, according to World Health Organization.

Clinical Manifestations:

Feelings of sadness or unhappiness
Irritability or frustration
Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities
Reduce sex drive
Insomnia or excessive sleeping
Changes in eating habits
Agitation or restlessness
Fatigue, tiredness and loss of energy

But is this all there is? NO. People with depression interact with the world differently. The reality is that these symptoms have significant impact on their daily lives anything from running errands to surfing social media to even aiming for a peaceful sleep every night.

How can we control these emotions? Can we tell someone? No. What if they judge us? but what if they don’t? How about going for a psychological counselling? They will listen to all your emotions, feelings, sorrows. Or talk to someone you can trust with all your secrets, if not human talk to your pet. Just let it out, don’t let it hold you back. You have the power to fight these emotions, they don’t hold you down.

Why should we bury our feeling inside of us with the help of a pill? Is that legible? You choose. The research done by the University of Chicago called “Study finds Anti- Anxiety drug limits rats empathetic behavior”. The group of rats who were not given the anti- depressant drugs were more likely to help and free trapped companion rather than the group who were given drugs. “The rats help each other because they care,” said Peggy Mason, professor of neurobiology. “Helping others could be your new drug. Go help some people and you’ll feel really good,” Mason said. “I think that’s a mammalian trait that has developed through evolution. Helping another is good for the species.”

Anti-anxiety medication limits empathetic behavior in rats