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Am I stressed? or anxious? or depressed? Is there a difference?

Aerielle Max

Shiny_Rock
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Oct 12, 2017
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116
Hi folks,

I am starting this thread to ask if stress, anxiety or being depressed the same based on your actual experiences? Is emotional breakdown caused by which? How did you handle it?

I have been having a real tough situation way before this Covid19 pandemic happened - I resigned from work and started online freelancing. I am a single mom of a 12-year old boy. I am feeling so down, problematic, worried from all sorts - family, financial, work, household chores - almost everything. Sometimes I find myself daydreaming and overthinking because I am overwhelmed with so many things.

What to do? ;(
 

Made in London

Brilliant_Rock
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Sep 11, 2020
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727
Hi Aerielle, please go to your GP and tell him your symptoms.You don't deserve to suffer like this.I have been there & was preccribed Citalopram 30mg & I'm now a different woman. Please don't suffer another minute.........it can be treated successfully =)2
 

Snowdrop13

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Anxiety and depression are part of the same spectrum of symptoms. I have oscillated between them all of my adult life so I totally empathise with your current experience. Early in 2020, just before lockdown I felt the worst I ever had. Very anxious and agitated, unable to sleep, with awful physical symptoms (dry mouth, tachycardia, nausea). For the first time ever, I asked for help. My GP was great, made me take 4 weeks off work, plus SSRI, plus psychology input. I wouldn’t say I was a new woman but it all helped. Just handing over responsibility to someone else to tell me what to do was such a relief. I have learned to care for myself a bit better, let myself off with things, stop self blaming etc etc.

There‘s a good app, Calm, costs money but has meditation lessons, music and bedtime stories. It helped immensely too.

Good luck, things can and will get better! Hugs.
 

missy

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@Aerielle Max I am sorry you’re going through a tough time. You’re not alone if that gives you any comfort. Be extra kind to yourself at this time. This is a hard time. Try to find something each day you can do just for you that brings you joy. And yes I agree with @Made in London. Contact your healthcare professional. Don’t go it alone. Sending you comforting hugs and good wishes. (((Hugs))).
 

OdetteOdile

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Aug 8, 2019
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I'm sorry you are feeling this way Arielle Max. Being a single mom is an incredibly hard job, and the pandemic has made things even more challenging. I agree with all the suggestions above. Also, I want to add, try to get exercise every day. If you can eat healthy, get enough sleep, and exercise you might find some relief. However, I think contacting your doctor is very important.
 

MRBXXXFVVS1

Brilliant_Rock
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Dec 5, 2019
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I'm sorry that you are going through this! As others have mentioned, I would recommend contacting your doctor and/or talking to a therapist. I'm not an expert, but in the meantime, I've found that breathing/relaxation exercises, focusing on gratitude (your son, health, etc.), and talking walks outside can help. Maybe if you make a to do list and check things off like your chores, that will help relieve some stress. Focus on things that are really important, it's OK to let things go (chores) and be kind to yourself!
 

Snowdrop13

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Yes, forgot to mention deep breathing and exercise. Anything that has repetitive movement, even just walking, has been shown to help relax people. Things like knitting are similarly good. I found being driven around was surprisingly soothing for the same reason!
 

House Cat

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Feb 22, 2009
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Anxiety and depression tend to go hand in hand. They’re also treated by the same class of drugs...SSRI’s. Usually when you start an antidepressant, you will feel some of the pessimism fade first. Then, a little while later, you will find you are able to talk back to the anxious thinking and it actually has some sort of effect.

A lack of serotonin really wreaks havoc on the body and mind.

It is always best to see a psychiatrist if you are having issues with anxiety and depression to make sure that is indeed the issue. A proper diagnosis is extremely important. There are disorders that can masquerade as depression and anxiety. You want a doctor who specializes in the field to diagnose you. Also, if you do have some issue with your medication, the psychiatrist will know exactly how to treat you. Furthermore, a psychiatrist generally has someone available to you 24/7 in case you have issues with medication side effects or to help with any other issues you may be having.
 
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Begonia

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Feb 2, 2011
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3,212
Ok, first things first. Do you have access to a doctor? Do you need medical coverage for that where you live? Can you tell us some of the practicalities of your situation for medical coverage?

What are some of the things that help you? Do you have someone to confide in?
 

Tekate

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May 11, 2013
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I've had clinical depression, it feels like you are in a void, non existent and without feelings, happiness, sadness, it's just nothingness, it lead to a psychotic break for me.

Anxiety to me is just fear of what could happen or the fear of what will happen again (when I had the clinical depression episode for many years I feared another clinical depression, it's scary which created the anxiety I still live with I think)..

To me stress is having a load of things, thoughts, job, etc that one is barely controlling and either it gets better or we can go into a depression, clinical or just the usual eat ice cream, or whatever, and zen out it can then move on to clinical or we snap out of it because things get better or we just maintain.

I think stress can lead to depression and that anxiety for many is just the state some of us live in because we already have lived our lives in stress, it's had to de-stress, Zoloft helped me btw

Peace.
 

kenny

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While stress, anxiety, and depression are all very real, their definitions and categories were invented by and agreed to by humans.

Unfortunately for us today, that would be two groups of humans, experts and non-experts.
Often science and medicine will have definitions and categories that answer your question.
But unfortunately zillions of people have turned their backs on science and medicine.
They consider all that science stuff to be highfaultin so they make up and agree with their own definitions.

I'm a science and medicine guy so if I wanted to understand the difference between stress, anxiety and depression I'd make an appointment with an appropriate expert, a psychiatrist.
 
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AprilBaby

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Jul 17, 2008
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Nothing is wrong with needing help for depression. If you had a heart problem no one would think twice. I’ve been on SSRI for about 15 years and can’t function without it. We don’t always naturall.y make the chemicals the body needs. Check with your GP. You will be glad you did!
 
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