When you suffer from both anxiety and depression, it can often feel like you are in a no-win situation. Because both of these mental health conditions can cause you to feel isolated and feel a need to hide away or isolate yourself, it can seem like you are locked in a cycle that treatment of either of the disorders cannot and will not help. However, what you may not know is that there are many other people who feel the exact same way that you do as they too are suffering from both anxiety and depression. And even further, there are treatment options available that can help you overcome both depression and anxiety at the same time. Get to know some of these options and start feeling more like yourself as soon as possible.

See A Therapist On A Regular Basis

Some people think that if they go to a therapist once or twice and receive a diagnosis for the mental health condition that is ailing them (in your case depression and anxiety), that this is the biggest benefit they can get out of those sessions. However, this is not the case.

Going to counseling or therapy can help you with your depression and anxiety in a myriad of ways. First and foremost, it will give you a judgement-free open forum to talk about your thoughts, fears, and feelings with someone who will actively listen to you and who will ask you pertinent questions. Sometimes, simply being heard and being able to express what you are feeling will help to relieve those negative thoughts and feelings.

Therapy sessions at a clinic like Commonweath Affiliates PC will also help you to develop coping mechanisms to use at home, work, and everywhere else in your life to combat your depression and anxiety. These coping strategies will be individualized to your needs but can include meditative breathing, an exercise or sleep program or schedule, journaling, and painting or drawing. You and your therapist will develop these coping strategies and then regularly discuss whether they are working for you and make adjustments as time goes on.

Take Prescription Medications

When you have both anxiety and depression, part of the difficulty in overcoming the disorders is the effect they have on the chemistry of your brain. Both of these mental health disorders alter your brain activity and can stifle the production and release of hormones and chemicals in the body that cause feelings of happiness, relaxation, and overall well-being.

To help restore the balance in your brain chemistry, you may need to take antidepressants or other medications that are prescribed by your physician or a psychiatrist. These medications specifically target the functions in the brain that may be blocked or under-active and will work to restore balance. This balance will in turn improve your overall mood and can help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety. 

Consider a Therapy Dog

Another way that you can start to overcome your anxiety and depression is to get yourself a service dog or therapy dog. Many people associate service dogs with helping people who are blind or otherwise physically impaired. However, service dogs are also a great treatment for mental health issues and some therapists and psychiatrists do recommend them in addition to other treatments. 

Service dogs can be trained to assist you in numerous ways. Their main benefit, though, is simply being there and providing you with the comfort of knowing that someone is always looking out for you. Owning a dog lowers rates of depression and also reduces stress for many people suffering from depression and anxiety. These service dogs are attuned to your needs and feelings and can sense when you are about to have a panic attack or are in an anxious or depressed mood.

They can be trained to bring you your phone in case of a panic attack or emergency and can also provide what is known as deep pressure therapy by laying their head or body on your chest when you begin to feel anxious. Of course, a service dog will also help you to feel less isolated by making you get out of the house on a regular basis so they can relieve themselves and go on walks for exercise.

Now that you know a few of the ways that you can treat your anxiety and depression, you can get started on the right track and begin feeling more like yourself as soon as possible.