a few days ago, i made a video about what stress, depression, and anxiety are; what they look like and how they're different.
to review, stress happens to everyone. there's good stress and bad stress. good stress could be something like exercise. bad stress could be work-related, relationship issues. stress produces both adrenaline and cortisol in the body. Too much stress can cause health risks, such as, anxiety, depressions, sleep problems, heart disease, weight gain, etc. stress can be managed and should be kept at a minimum. this is when self care becomes so important.
anxiety is persistent nervousness and worry. this is one that i struggle with most often. occasional anxiety is normal, it becomes an issue when it interferes with normal functioning. dealing with anxiety can be difficult at times. for me, and also sometimes for my clients, there are small steps to take to help keep anxiety from taking over your day. one, keeping a planner/to do lists handy allows me to keep control over what i can. what's on my list in front of me is what i can control. also, i know the people in my life that i can go to and talk about things. they support me, because what i'm anxious about can sound really ridiculous. i also have a therapist. now, i don't see him as much, but i don't really need to. we have worked on a lot of ways to deal, and minimized a lot of the irrational worries i had. medication could have worked, if i wanted to take them. medication is a personal decision. i didn't want to take them, i told my therapist that, and a psychiatrist i saw. i wasn't pressured, which is good.
depression, can be really unpredictable. this is persistent sadness that interferes with your daily life. a lot of the depression i experience is situational, but it's a beast when it happens, as it is for many people i know. other than the obvious recommendation of finding a therapist, identify people in your life that are natural supports for you. they may not be obvious people, but someone for you to reach out to when depression strikes. also, keep your daily goals to a minimum. make it simple, and get yourself through the day. or days.
for all three of these, i recommend exercise. this can be a simple walk around your neighborhood, or yoga, or lifting, or swimming, whatever gets your body moving. you'll be amazed how moving that energy around and expelling it in some way really changes how you feel. exercise isn't an ultimate cure, but it will put you in a better place. your body holds on to a lot of things, moving it releases hormones, toxins, and all sorts of sciency things. (yes, sciency...)
above all, if something is too much for you to handle..tell someone. the world needs you here tomorrow.