I’m depressed and anxious

You’re starting to worry that things will never get better. You cry sometimes… or all of the time. Sometimes, you even have panic attacks.

Maybe you’ve tried medications, but you don’t want to increase your dose or add another one. Or maybe you’re trying to avoid having to take medications just to get yourself to do adulting things. Like chores, going to the doctor or dentist, or getting more movement than walking from the couch to the refrigerator.

At first you try to distract yourself.

When that doesn’t work, you shut down or check out.

Eventually, you start to think that you just don’t want to exist anymore. It’s not that you want to die or be dead. It’s just that existing feels too hard and you just don’t want to do it.

You try to focus on the positives and be grateful for what you do have, but even that isn’t enough.

Why do I mix depression symptoms and symptoms of anxiety?

I find that my clients are rarely just depressed or just anxious. You may be more anxious or more depressed. But you probably have symptoms of both.

You might flip flop between the two. I find that they often feed off each other.

Talking to people sounds like too much work, so you just don’t do it (feeling depressed). Then you worry about ending up alone (symptom of anxiety).

You overthink everything (symptom of anxiety). This is super draining so then you have absolutely no motivation (feeling depressed).

The most commonly prescribed antidepressants and anxiety medicine actually help both anxiety and depression.

Depression Symptoms/ Clinical Depression

• Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, for no apparent reason.
• Not being as interested in things you used to do. Not getting as much pleasure out of the activities you used to enjoy.
• Gaining or losing a lot of weight. Being a lot hungrier or not hungry at all.
• Not sleeping or oversleeping.
• Being way more active or way less active.
• Being tired all the time or feeling like you have no energy.
• Feeling worthless. Feeling guilty.
• Not being able to concentrate. Struggling to make decisions.
• Thinking it would be easier if you were dead. Thinking about killing yourself. Planning how to kill yourself. Trying to kill yourself.

What are symptoms of anxiety?

There are many types of anxiety disorders: Phobias, Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, and OCD. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is the most common diagnosis for my clients:

• More days than not, you have excessive anxiety and worry, about several different things.
• It’s hard for you to stop worrying.
• Feeling restless, keyed up, or on edge.
• Easily tired.
• Mind goes blank or you have a hard time concentrating.
• Irritable.
• Muscles are tense.

Online therapy for anxiety in Colorado and online depression therapy in Colorado

Therapy for depression online is just as effective as in person counseling for depression. Online anxiety therapy is just as effective as in person anxiety therapy. CBT for anxiety and CBT for depression are the same online as in person. And we can adapt somatic therapy and sound therapy to online so they still help you feel less anxious or depressed.

Online counseling can be better than in person. Motivating yourself to go to an office can be tough when you’re depressed. There are fewer things to worry about when you don’t have to commute, see people in the waiting room, or potentially be exposed to germs. And you can be at home with your kids in case of an emergency.

As a depression therapist and anxiety therapist in Denver, CO, I get a peek into many households and into people’s innermost worlds. Through sharing what I’ve learned, you will start to realize you aren’t the only person who feels this way and you’ll get to learn ways of handling it that have worked for others.

“She held her vulnerability in her hand, like a repulsive beetle, refusing to look at it even as it scuttled about her palm.” –Liz Talley