Anxiety Disorders

There are many other types of mental health illnesses besides the types of depression. Often, a person who suffers from one mental health illness may have an increased chance of suffering from another one as well, so I thought it might be helpful to give a breakdown of some of the other common mental health illnesses that affect people in our society.

In this post, I’ll give a breakdown of the different types of anxiety disorders.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

People with GAD worry excessively and continuously and in cases where there is no need to worry. They worry about everyday things and so it causes a disruption to their daily functioning. These people usually expect the worst in most situations, even when there is no reason for concern. This persists for at least six months.

Social Anxiety Disorder

People who suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder have a fear of being negatively judged by others in a social setting. Some people are afraid of being humiliated, some suffer from stage fright and some have a fear of intimacy and so find it hard to carry on relationships or friendships or dealing with the public. Because of this fear, these people tend to isolate themselves so they can avoid dealing with other people and public situations which they find extremely uncomfortable.

Phobias

A phobia isn’t simply being afraid of something; it is having an irrational fear of and thus avoiding a certain object or situation. This avoidance causes a disruption to the person’s daily life because the phobia may keep the person from doing things that are necessary to do. Some common phobias are: heights, going to the dentist, elevators, flying and insects.

Panic Attacks

Panic attacks occur suddenly, out-of-the-blue. Since they come and go at random, a person who suffers from panic attacks often lives in fear of when the next one is going to occur. These attacks are characterized by intense apprehension that causes a person to experience a tight chest and difficulty breathing, hyperventilating, crying, dizziness, nausea, shaking and confusion.

Agoraphobia

People dealing with agoraphobia have a fear of not being able to get help or escape a situation if they start feeling anxious or have a panic attack. This causes some people suffering from this illness to stay at home and avoid public places so they don’t have to risk getting themselves into that type of situation.


Keep in mind that everyone deals with some level of anxiety at one time or another, so the purpose of recovery should be to learn how to manage your anxiety, not eliminate it all together. There are many different treatment options for anxiety, so speak with your doctor to figure out what works best for you. 

Symptoms of Depression

In most of my other posts I have listed many of the symptoms of depression, what symptoms go with what type of depression, and how long these symptoms must be present for. However, for ease of reference, I decided to make a post listing all of the symptoms of depression in one place.

When I was reading up on depression I actually came across this article from the Public Health Agency of Canada that I thought summed up the different symptoms very well. The following list is copied from their website.

“Each person is different and will have unique symptoms, but here are some of the more common symptoms of depression:

• feelings of sadness and loss
• feelings of guilt and worthlessness
• feelings of extreme impatience, irritability, or a short temper
• loss of interest or pleasure in usually-enjoyed activities
• changes in weight or appetite
• changes in sleeping patterns like insomnia
• reduced ability to think clearly or make decisions
• difficulties in concentrating or with short term memory loss
• constantly feeling tired
• noticeable lack of motivation
• anxiety and restlessness, sometimes leading to panic attacks
• muscle and joint pain
• constipation or other intestinal problems
• frequent headaches
• lack of interest in sex
• recurring thoughts of suicide or self-harm
• withdrawal from friends and family.”

These symptoms aren’t to be taken lightly. If you find you are dealing with at least five of these symptoms and they have lasted for at least two weeks, please make an appointment with your doctor to discuss what you’re going through. Ultimately, the choice of treatment is up to you, but your doctor is your first point of contact for discussing your options and figuring out the right path for you to take. 

Types of Depression

There are three main types of depression: Major Depression, Dysthymic Disorder and Bipolar Disorder. Two other types of depression to be aware of are Seasonal Affective Disorder and Postpartum Depression. People may also suffer depressive states due to certain medical conditions or the use of drugs and alcohol.

Major Depression

In order to be diagnosed with major depression, a person must have at least five of the following symptoms and they must be severe enough to cause a disruption to the person’s daily functioning. These symptoms must be present for a minimum to two weeks.

The symptoms include: a depressed mood, fatigue or loss of energy, lack of appetite, gaining or losing a significant amount of weight, a loss of interest in most activities, feeling worthless, feeling guilty, a decreased sex drive, sleep disturbance and an inability to concentrate / indecisiveness. Thoughts of suicide are also a common symptom.  

Some people may only experience one episode of major depression in their lifetime. However, experiencing depression once does increase a person’s risk of relapse.

Dysthymic Disorder

If someone has dysthymic disorder the symptoms will still cause them to experience an interference with their daily life, however not to the same degree as those suffering from major depression. To be diagnosed with dysthymic disorder, symptoms must be present for a majority of days over a minimum two year time period.

The symptoms are generally the same as major depression however they’re not quite as severe. The person may still be able to function but they go through life constantly feeling down, hopeless, having low self-esteem and a lack of interest in activities. A person dealing with dysthymic disorder does have an increased risk of developing major depression.

Bipolar Disorder

People who suffer from bipolar disorder switch between states of depression and mania. When in the depressive state, the symptoms are the same as those experienced by other types of depression. When in a manic state, the person has a greater self-esteem, feelings of grandiosity, they act without thinking and indulge in excessive risky behaviours and they have a reduced need for sleep due to being so hyperactive and having lots of thoughts and ideas constantly racing through their head.

People suffering from this illness aren’t always depressed or manic, often they experience periods of wellness in between their episodes, however this does vary from person to person. Normally people are in a manic state or depressive state for a while, although it isn’t unheard of for people to go through rapidly changing states. The frequency of any one state also varies between people – some may experience more depressed states, some more manic, and some may even live a life categorised mostly by states of wellness but do occasionally experience a manic or depressive episode. This illness is certainly hard for the friends and family members of the person dealing with the disorder because they never know which version of the person they’re going to be dealing with. It’s also extremely difficult for the person suffering because one minute they feel really good and the next minute they feel really down, which can be very confusing and overwhelming.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

SAD is a type of depression that people experience when faced with diminished sun and the constant grey of the winter months. It is not to be confused with the “winter blues”. Most people experience the winter blues as the cold, dark days drag on and people just get tired of it. However, people dealing with SAD aren’t just fed up with winter, they tend to withdraw and miss work, school, social activities, etc. because of the symptoms of depression.

Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is a type of depression that can result from pregnancy or child birth. It can occur any time within the first year of child birth and affects mothers, fathers and parents who adopt (although most commonly mothers). Symptoms of postpartum depression include the symptoms described for major depression as well as having no interest in the baby, wanting to hurt the baby or themselves, and feeling like they are a bad parent.

Depression vs. Sadness

As I mentioned in my last post, there seems to be a misunderstanding within our culture as to the difference between being sad and being depressed, and this misunderstanding creates a disconnect between those suffering from depression and the people they interact with on a daily basis (family members, friends, employers, teachers, etc). This disconnect is troublesome because it can create more stress for the depressed person since they find themselves constantly having to explain to people that what they’re feeling is not just sadness, it’s not something they can just snap out of. And if people don’t understand this it can have a negative impact on the depressed person, for example by ruining relationships or resulting in job loss and this just reinforces the person’s depression, digging them even deeper into their hole.

Depression is NOT sadness.

Unfortunately, when people feel really sad, they often say they feel depressed and this makes it confusing to differentiate between the two. Sadness is a temporary state of mind; a temporary mood. You may feel sad for a period of time, but the feeling eventually passes and you forget about it or it isn’t strong enough to affect your daily routine. Sadness is an emotional state. When you’re sad, for instance, if you’re experiencing the death of a loved one, you may cry a lot and feel grief, you may spend more time in bed, you may take a break from your normal rituals and just allow yourself to mourn for a few days, but even then, you can still function as a human being, it may be uncomfortable to go to work or cook your meals or socialize with others, but you have the ability to do so, you can still bring yourself to do these things if you have to.

Depression differs from sadness in that depression produces physical symptoms. People dealing with depression may experience heavy shoulders and other body aches and pains, they feel extremely fatigued, they have a loss of appetite, a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, an inability to sleep or excessive sleeping or they may have a hard time concentrating no matter how hard they try. They have an extremely difficult time dealing with the minute details of daily life. It’s almost like having a cold or the flu but the symptoms never go away. And since these symptoms are constantly present, the person feels worse day after day. The depression prevents them from being themselves. Everything they used to take for granted now becomes a chore. The littlest of activities, such as showering or walking to get the mail become stressful and overwhelming and can cause a panic attack or mental breakdown in the depressed person because they are so frustrated that they can no longer perform these simple tasks. Depression is just a vicious cycle. People experience the physical symptoms and since they never let up the person starts to feel worse because they get frustrated with the way they’re feeling or they feel like a failure because they can’t function as they feel they should be able to. This causes them to just avoid socializing or going to work or participating in activities altogether because they’re so tired from the lack of sleep that they have no energy to do things or it’s easier for them to just not do them than it is for them to try and not succeed, thus reinforcing the feeling of failure.

It is important to recognize the difference between depression and sadness so people can understand that the depressed person is not just lazy, that it’s not their fault that they can’t do certain things that come so naturally to other people. Without this understanding, people may make comments such as “it’s not that hard, you can do it, you just have to try harder” or “you’d feel better if you just got up and did things”. Although the intentions behind these types of comments may be harmless, they only serve to reinforce the depression by making the depressed person feel inadequate or guilty that they’re not able to do things or cause them to give up trying because they’re told they should be able to control the symptoms but no matter what they do they can’t reduce the feelings of depression.

Depression is a medical condition. People may not feel like they can control the symptoms associated with depression, but with the support from people who understand and with a willingness to make changes in their lifestyle, the person does have the ability to make an impact on their way of life by reducing or eliminating symptoms and finding routines and solutions that work for them. Each approach is individual, you just have to go through the process of trial and error until you find what works best for you. 

What is Depression?

Unfortunately, depression is something that is often misunderstood. I, myself, never really understood depression until I encountered it firsthand and I think that’s part of the problem. Most members of society are ignorant to the true meaning of depression, so unless you’ve been there, and experienced the depths of depression yourself, it’s impossible to fathom what it really is. I think this problem stems from the fact that society has come to misuse the term ‘depression’. You’ve probably heard people say “I feel depressed today”, maybe you’ve even said that yourself to describe your mood, however there’s a huge difference between an actual illness and just a temporary mood. It’s like using the same word to describe apples and oranges – it’s confusing, and can easily create a whole host of misunderstandings.

If people attribute their mood to ‘feeling depressed’, they may believe that they understand what it feels like to be clinically depressed. But they don’t. I’m not saying people don’t try to understand, many do, I’m just saying that no matter how hard one tries, there still exists a boundary that prevents many people from seeing the entire picture. I think that’s what makes it so hard for those of us suffering from depression to get the help we need. Obviously doctors and counsellors are trained to know the difference between a temporary mood and a clinical state, but if the people treating us haven’t felt the effects of clinical depression themselves, they can only guess at what might make us feel better. Sometimes the treatments they prescribe work and sometimes they don’t. I know for myself, I find it hard to trust the advice of someone who doesn’t exactly ‘get me’ and so I’ve taken it upon myself to be my own cure. What works for me may not work for you, after all we’re two totally different people, but I want to try and help you because unlike someone who has never experienced depression, I deeply and truly understand. I’ve been there before, and I’m currently there now; suffering but determined to overcome.

Those of you dealing with depression or who have dealt with it in the past don’t really need me to define it for you, you already know. But for those of you who may be unsure if what you’re feeling is depression, or if you’re reading this to broaden your knowledge to better understand a friend or family member who is suffering, I’ll do my best to put my feelings into words.

There are different types of depression (which I’ll elaborate on in another post - Types of Depression) but they are categorized by many of the same symptoms. Imagine living your life, you go to school or work each day, you may get stressed from time-to-time, you may have days when you feel sad, you may wish you had more time to indulge in your hobbies, but these feelings pass, and overall you’re happy and you know you’re living a pretty good life. Now imagine waking up one morning and feeling like the weight of the entire world is pushing down on your chest, preventing you from getting up. Your bed is warm, it’s cozy, it’s safe, and nothing can get you there, so that’s where you stay. You start sleeping more, you stop going to school or work – you want to go, but you physically can’t get out of bed and face the day because of this imaginary weight pinning you down. You can’t be bothered to eat, or clean, or shower. Your friends want to hangout, you want to see them, but you blow them off because it just seems like too much effort to get ready and go do something. You lose interest in all the things you used to love – you used to love making crafts, now you stare at your supplies but have no motivation to pick them up and make something, you use to love going for walks outside, but just the thought of stepping out your door seems like a huge chore, it’s easier to just sit at home and let the laziness overcome you. This is depression. A lack of energy, a depressed mood that never lifts, fatigue, lethargy, restlessness and annoyance at the situation you’re in but no motivation to change it, wanting to sleep but sometimes laying awake for hours, a loss of interest in activities / hobbies that were once enjoyable, an inability to concentrate, feeling worthless – this is how people dealing with depression feel on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, thoughts of suicide are also a symptom of depression.  Some people just feel too overwhelmed and believe death is their only escape. Others see themselves as a burden and think that everyone would be better off without them. Although many people may experience these thoughts at one time or another, not everyone reacts on them for a variety of reasons – personal, religious, etc. However, if you or someone you know is experiencing this state of mind, it is important that you seek professional help. Your life is valuable. I know it may seem like there’s no way out but I promise you there is. We’ll get through this together, just believe in yourself, you’re a strong person and I know you can pull through. I believe in you. 

Me & My Silhouette

Hello friends! Welcome to Me & My Silhouette.

For a couple of years now I’ve been dealing with depression and I’ve found each day to be a constant battle with myself to get out of bed and do the things I enjoy doing. I’m tired of living my life this way; of being a prisoner to my own mind. Something needs to change. I’m determined to get better and to live my life to the fullest. I’m in control, and you are too!

If you want to get better than nothing can stop you. It’s going to be hard, but all good things in life are. If you’re determined, if you persevere, I promise you you’ll become a stronger person, ready to take on the world. All you have to do is believe in yourself. This blog will show you how.

Me & My Silhouette will be my virtual diary; we can take this journey together.

I think education is key; only when you understand what depression truly is can you start taking the steps to getting better. I’ll teach you the facts of depression and give you a list of resources that you can use to enhance your knowledge. I’ll share my personal experiences with you because I know you feel like no one else understands what you’re going through but believe me, I do. And I hope when you hear my story you’ll realize that you’re not alone. Finally, I want to get better, and I want the same for you, so I’ll motivate you, I’ll inspire you, and I’ll give you tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way that I promise will help you if you’re willing to try. I know it’s all easier said than done, I know it’ll be a struggle, but all it takes is a bit of courage, a bit of determination, and some baby steps and you’ll be well on your way to a healthy, happy lifestyle. Let me guide you; let me be your light :)