Understanding anxiety and depression

Understanding

anxiety and

depression

beyondblue.org.au 1300 22 4636

Anxiety

On average, one in three women and

one in five men will experience anxiety

in their lifetime. Over 2 million people in

Australia experience anxiety each year.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is more than just feeling stressed or

worried. While stress and anxious feelings are

a common response to a situation where we

feel under pressure, they usually pass once

thestressful situation has passed, or ‘stressor’

isremoved.

Anxiety is when these anxious feelings don’t

goaway – when they’re ongoing, more extreme

reactions to a situation, and can happen without

anyparticular reason or cause. It’s a serious

condition that makes it hard to cope with daily

life. Everyone feels anxious from time to time,

butfor someone experiencing anxiety, these

feelings aren’t easily controlled.

It’s important to seek support early if you’re

experiencing anxiety. Your symptoms may

notgoaway on their own and if left untreated,

they can start to escalate.

For more information on anxiety visit

beyondblue.org.au/anxiety

The information in this document is general advice

only. Theadvice within it may therefore not apply

toyour circumstances andisnot intended to replace

theadviceofahealthcare professional.

How do you know if you have anxiety?

The symptoms of anxiety are sometimes not all

that obvious as they often develop slowly and,

given that we all experience symptoms of anxiety

at various points in our lives, it can be hard to

knowhow much is too much.

Some common symptoms of anxiety are panic

attacks, tightening of the chest, excessive fear

or worry, obsessive thinking and compulsive

behaviour, and avoidance of particular situations.

If you are familiar with any of these symptoms,

check the more extensive list on the next page.

It’s not designed to provide a diagnosis – forthat

you’ll need to see a doctor – but it canbe used as

aguide.

For more insight, complete our simple checklist

at beyondblue.org.au/checklist

If you are concerned you (or someone you know)

isexperiencing anxiety, consult a GP or other

healthprofessional.

Common symptoms of anxiety

Behaviour

• withdrawing from, avoiding or fearing

objects orsituations which cause anxiety

• urges to perform certain rituals in a bid

torelieveanxiety

• not being assertive

(e.g. avoiding eye contact)

• difficulty making decisions

• safety cautious

(e.g. frightened to be alone)

Feelings

• overwhelmed

• fear (particularly when having to face

certain objects, situations or events)

• excessive worry about physical

symptoms/medical problems

• dread that something bad will happen

• constantly tense, nervous or on edge

• uncontrollable or overwhelming panic

Thoughts

• “I’m going crazy.”

• “I can’t control myself.”

• “I’m about to die.”

• “People are judging me.”

• finding it hard to stop worrying

• unwanted or intrusive thoughts

• having upsetting dreams or flashbacks

• feeling detached from your physical self

Physical

• increased heart rate/racing heart

• shortness of breath

• vomiting, nausea or pain in the stomach

• dizzy, lightheaded or faint

• muscle tension and pain (e.g. sore back)

• having trouble sleeping

• sweating, shaking, numbness or tingling

• hot or cold flushes

Types of anxiety

The six most common types of anxiety are:

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

A person feels anxious on most days, worrying

about lots of different things, for a period of six

months or more.

Social phobia

A person has an intense fear of being criticised

or embarrased even in everyday situations such

as speaking publicly, eating in public, being

assertive at work or making smalltalk.

Specific phobias

A person feels very fearful about a particular object

or situation (e.g. having an injection or travelling

on a plane) and may go to great lengths to avoid it.

There are many different types of phobias.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

A person has ongoing unwanted and/or intrusive

thoughts and fears that cause anxiety. Although

the person may acknowledge these thoughts

as silly, they often try to relieve their anxiety by

carrying out certain behaviours or rituals. For

example, a fear of germs and contamination can

lead to constant washing of hands and clothes.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

This can happen any time from one month after

a traumatic event (e.g. war, assault, accident,

disaster). Symptoms can include difficulty

relaxing, upsetting dreams or flashbacks,

avoidance of anything related to the event,

andsometimes feeling emotionally numb.

Panic disorder

A person has panic attacks, which are intense

and often uncontrollable feelings of anxiety

combined with a range of physical symptoms.

Someone having a panic attack may experience

shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness,

excessive perspiration and can sometimes think

they’re having a heart attack or are about to die.

For more information on the different types of

anxiety visit beyondblue.org.au/types-of-anxiety

Depression

Over 1 million people in Australia

experience depression each year.

Onaverage, one in six women and

one in eight men will experience

depressionin their lifetime.

What is depression?

While we all feel sad, moody or low from time

to time, some people experience these feelings

intensely, for long periods of time (weeks, months

or even years) andsometimes without any

apparent reason.

Depression is more than just a low mood – it’s a

serious condition that affects your physical and

mentalhealth.

Depression affects how you feel about yourself

and makes life more difficult to manage from

dayto day.

The encouraging news is that there are a range

of treatments, health professionals and services

available to help with depression, as well as

information on what you can do to help yourself.

How do you know if you

havedepression?

You may be depressed if, for more than two

weeks, you’vefelt sad, down or miserable most

ofthe time, orhave lost interest or pleasure

in usual activities, andhave also experienced

several of the signs and symptoms across at

leastthree ofthe categories on thenext page.

It’s important to remember that we all experience

some of these symptoms sometimes and it may

not necessarily mean you’re depressed. Equally,

not everyone who is experiencing depression will

have allofthese symptoms.

The symptoms will not provide a diagnosis –

forthat you’ll need to see a health professional

– but they can help to guide you and provide

abetter understanding ofhow you’re feeling.

For more information on depression visit

beyondblue.org.au/depression

If you are concerned you (or someone you know)

is experiencing depression, consult a GP or other

health professional.

Common symptoms of depression

Behaviour

• not going out anymore

• not getting things done at work/school

• withdrawing from close family and friends

• relying on alcohol and sedatives

• not doing usual enjoyable activities

• unable to concentrate

Feelings

• overwhelmed

• guilty

• irritable, frustrated

• lacking in confidence, indecisive

• disappointed

• pessimistic

• sad, miserable

Thoughts

• “I’m a failure.”

• “It’s my fault.”

• “Nothing good ever happens to me.”

• “I’m worthless.”

• “Life’s not worth living.”

• “People would be better off without me.”

Physical

• tired all the time

• sick and run down

• headaches and muscle pains

• churning gut

• sleep problems

• loss or change of appetite

• significant weight loss or gain

Get support

People experiencing anxiety and/

or depression can find it difficult to

take thefirst step in seeking support.

Theymay need the support of family,

friends and ahealth professional.

There is no one proven way that people recover

from anxiety or depression. However, there

are a range of effective treatments and health

professionals who can help people on the road

torecovery.

There are plenty of things you can do for yourself

to recover and stay well.

What treatments are available?

Different types of anxiety and depression require

different types of treatment. This may include

physical exercise for preventing and treating mild

anxiety or depression, through to psychological

and medical treatment for more severe symptoms.

There are a range of treatments to help, but it’s

different for everybody. Beyond Blue’s online

publications A guide to what works for anxiety

and A guide to what works for depression are a

good place to start to understand the evidence

behindthe various treatments available.

The important thing is finding the

right treatment and the right health

professional that works foryou.

For more, visit

beyondblue.org.au/treatment-options

Who can assist

Anxiety and depression can go on for months,

sometimes years, if left untreated, and can have

many negative effects on your life. It’s important

to seek support early – the sooner you get

treatment, the sooner you can recover.

Different health professionals offerdifferent

types ofservices and treatments.

If you think that you or someone you know

may have anxiety or depression, talking to a

GP is a good place to start. AGP can make a

diagnosis, check for any physical health problem

or medication that may be contributing to the

anxiety and/or depression, and discuss treatment

options.

For more information on who can assist, visit

beyondblue.org.au/who-can-assist

For a list of psychologists, psychiatrists, mental

health nurses, social workers and occupational

therapists with mental health expertise, visit

beyondblue.org.au/find-a-professional

Recovery and staying well

Recovery can take time. As well as starting

treatment, you’ll find new ways to manage and

live withthe changes and challenges of having

anxietyand/ordepression.

While psychological and/or medical treatment

can help, there are many ways people can help

themselves recover and stay well, such as:

• learning to reduce and manage stress

• keeping up daily routines and scheduling

fun feel-good activities that give a sense

ofachievement

• maintaining a healthy lifestyle

• cutting back on alcohol and other drugs

• recognising triggers and warning signs

• getting over setbacks.

For more on recovery and staying well, visit

beyondblue.org.au/recovery-and-staying-well

How can I support someone with

anxiety or depression?

It’s helpful to:

• let them know if you’ve noticed

achange in theirbehaviour

• spend time talking about their

experiences and let them know that

you’re there to listen without judgment

• help them to get information from

awebsite, libraryor community

healthcentre

• suggest they go to a doctor or health

professional, and help make the

appointment

• offer to go with them to their appointment

• encourage them to get enough sleep,

exercise andto eat well

• encourage family and friends to invite

them out and keep in touch, but don’t

pressure them to participate in activities

• encourage them to face their fears with

support from their doctor/psychologist

• discourage them from using alcohol

orother drugsto try to feel better

• contact a doctor or hospital if they

become a threatto themselves or

others,or put them in touch with

Lifeline13 11 14.

It’s unhelpful to:

• put pressure on them by telling them to

“snap out of it” or “get their act together”

• stay away or avoid them

• tell them they just need to stay busy

orget outmore

• pressure them to party more or wipeout

how they’re feeling with drugs and alcohol.

For more information on supporting

someone, visit beyondblue.org.au/

supporting-someone-with-anxiety

-or-depression

Suicide and crisis support

If you are in an emergency, or at immediate risk

of harm to yourself or others, please contact

emergency services on 000 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

1 Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2008). National Survey of Mental

Health and Wellbeing: Summary ofResults, 2007. Cat. no. (4326.0).

Canberra: ABS.

Where to find more information

Beyond Blue

beyondblue.org.au

Learn more about anxiety, depression and suicide

prevention, or talk through yourconcerns with

our Support Service. Our trained mental health

professionals will listen, provide information,

adviceand brief counselling, and point you in

the right direction so you can seek further support.

1300 22 4636

Email or chat to us online at

beyondblue.org.au/getsupport

@beyondblue

@beyondblueofficial

@beyondblue

company/beyondblue

Head to Health

headtohealth.gov.au

Head to Health can help you find free andlow-cost,

trustedonline and phone mentalhealth resources.

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