Medication is fast-acting but temporary. Therapy is long-lasting but takes time to work. Before the 1970s, many professionals assumed that therapy and psychiatry were competing forms of treatment and that patients should only have one type of treatment.
Since then, extensive research has shown that together, therapy and psychiatric medication can make a powerful treatment plan. In many cases, therapy and medication combined are more effective than either treatment alone.
It’s normal to feel anxious about moving to a new place, starting a new job, or taking a test. This type of anxiety is unpleasant, but it may motivate you to work harder and do a better job. Ordinary anxiety is a feeling that comes and goes but does not interfere with your everyday life.
In the case of an anxiety disorder, the feeling of fear may be with you all the time. It is intense and sometimes debilitating.
This type of anxiety may cause you to stop doing things you enjoy. It may prevent you from entering an elevator, crossing the street, or even leaving your home in extreme cases. If left untreated, the anxiety will keep getting worse.
Anxiety disorders are the most common form of emotional disorder and can affect anyone at any age. According to the American Psychiatric Association, women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
Depression is more than just feeling sad. It’s a mental illness that can be tremendously debilitating. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the US, with 7.3 million (or 7.1%) adults suffering from it. While depression is slightly more common in women than men (8.7% versus 5.3%), depression doesn’t discriminate by gender, age, or race.
Symptoms include depressed mood, feeling “numb,” loss of interest in usual activities, trouble eating, and sleeping, decreased energy and decreased self-esteem. You are commonly diagnosed with depression if you have experienced these symptoms for two weeks or more. Suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm are also possible and may warrant emergency care.
Although someone who lives with depression may feel resistance to the idea, treatment for depression is typically very successful. Certain lifestyle choices like exercising and limiting alcohol intake can be helpful, but usually therapy — possibly in conjunction with medication — is considered most effective. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychoeducation, and interpersonal therapy are among the treatments most commonly used to manage depression.
Quiting is never an option if you had a motive towards your bigger picture
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