Depression and anxiety are extremely difficult to live with, but living with both is actually more common than you may expect. Nearly one half of people who have been diagnosed with depression also suffer from an anxiety disorder.
Everyone has different experiences of depression and anxiety, but many people experience similar day-to-day struggles.
1. Worrying that cancelling plans will end friendships but still being too anxious to actually go
You hate the idea of letting your friends down because they mean so much to you, but sometimes you are just too overwhelmed to leave the house. The idea of socializing sounds like hell – but so does the idea of losing your wonderful friends.
2. Feeling terrified about failing a test but being too worried to revise properly
All of your revision notes are in front of you, but you can barely stay focused because your mind keeps reminding you that you might fail. After an hour of revising you haven’t learnt anything, but you are super-stressed and near tears.
3. On some days you are too tired to get out of bed and on others you sleep for over 12 hours
On some nights you can’t get to sleep because you are too stressed or worried, and you lay wide awake in bed for hours. On other nights, you fall asleep at 10PM and wake up in the afternoon the next day. Even when you do finally wake up, you just want to curl up under the bed-sheets and hide.
4. When you can’t get out of bed you become stressed about the things you’re not doing
On the days when you can’t get out of bed, you rarely go back to sleep. Instead, you worry about work and the responsibilities that you are missing.
5. You missed a few events and now it upsets you that no-one invites you anymore
You turned down plans with your friends because you couldn’t face leaving the house, and now they have stopped inviting you out. You understand why, but it upsets you to know they have stopped making an effort.
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6. When your home is untidy but you don’t have the energy to clean up
You dislike living in a messy home and looking at the mess makes you feel stressed out, but you simply don’t have enough energy to tidy up.
7. Writing lots of to-do lists to help you to get out of a rut
You write lots of to-do lists with things that you need to do to lower your anxiety. Writing the lists actually helps you calm down and relax. While you rarely do everything on the list, it does help you to feel more in-control.
8. Fearing being alone but disliking company
You fear being totally alone and your friends are very important to you, but you prefer your own company because there is less pressure.
9. Worrying that your loved ones are mad at you
You are always worried that you have upset someone that you care about. You want to check that they aren’t annoyed with you, but you worry that you will seem clingy and obsessive.
10. Wishing you could find a partner but fearing the dating scene
You’d love to find someone to spend your life with, but even the thought of dating makes you sweat. You’re not sure if you can handle spending a prolonged amount of time with a stranger.
11. Worrying that your partner will leave you
You think your partner is amazing and even when things are going well, you are worried that they will leave you. You rationally know nothing bad has happened, but you hate the idea of losing someone you love.
12. You feel more tired the less you move
When you’re having a bad week you just want to hide in your bed. Sometimes, you’ll spend 5 days of sitting in your bed worrying you’re so tired that you can barely keep your eyes open.
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