Studies have shown that roughly one in five of us will suffer from anxiety or depression at some point in our lives. There are, of course, many types of anxiety. For some anxiety might involve suffering the symptoms of Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) to full blown panic attacks to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). In England, according to the Mental Health Foundation, women are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders as men.
Anxiety may be termed as a form of fear which may usually be associated with the thought of a threat or something going wrong in the future. However, it may also arise from something occurring in the present time and in the case of GAD there may not be any particular reason for feeling the fear.
Depression can affect individuals in very different ways and in varying degrees of severity. For some it can involve feeling blue and lacking in motivation whilst for others it can express itself in aggressive behaviour or even in suicidal thoughts. Depression is the predominant mental health problem worldwide, followed by anxiety, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
The massive increase in depression diagnosis since the 1950s can’t be put down entirely to a decrease in parenting skills. An increased neuro toxic environment in the modern world could be seen as gradually lowering the quality of brain health. See more on neurogenesis and improving brain health.
A mental health condition could be termed as suffering problems, especially over a period of time, with thinking, behaviour and or mood. See my article on Counselling Directory if you are considering treatment options and wondering about the following questions:
- Can you eat yourself well?
- Are antidepressants dangerous or effective?
- Are mental health problems genetic?
- What kind of talking therapy will help?
See also the practical tips for maintaining your mental health produced by the Mental Health Foundation.