While anxiety and depression are often joined at the hip, they can very well be experienced separately and at different times in our lives. I believe symptoms are our bodies' way of alerting us to its needs. It's as if our panic or despair is yelling out to us, "PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!!" (Are you ready to respond--compassionately?)

Depression can make you feel like you're stuck in quick sand and that you no longer matter. Your brain may feel cloudy or cluttered and it's all you can do to make it through the day. You may not even know why you are so incredibly sad or indifferent. Connection and intimacy may feel impossible and the guilt from this palpable and incessant. Pressure to appear "just fine, thank you" may require a mask that is absolutely exhausting to hide behind.

Anxiety, believe it of not, is your body's way of protecting you. Your brain believes that if it can predict and plan for the worst case scenario and keep you in a fight/flight state, that nothing else bad will ever happen to you. Thus the obsessive thoughts, racing heart, worrying about unknowns, tight chest, sleepless nights, etc...

Relief is possible. Depression and anxiety are treatable. Paying attention to the needs behind the symptoms and getting support is key. Together, we can work not only with your negative thought patterns, but also with the body's ability to regulate itself back to a place of balance.