DEPRESSION SERIES
ALL ABOUT DEPRESSION || TO OVERCOME THE ANXIETY
If you were able to listen in on the thoughts that reverberate through a depressed person’s head, you might hear “I’m a failure,” “My future looks bleak,” “Things just keep on getting worse,” or “I regret so many things in my life.” On the other hand, the thoughts of an anxious person might sound like “I’m going to make a fool out of myself when I give that speech,” “I never know what to say at parties,” “The freeway scares me to death,” “I know that the odds of a plane crash are small, but flying scares me,” or “I’m going have a nervous breakdown if my editor doesn’t like what I write.” 06_597930 cPM Page 9 Thoughts influence the way you feel. The very darkest thoughts usually lead to depression, whereas anxiety usually stems from thoughts about being judged or hurt. And, of course, people often have both types of thoughts.
Do your thoughts dwell on the dark, dismal, or scary aspects of life? Take the quiz in Worksheet 1-1 to determine if your thoughts reflect a problem with anxiety or depression. Put a checkmark next to an item if you feel the statement applies to you.
The Negative Thinking Quiz
❏ 1. Things are getting worse and worse for me.
❏ 2. I worry all the time.
❏ 3. I think I’m worthless.
❏ 4. I never know what to say.
❏ 5. No one would miss me if I were dead.
❏ 6. I’m afraid that I’ll get sick.
❏ 7. I think I’m a failure
❏ 8. My thoughts race, and I obsess about things.
❏ 9. I don’t look forward to much of anything.
❏ 10. I get really nervous around people I don’t know.
❏ 11. The world would be better off without me.
❏ 12. Thoughts about past trauma keep rolling through my mind.
❏ 13. I find it impossible to make decisions.
❏ 14. I can’t stand it when I’m the center of attention.
❏ 15. My life is full of regrets.
❏ 16. I can’t stand making mistakes.
❏ 17. I don’t see things getting any better in the future.
❏ 18. I worry about my health all the time.
❏ 19. I’m deeply ashamed of myself.
❏ 20. I over-prepare for everything.
Although these thoughts can occur to someone who’s either depressed or anxious (or both), the odd-numbered items are most indicative of depression, and the even-numbered items reflect anxious thinking. There’s no pass or fail mark on this quiz. However, the more items you endorse, the more you have cause for concern; specifically, if you check more than eight or ten items, you should think seriously about addressing your condition. At the same time, if you very strongly believe in any of these items, you just may have too much anxiety or depression. If you have any thoughts of suicide or utter hopelessness, you should consult your primary care physician or a mental health professional immediately
Reflecting upon Relationships
When you’re feeling down or distressed for any length of time, odds are that your relationships with those around you will take a hit. Although you may think that your depression or anxiety affects only you, it impacts your friends, family, lovers, co-workers, and acquaintances. Take the quiz in Worksheet 1-4 to see if your emotions are causing trouble with your relationships. Check off any statements that apply to you.
Plotting Your Personal Problems Profile
The Personal Problems Profile provides you with an overview of your problematic symptoms. (If you skipped the quizzes in the previous sections of this chapter, go back and take some time to complete them; your answers to those quizzes come into play in this exercise.) The profiling exercise in this section helps you identify how anxiety and depression affect you. One good thing about this profile is that you can track how these symptoms change as you progress through the rest of this book. Tyler, a middle-aged engineer, doesn’t consider himself depressed or plagued with any emotional problems. But when he sees his primary care doctor, Tyler complains of fatigue, recent weight gain, and a noticeable loss in his sex drive. After ruling out physical causes, the doctor suggests that he may be depressed. “Funny,” Tyler says, “my girlfriend just bought me the Anxiety & Depression Workbook For Dummies and said she thought I was depressed too. Maybe I’ll take a look at it.
Choosing Your Challenge
The next four parts of this workbook cover the areas of thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and relationships. One obvious way of deciding which area to begin in is to choose the one that causes you the most problems. Or, you can work through them in order. Wherever you choose to start, you should know that all these areas interact with each other. For example, if you have anxious thoughts about being judged, you’re likely to avoid (behavior) the spotlight. And you could very well experience butterflies (feelings). Furthermore, you may be overly sensitive to criticism from others (relationships). Chapter 1: Sorting Out Signs of Anxiety and Depression 15 06_597930 ch01.qxd 9/28/05 2:21 PM Page 15 Nevertheless, we find that many people like to start out by tackling the problem area that best fits their personal styles. In other words, some folks are doers and others are thinkers; still, others are feelers, and some are relaters
Soul Manifestation Is Setting Conversions On Fire! Double The EPC As Our Last Platinum Offer 10 Minute Awakening! 100% Commissions Available For Whitelisted Affiliates!
Hi Guys I hope you enjoy the depression serious new blog coming soon||
Hi
ReplyDelete