relieve anxiety and depression

First, assess the severity of emotional problems through formal channels, and then match the corresponding intervention methods, reducing the high expectations of "completely eliminating negative emotions" to "being able to maintain a normal rhythm of work and life."

Last year, I received a consultation from a girl who worked in Internet operations. She only slept 3 hours a day for 3 months in a row while working on a project. Later, her hands shook as soon as she entered the company and she didn't even have the strength to open work documents. I went to a tertiary psychiatry department and was diagnosed with moderate anxiety and depression. The doctor prescribed sertraline. She took it for a week and felt sleepy during the day, which affected her ability to meet clients. She turned to me for a diagnosis. After two months of cognitive behavioral intervention, she first applied to the leader to cut down the three projects in her hand to only one core. She walked around the community for 40 minutes every day after get off work, so she didn't have to force herself to "get better immediately." Now she still occasionally stays up late to catch up on plans, but she has never had hand tremors. Last week, she also signed up for a pottery class, and spent an afternoon pinching cups on weekends, and her condition is very stable.

You may have heard a lot of conflicting opinions. Some people say, "Anxiety and depression are just free time, and you will be better when you are busy." Others say, "This is a physiological disease, you must take medicine, and psychological counseling is a scam." In fact, both opinions have applicable scenarios, and there is no absolute right or wrong. If you have just been stressed in the past week and always think about the worst when things happen, but it is not to the extent that it affects eating and sleeping, then find something to do to distract your attention, go out with friends to have a drink or two and complain, and you will most likely be able to recover. ； But if you have been suffering from insomnia for more than two weeks and wake up early, have no interest in anything, even your favorite hot pot tastes tasteless, or even have thoughts of self-harm, then don’t bear it, go to a psychiatrist first, and follow the doctor’s instructions to take medicine to adjust neurotransmitter levels, which is the most cost-effective option.

Oh, by the way, don't just search for "depression self-test questions" on the Internet and blindly make up your mind. I have seen several children who stayed up for several nights in a row to study for papers and felt that they were in a bad mood. After searching for self-test questions, they directly labeled themselves as "severely depressed" and sat in the dormitory crying all afternoon. It was completely unnecessary. Most of the self-test questions on the Internet are for diversion. Only the scales from regular hospital psychiatric departments and face-to-face interviews with doctors can make a final diagnosis. If you scare yourself, it is easy to suppress small emotions into big problems.

The year before last, I was working on an industry report and stayed up for half a month. During that time, I was also anxious. Every day before going out, I pinched the pot of peach eggs kept at the door twice. I pinched the cool thick leaves in my hands and felt, "I can still take care of a little life and myself." This little unreasonable habit helped me get through the busiest days. In fact, you don’t have to force yourself to find some high-end stress-relieving hobby. Just put a mint candy in your pocket and pop one in when you get emotional. The moment the coolness explodes in your mouth, it can bring you back to the present moment from the chaotic self-attack in your mind. ； There is no shame in lying down and watching funny short videos for two hours when you are really feeling uncomfortable. As long as you can get up the next day and do whatever you want, you have already won.

A retired aunt came to me before and said that her children were in other places. She had nothing to do at home and she felt that life was useless. She went for three psychoanalyses, but she felt that it was too abstract and she could not understand it. Later, she signed up for the square dance team in the community. Now she leads the dance every day with a small speaker. Last month, she took the team to participate in the district competition and won the second prize. When she came to me for a retest, the score on the depression scale dropped directly from severe to mild. You see, any method may be useful. You don't have to force yourself to meet other people's "recovery standards." Some people are better through exercise, some are better at taking medicine, and some are better at square dancing. Whatever suits you is the best.

Finally, there is no need to think of anxiety and depression as a scourge. It is actually a signal sent by your body, telling you that "you have been too tired recently and it's time to take a rest." It's just like having a fever and cough when you have a cold. It's not a shameful problem. There is no need to force yourself to become a "normal person" immediately. If you can get up, brush your teeth and wash your face today, it is worth giving yourself a thumbs up. If you can go downstairs for a walk tomorrow, it will be another profitable day. Take your time, and the days are still long anyway.