Depression

Most everyone at some time in life will feel sad, hopeless, or low from time to time, especially during challenging or painful life events.

When the feelings of sadness and hopelessness last more than two weeks, it can also be a red flag for depression, especially if positive events in your environment don’t seem to impact your mood.

Besides feeling low, sad, or empty, depression can also involve other symptoms like:

• loss of enjoyment or interest in your usual hobbies or activities
• sometimes the person will become pessimistic
• restlessness, anger, or irritability
• there is also a lack of energy or feeling slowed down
• sleeping problems
• a change in appetite or weight
• remembering situations, making decisions, or lack of concentration
• feelings of guilt, shame, helplessness, or worthlessness
• they may experience thoughts of suicide

Anxiety

Most people experience anxiety during their lifetime but may not know what it is. Feelings of fear, nervousness, and worry — from time to time. Anxiety is all about how someone responds to stress.

• before significant life events, weddings, divorce, serious health issues, or  retirement
• if the person needs to make important decisions
• sometimes trying something new can trigger anxiety
• I experience anxiety every time I have to go to Mayo Clinic. The smells remind me of chemo, and it triggers me

However, if you are experiencing chronic or extreme anxiety on most days for several months, you could have a generalized anxiety disorder. (GAD)

If you have an anxiety disorder, it goes beyond worrying about unexpected or difficult life circumstances. Often those fears are centered around everyday concerns like your health or the health of a loved one, maybe your performance at school, work, or relationships. Those types of worries can create lingering thoughts or persistent fears that eventually will begin to affect your daily life.

Signs of ongoing anxiety may include:

• Having a hard time managing worry and or fear
• Constantly feeling on edge, irritability, physical restlessness
• You may feel a sense of dread, doom, or panic
• Insomnia or general sleep disorders
• You may experience headaches, tightened muscles, diarrhea, and nausea
• Brain fog
• Constant fatigue

Both depression and general anxiety should be a reason to talk to a life coach or mental health care professional.