Getting over anxiety and depression

[Cats345]

Where is the best place to start with recovering from anxiety and depression. I have had probably the worst two years of my life battling this and now is the time where enough is enough. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

There are some great books out there and they can be very specific, so you might find something that suits you and your specific situation. Have a look on Amazon and go for the ones with lots of ratings. I’ve had my greatest breakthroughs from reading books.
You could see a counsellor who specialises in anxiety.
You could see your GP about medication but thoroughly research this route first.
I read a great quote recently about anxiety and it said “when you are feeling anxious just remember, the tigers aren’t coming”. And that has really helped me to stop in the moment and remember that our anxiety is a deep rooted survival instinct and we can stop and take control of it.

Thank you for the advice and lovely message I really appreciate it xxx

Therapy can help.

For me it has been a gateway to a lot of practices that help, but don't completely get rid of, depression and anxiety: it all seems to be about balancing and dancing. The good news is, this might include finding and noticing the moments when your soul sings.

Journalling - to find out how I really feel and what I'm not saying in my relationships but need to express in a more conscious way. This is a big one - to helps me pay attention to my underlying feelings about the way my life is structured and figure out where I keep myself stuck.

Breathwork - to reset the balance of my nervous system.

Reflection - where am I life, what are my values right now, how do I need to adjust without feeling I've lost myself.

Choosing to shift my focus in the moment - understanding how my mind tells me the same old story because it's learned to attend to some experiences and not others.

I hope that helps and that you can find what you want.

Some things I did - I did not want to take medication:

regular exercise booked in and paid for so you can't skip it.

Improve diet/stop drinking

Find things that contribute to happiness/lift your soul and try to do them every day (for me it was participating in live music so I joined a choir, taking up my hobbies again, reading etc)

Remove triggers for anxiety/worry as much as possible.

Start to set some goals/boundaries around the problem. So if someone starts talking about 'the thing' have phrases ready like "I don't wish to discuss that" and walk away if they continue. Work towards things that will help you face the cause(s) of the depression. Say no to stuff which you will struggle with or ask someone to support you.

As I got better I also sorted out/decluttered my house, which actually really helped as I enjoyed being at home more.