While some level of nervousness and sadness can be expected throughout life, constantly experiencing a low mood and being on edge can take a toll on a person’s mental and physical health.
Those who live with anxiety and depression may sometimes feel as if they’re drowning due to the symptoms of these mental illnesses. However, it may be possible to address anxiety and depression by prioritizing your health and well-being, practicing self-care, and making healthy daily decisions. Working with a licensed therapist online or in person can also be beneficial in treating these conditions.
“I feel like I am drowning”: What are anxiety and depression?
Anxiety is usually characterized by extreme worry that tends to persist over time. Someone who is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder may experience difficulty controlling their feelings of worry, and they may constantly anticipate disaster or agonize over various parts of their lives, such as their relationships with family and friends, finances, health, or career.
Meanwhile, an individual who is continuously sad, uninterested in life, and withdrawn from others may be depressed. Depression can be triggered or made worse by factors like a loss of employment, the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, a natural disaster, and other traumatic experiences.
People of all genders and backgrounds may develop these mental health conditions, but women are disproportionately affected.
In many regards, depression and anxiety can feel heavy. These mental illnesses may lead people to withdraw from others, potentially making it harder for their loved ones to interact with them, get through to them, and remind them that they're not alone.
For people who live with depression and anxiety, it’s usually not as simple as “getting over it” or “cheering up.” However, effective treatment options are often available, and living a better life can become a reality.
People experiencing anxiety or depression may ask questions like:
- What does it mean if I feel like I’m drowning?
- Can anxiety make you feel like you’re drowning?
- How do you not sink into depression?
- How do I stop sadness?
Despite the seriousness of these conditions, they are often treatable. If you would describe yourself as afraid, anxious, panicked, claustrophobic, trapped, suffocating, lost, or confused, please know that help is available, and you do not have to continue to feel this way.
The evolution of anxiety for most people
Anxiety often manifests as the body's natural reaction to serious danger. It signals us to either fight or take flight. Historically, anxiety was a crucial tool that helped humankind survive as a species, and it can still be useful today.
People can experience symptoms of stress that may resemble anxiety: When faced with a stressful situation that may be outside of our control, the brain may release a series of chemicals that can affect the thoughts in our head and the sensations in our body. But in the modern world, where immediate threats of death or serious injury are relatively infrequent, some individuals may still experience extreme levels of anxiety and perceive themselves to be under serious threat despite a lack of appropriate provocation.
Experiencing stress in small doses is considered to be a normal part of life. However, people living with an anxiety disorder experience far higher rates of stress or anxiety than their circumstances might reasonably warrant.
A shift in human behavior
In the past, human beings often needed to exert a lot of energy to find food and avoid threats. As we've evolved, we've largely been able to shift our focus toward convenience. On average, people today tend to be less active and eat more calories than they need, so they often have more energy than they need to burn. This excess energy may become stress or anxiety.
Constant anxiety can become overwhelming, and it may stick itself into a person’s daily life and relationships. Despite the intrusion, individuals with anxiety frequently find it difficult to self-regulate.
There are numerous strategies and techniques that can be used to help manage anxiety. A licensed therapist can help you identify the methods that may be most effective for you and assist you in creating an action plan to implement if you encounter a moment where your anxiety is heightened.
The link between anxiety and depression
Our brains usually take sensory stimulation from the environment around us. They may filter out the irrelevant aspects and focus our attention where it matters. Sometimes, brain injuries, emotional trauma, or the stresses of life can make this filtering process less effective. This can leave an individual feeling overwhelmed, faced with an intense sensory experience that may change the way they interact with their environment or make them want to withdraw.
One thing about anxiety and depression is that — no matter how busy you are or if you work hard to combat symptoms — it can leave you feeling isolated. When you develop these feelings of disconnectedness, they may overwhelm your system and possibly make it difficult to find the motivation or energy to do the things you enjoy. These feelings might be a sign that it’s time to reach out for help.
Stimulation is part of what gives life its color, but overstimulation can have detrimental physical and psychological effects. The brain's natural response is to become alert. Our muscles may tighten into knots, also known as stress knots, and we may find ourselves constantly on edge. In an age of connectivity, we're often at risk of being overstimulated — and since our bodies generally weren't meant to feel this pressure all the time, it can lead to anxiety and depression.
How to prevent anxiety and depression
Given the number of factors that can lead to and affect these conditions, there's no one-size-fits-all method to prevent depression and anxiety. However, some of the best things you can do are related to certain lifestyle choices that can decrease your likelihood of experiencing these disorders or otherwise help you manage them.
Make healthy daily decisions
Look at the daily decisions that affect your life. These may include where you work and what you do for a living, the people in your life, the foods you eat, whether you exercise, where you live, and more. All these things can affect your quality of life. The way you spend your time can greatly affect your health and happiness.
Prioritize health and well-being in your life
You can also reduce your likelihood of experiencing anxiety and depression by spending time on yourself and taking care of your health and well-being. Some people enhance their well-being by sitting down to free-write a story. Some do it by talking with a trusted friend. Some do it by turning to their religion or their god. Whatever makes you feel supported, seen, and heard is a valid approach.
Practice self-care
Self-care might include exercising, eating a nutritious diet, spending time in nature, and occasionally pampering yourself. We may all have responsibilities and things that we need to do, but we should usually strive not to neglect ourselves. Even small acts of self-care can help, such as relaxing while listening to a favorite song, stepping outside to get some sunshine, or being intentionally aware of what you’re grateful for.
When worry, anxiety, or panic is no longer a temporary feeling
Someone with chronic anxiety usually lives in a hyper-alert state without being able to calm down. Their nervous system may be overactive, so they may constantly feel on edge or worried without apparent reason — perhaps they can’t breathe as usual, or they realize their hands are shaking. They may be convinced something is wrong, but they may not know what’s causing it or what to do about it.
These constant feelings of anxiety can lead to the development of avoidance behaviors in some cases. Individuals may develop irrational fears, experience sudden bouts of panic, or habitually anticipate danger in situations that don't warrant it. Anxiety can make you feel like you’re not grounded or as if your two feet aren’t planted because your mind is racing. It can also cause trouble concentrating, potentially leaving you feeling as if your mind has gone blank.
Alternatively, anxiety might prompt unexplained feelings of irritability, as well as physical symptoms, potentially including sweating, headaches, an upset stomach, dizziness, shortness of breath, inability to stand without support, and insomnia.
Online therapy for people living with anxiety and depression
If you've experienced anxiety or depression, you should know that help can be available in the form of talk therapy and other treatment services. Research shows that online therapy can be an effective tool for reducing depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as addressing other mental health challenges.
Online therapy can be a convenient and comfortable way to get the professional help you deserve. After taking a brief questionnaire, you may quickly be matched with a therapist and can schedule your first online session at a time that fits your schedule. You may attend sessions from any location with an internet connection.
Takeaway
If you feel like you’re drowning due to anxiety and depression symptoms, please know that it can be possible for things to get better. You might start by making healthy daily decisions, practicing self-care, and prioritizing your health and well-being. In many cases, it can be especially helpful to reach out for professional help.
Reaching out for help when facing anxiety and depression can feel like extending your arms toward a lifeline, offering the opportunity to connect with a licensed online therapist who can provide support and guidance through challenging times.