Is There a Link Between Depression and Anger?
Quite often, there is a link between depression and anger. The truth is that many people who struggle with depression are angry underneath, even if they’re not conscious of it. Many psychiatrists ask their depressed patients if they’re feeling angry. These medical/mental health professionals understand the connection!
Irritability is sometimes a feature of depression, although symptoms will vary from person to person. For this reason, you may want to think about what makes you mad or gets you irritated and how it may be impacting your overall state of mind.
We all have our triggers. Recognizing the triggers may be very helpful.
Anger is a Defense Mechanism
Anger is a defense against attack. It’s a signal, the same way that pain is. Some anger will be justified and other anger will be irrational.
We are emotional creatures and the anger that we harbor inside of our minds and souls may have enough power to manifest as minor depression or major depression. It may even make us physically ill, as depression does tend to negatively impact overall health. For example, people who are depressed may have trouble sleeping, they may gain or lose weight and they may feel ill more often.
Depression happens for a lot of reasons – it’s not always rooted in anger. However, it certainly can be and it’s important to be aware of this. Thinking about the issues that trigger inner rage or outbursts may be the key to unlocking your own anger, looking at it in greater depth…and then releasing it!
Therapy is probably the safest place to do this kind of “inner work” and make the sort of breakthroughs that may alleviate symptoms of depression. A good therapist will understand the link between depression and anger, just as a psychiatrist does, and a therapist will help you to explore your anger, with a mind to defusing it and easing the symptoms of depression.
If you want to see a real psychiatrist, you’ll need a referral from your family doctor. Seeing your family doctor is really the best way to get help, as medications and referrals will be available for you if they are needed. A doctor may also be able to point you towards free or low-cost community services which relate to mental health.
Treatment Options are Out There
There are different ways to treat depression. Therapy focuses on talking to someone who is trained to help you recover from depression by exploring the feelings inside of you. These feelings may go back to childhood or they may be related to recent events or both.
Another option is anti-depressants. In particular, the group of anti-depressants known as SSRIs is popular choices for those who are depressed, regardless of the root cause(s) of their depression.
Anti-depressants do have side effects. Talking to your doctor will be the best way to find out whether or not these depression treatment options are right for you.
Consider Trying Stress Relief Techniques
If you want self-care techniques for depression, consider natural supplements, such as St. John’s Wort and think about the value of exercise, a clean diet, and meditation.
Everything that you do to baby yourself and feel good will help.
Remember that you are worth the effort, even if you don’t feel that you are due to depression. Depression plays tricks on us and understanding the link between anger and depression may help you to see things differently.
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