Depression — a sad or discontented mood—can leave a person feeling lethargic, unmotivated, or hopeless, and in some cases, depression can lead to suicidal ideation.

A person experiencing depression is likely to encounter difficulty coping with daily stressors and may feel helpless and alone. In fact, sometimes the most mundane of activities—getting out of bed, bathing, and dressing—can feel like an impossible feat. These challenges can leave a person more susceptible to a decline in positive mood, resulting in a negativity bias that informs all experiences.

Feeling anxious is sometimes perfectly normal. However, people with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) find it hard to control their worries. Their feelings of anxiety are more constant and often affect their daily life.

Panic disorder, phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder can all cause severe anxiety.

Many of life’s demands can cause stress, especially work, relationships and money problems, and when you feel stressed, it can affect everything you do.

Stress can affect how you feel, how you think, how you behave and how your body works. Sleeping problems, sweating, loss of appetite and difficulty concentrating are common signs of stress.

A panic attack occurs when your body experiences a rush of intense psychological (mental) and physical symptoms.

You may feel an overwhelming sense of fear, apprehension and anxiety. As well as these feelings, you may also experience physical symptoms such as:

– nausea
– sweating
– trembling
– a sensation that your heart is beating irregularly (palpitations)

Managed correctly, and kept in check, anger is an important ally for a healthy adult. But anger has great risks, perhaps more than any other emotion. Anger can alienate us from people; it can lead us to do things we regret. Anger may arise not due to the present situation, but because the present situation reminds us unconsciously of a past experience. Anger may be a habitual defense against feeling sadness or fear.

If you are reading this because you are feeling suicidal, it is important that you seek help immediately.

If you are feeling suicidal, you can:
– Call the Samaritans support service (Kildare (045) 435 299) or on 116 123 or or visit Samaritans
– Go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department (Carlow – Location: Main building, Level 2) and tell the staff how you are feeling.
– Speak to a friend, family member or someone you trust
– Make an urgent appointment with us.

Many people who have felt suicidal at some point say they were so overwhelmed by negative feelings that they saw no option other than suicide. However, with the right treatment and support, the same people were able to carry on with their life and the negative feelings passed.

Sleep is driven by natural brain activity. You need to have a certain amount of deep sleep for your body and mind to be fully refreshed. Having only limited episodes of deep sleep will leave you feeling very tired and can lead to an increase in anxiety.