Depression and anxiety feed off of each other. When depression takes hold, anxiety kicks in — you might become anxious about the feelings that you're having — or the depression could have you so down that you can't bring yourself to do what needs to be done, which makes your anxiety take over making you feel even worse for not getting those tasks done. It's an awful cycle that many people of all ages suffer from. Here, you'll find a few tips to help you break the cycle and take your life back.

Talk With a Doctor

Does your doctor know what you've been going through? So many people keep their mental health issues to themselves when they go to the doctor. Sure, they talk about how they're tired, how their body aches, their inability to sleep, or their lack of appetite, but they don't tell the doctor what's been going through their mind.

Mental health should be discussed with your PCP. They may refer you to someone with the training to treat you, but just keeping them informed can help identify other issues that may be causing or contributing to the depression and anxiety.

Join an Online Peer Support Group

One thing that really allows depression to take such a strong hold on someone's life is the fact that it can be lonely. You might think that there's nobody out there that could possibly understand what you're feeling, but the truth is, everywhere you look, there's probably at least one person silently suffering like you are.

Joining an online peer support group will connect you to others who can share in your experiences and who honestly know your pain and your struggles. There are so many different groups to choose from, so if you're more comfortable in a group of just men or just women, you can find a group for just men or women. You can try new groups until you find the perfect fit — a group that you're comfortable talking with and that makes you feel heard and supported.

These two things will make a world of difference in your life. The tricky part is finding a way out of the rut. Finding other people out there to share your feelings with could be your first step in finding the life that was lost somewhere along the road, and it can help you to get your life back.

For more information, contact an organization like Supportiv.

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