Anxiety and Severe Depression: Basma Al-Abd

What Is Anxiety?

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist explains that anxiety is a psychological condition that may appear as a persistent feeling of tension, fear, and excessive worry about the future or daily situations, and its severity may vary from one person to another, but when anxiety becomes frequent or severe and affects sleep, work, relationships, and the ability to live life normally, it requires an appropriate psychological assessment to identify its causes and determine the appropriate way to manage it.

What Is Severe Depression?

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist emphasizes that severe depression is not limited to feeling sad or going through a temporarily difficult period, but it may be a serious psychological condition that affects mood, thinking, energy, sleep, appetite, and the ability to perform daily activities, and therefore persistent or severe symptoms require professional assessment and should not be considered simply a sign of weak willpower or a temporary condition.

The Relationship Between Anxiety and Depression

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist explains that anxiety and depression may occur together in some individuals, as persistent anxiety, excessive overthinking, and fear can lead to psychological exhaustion, while depression can increase negative feelings, loss of motivation, and the feeling of being unable to cope with stress, which is why the overall psychological condition needs to be understood rather than focusing on only one symptom.

Symptoms of Anxiety

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist points out that anxiety may appear through a range of psychological and physical symptoms, such as constant worrying about problems, excessive fear, difficulty relaxing, tension and irritability, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, rapid heartbeat, or muscle tension, and symptoms may differ from one person to another depending on the nature and severity of the condition.

Symptoms of Severe Depression

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist stresses that severe depression may be accompanied by a clear loss of interest and pleasure in activities that the person previously enjoyed, low energy, persistent fatigue, changes in sleep or appetite, difficulty concentrating, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, pessimism and hopelessness, and in some cases thoughts about death or self-harm may occur, making professional help urgently necessary.

Causes of Anxiety and Depression

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist indicates that the causes of anxiety and depression can be multiple and interconnected, as they may be associated with ongoing life stress, family problems, difficult experiences, psychological trauma, or major life changes, while biological, psychological, and social factors may also interact in the development and persistence of symptoms, meaning that there is no single cause that can explain every case.

The Impact of Anxiety on Daily Life

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist explains that severe and persistent anxiety may affect a person’s ability to concentrate, make decisions, and interact with others, and it may also lead to avoiding certain situations because of fear and tension, while affecting sleep, productivity, education or work, and social relationships, and the more anxiety controls different aspects of life, the more important professional support becomes.

The Impact of Depression on a Person

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist emphasizes that depression may cause a person to lose the motivation to perform daily tasks and experience psychological and physical heaviness that makes ordinary activities more difficult, and it may lead to withdrawal from social relationships, reduced self-care, and feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, which is why psychological support and professional assessment can be an important part of the recovery process.

How Are Anxiety and Depression Assessed?

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist points out that assessing anxiety and depression depends on understanding the symptoms, their duration, severity, and impact on the person’s life, while also identifying the surrounding circumstances, psychological history, and current stressors, and the specialist may need to distinguish between psychological symptoms and other conditions that could affect mood, sleep, or energy.

Psychological Treatment for Anxiety

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist explains that psychotherapy can help a person understand the thoughts and feelings associated with anxiety, deal with negative thinking patterns, and learn better skills for coping with stress and situations that cause fear and tension, while the appropriate therapeutic approach varies according to the nature of the symptoms, the person’s needs, and the extent to which anxiety affects daily life.

Psychological Treatment for Severe Depression

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist emphasizes that psychotherapy can help address the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors associated with depression, while working on restoring daily activities, motivation, and the ability to cope with stress, whereas some cases of severe depression may require a psychiatric medical assessment to determine whether medication is appropriate alongside psychotherapy.

The Importance of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist stresses that cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the approaches used to address many anxiety and depression-related problems, as it helps identify unhelpful thoughts, understand their impact on feelings and behavior, and develop more realistic and effective ways of thinking and dealing with daily situations.

The Role of the Family in Supporting the Person

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist explains that family support can play an important role in dealing with anxiety and depression by listening without judgment, encouraging the person to seek professional help, and avoiding minimizing their feelings or simply telling them to stop being sad or afraid, while providing a calmer and more understanding environment during treatment.

The Importance of Coping with Psychological Stress

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist emphasizes that learning healthy ways to cope with stress can help reduce its psychological impact, including maintaining a regular sleep schedule as much as possible, engaging in appropriate physical activity, reducing isolation, organizing daily tasks, taking time to rest, talking to a trusted person, and seeking professional psychological support when stress becomes more than the person can handle alone.

When Does a Person Need Professional Help?

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist points out the importance of seeking help when feelings of anxiety or depression become severe or persistent, or when they clearly affect work, education, sleep, relationships, or self-care, and the appearance of thoughts about death, suicide, or self-harm requires urgent medical and psychological assistance, and the person should not be left alone in such a situation.

Can Anxiety and Depression Be Treated?

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist explains that anxiety and depression are conditions that can be managed through appropriate treatment plans that vary according to the diagnosis, severity of symptoms, and individual needs, and treatment may include psychological support, psychotherapy, and changes in certain daily habits, while in some cases a psychiatrist may recommend medication, with regular follow-up being important for assessing improvement and adjusting the treatment plan when necessary.

Ms. Basma El-Abd, Psychologist emphasizes that understanding anxiety and severe depression and taking their symptoms seriously can help a person receive the appropriate support at the right time, and seeking psychological help is not a sign of weakness but an important step toward understanding the condition and dealing with it in a safer and more effective way, especially when symptoms affect daily life or are accompanied by severe hopelessness or thoughts of self-harm.