Leading a Double Life?

Many of my clients tell me that they feel they are ‘leading a double life‘.  They go to work everyday and whilst they say they enjoy it, they feel agitated and questioning of how little time they have to reflect on what their life is about or get involved in things they once were passionate about – because their time is literally spent in ’surviving’.    Their double life emerges within them in the form of unspoken values, dreams or perspectives, of a life that doesn’t leave them feeling like a robot on a conveyor belt of consumerism and pressures to conform to the demands of modern living.  Anxiety arises as they try to reconcile their responsibilities within the implications of them acting on their desires.

However this shows up in their life, the reality is that the person feels split between the demands of societal or family pressures to be a certain way and internal desires to live authentically in accordance with one’s dreams which for whatever reason, can’t be discussed with people in their life.   If you find yourself in a situation where you feel you are not living in accordance with what is most important to you, it is essential to address what is happening and the implications of making some changes.  To avoid this and not stop living a double life only leads to increased anxiety, destructive behaviour or depression.

Is medication the answer to Depression?

Is medication the answer to alleviating sufferers from the pain of depression?

As a psychologist, people often ask me whether medication should be used solely to treat depression, as a support whilst in therapy or whether it is a ‘band aid’ solution to a longer-term problem? Like any medication, it is aimed at relieving symptoms – there is evidence that it lifts mood and helps chronically depressed individuals make fundamental shifts in everyday functioning, particularly where their depression is so acute that they may not be able to leave the house or even get out of bed.

Psychologists, and clients themselves, also know that it is important to examine the causes of depression – since de-pression is a reaction to life’s events, external circumstances or even self-doubt and inability to live the life one wants. Medicating without assisting an individual in identifying the source of their pain would seem to be irresponsible or even inhumane.

Recent debate in Australia exists between doctors and pharmacists over who should be allowed to own and operate chemists. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has called on the federal government to relax laws so doctors could own pharmacies in, or next to, their general practice. The Pharmacy Guild of Australia says the allowing this would lead to doctors having a conflict of interest. They’d be prescribing drugs and profiting from their sale.

Whatever one’s political beliefs about this, we must not forget the real victims in such a debate. When profit and professional rivalry potentially makes those with power to prescribe anti-depressive medication less objective and impartial in their decisions, then the sufferer of depression stands to lose out. A professional who has to decide between prescribing drugs or referring a person for counseling, would have to be a saint if prescribing counseling alone (if considered optimum) which resulted in them losing income.

So is medication the answer to treating depression? To answer the question, I believe it is important to ensure that a context is created in which the doctor chooses what is best for the patient – not how it impacts on their financial bottom line.

Anxiety and Depression – Early signs

New Year’s Resolutions are made by many people each year and yet by the end of January, many are forgotten.  Because this can lead to depression and anxiety as you realise that the changes you want to make to your life, are not happening, ask yourself the following questions:

1. What specific results do you want to achieve this year?
2. What are the constraints that could prevent you from achieving those results?
3. What habits do you need to change to ensure better results?
4. What price are you willing to pay in order to achieve what you want?
5. Are you actively pursuing what’s most important on a daily basis?
6. What is the biggest unsolved problem in your life that requires a solution?

Anxiety and depression develop for a number of reasons.  Some are deep-seated and require special assistance – others are the beginning of a reminder to you that ‘all is not well’.  You run the risk of developing greater levels of anxiety and depression if you don’t take time to see what is and is not working in your life and making the necessary changes to support your psychological wellbeing.