We all talk a lot about the physical toll that can take on a person, but there is also an emotional and mental toll that is perhaps less discussed. Depression and anxiety are common in people and that’s the obvious situation where psychological support can help. But, as part of your healthcare team, psychologists can help with so much more than mood. So don’t dismiss the idea of psychological support because you’re not ‘feeling down’.  

It’s not all about depression

There’s a common view that psychologists are there for when people ‘can’t cope’, for times when things feel ‘really bad’. But this is not the only time when psychological support can help. What if you could build healthy coping strategies and support networks into your life and routine that stop things ever getting ‘really bad’? If you could learn to think about your diagnosis differently, learn how to manage the stress that you experience, and create effective communication strategies for yourself and your family? All these things are areas of support that you can work on with a psychologist and which will help improve your general resilience and overall wellness, not just your mental health.

Of course, there’s no quick-fix or perfect strategy that can guarantee to keep you smiling 100% of the time. It’s almost inevitable that there will be times when living with depression affects you emotionally and mentally as well as physically. But if you have contact with a psychologist you trust, and they have helped you build coping strategies and effective communication networks into your life, maybe talking about it and getting the help you need, when you need it, won’t feel so hard. And maybe those tough times will be a little less tough if you know there are steps you can take, and people you can talk to, that can help you get through them.

This doesn’t mean you have to commit to seeing a psychologist every couple of weeks forever. You can approach them in the same way you would your GP or neurologist and see them for a few sessions here or there to work on key issues like communication with family. And then not see them for a while until you find something else you’d like to work on, or there is a challenge coming up that you need to prepare yourself for. There are psychologists who have a good understanding of chronic illness and who will understand this approach.

Depression, anxiety and psychological support 

You’ve heard how a psychiatrist can help strengthen your resilience and overall wellness, so let’s also discuss those obvious targets of psychological support – depression and anxiety. Fifty per cent of people  will experience depression in their lifetime and up to 45% of people may experience anxiety. These symptoms are also thought to be especially common in the early stages of the illness. So if this is how you’re feeling, you’re certainly not alone.

As well as classic depression (or Major Depressive Disorder as it is clinically known) in people with depression can be caused by the effects of the disease itself on the brain (depressive disorder due to a medical condition), or by having trouble adjusting to the diagnosis or the challenges of living with adjustment disorder. Of course, being diagnosed with a lifelong condition like manic depression is not easy, and living with depression and anxiety is often described as an emotional rollercoaster – anger, frustration, shock, denial, guilt, even relief at finding out what’s wrong are all common and natural responses.

Coping with this by yourself can be hard, and talking about it is the best thing you can do. Friends or family who ‘get it’ can be a great source of support and should always be a port of call for you. But working with a psychologist can provide you with more resources to help combat depression or anxiety. From medication, to cognitive behavioural therapy, to exercise – depression and anxiety are very treatable and having an experienced psychologist on your team means you’ll never have to deal with them alone. A psychologist can also help prepare you for the ups and downs you will experience and help you cope better if, and when, your mood and emotions are affected again.

Where to find psychological support

Talking to your current doctor or Health nurse about finding a psychologist is a great place to start, they will have some suggestions, advice and professional recommendations or referrals for you that will help.

References