Experiences of depression, anxiety, and their roots are the historic juggernauts that psychology and spiritual traditions have tried to resolve throughout human history.
In some form or another, labeled at times hysteria, neurosis, melancholia, these have been targeted in order to relieve human suffering. Now they are not only universally encountered and experienced to some degree but can also take on an oppressive hue in our modern life with the addition of them starkly persisting even in the light of increased material wealth and comfort.
When depression or anxiety are referred to and thought of in an inherent manner it can at times lead to viewing them in a monolithic or eternal fashion, feeling that no matter what we employ against these behemoths they will stand unaffected and they are just "who we are". This view and resultant feeling can then further belie the complicated experiences of living with them and can prevent natural exploration of the deeper roots of these disruptive emotions to eventually finding the vulnerable point in their armor and striking at it when ready.
The relationship between depression and anxiety reflects their distinct yet related nature of emotional disturbance. These disturbances to our mind and emotions don't come from nowhere — tracking the history and experiences of these sensations can unearth and untangle the complications behind these two types of distinct disturbances and provide a path forward to a healthier relationship with oneself.
For depression, I emphasize behavioral activation: identifying what we can do differently right now to interrupt the cycle that maintains low mood, and becoming genuinely willing to engage in life — imperfectly, incrementally, but actively. Movement creates momentum, and momentum opens doors that stillness keeps closed.
For anxiety, exposure work is central — holistically confronting fear while learning about the nervous system and practicing mindfulness approaches of watching the mind as it moves. In both, perhaps the most important thread is this: how are we treating ourselves? The quality of our inner relationship sets the tone for everything else, and learning to meet ourselves with honesty and compassion rather than judgment is often the turning point that makes all other progress possible.
