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Quiet Forest

Depression & Anxiety

Depression and anxiety are two manifestations of the same internal process – our threat response or “fight flight” system. This is hardwired into us and keeps us safe. Threats are not just physical but emotional too. If we feel at risk of being abandoned, isolated, feel a failure, mocked, criticised, bullied, ignored or manipulated – ‘triggered’ - our threat response will kick in and try to get us to do something about it.  It mobilises us until we feel safe again.

Safety means feeling we are valued, cared for, included. This system is always running in the background and will not rest until we are safe.

Depression/Anxiety cycle image

However problems arise when mobilising doesn’t work. This can be for all kinds of reasons, but the end result can either be anxiety (constantly being on alert, can’t sit still, mind always buzzing, need to do something) or depression (too scared or too exhausted to try any more).

Anxiety and depression are both points on the same vicious circle, signs of a threat response system that doesn’t work.

My role is to explore with you why your threat response system got disrupted. And there are always reasons. I can help you re-set your threat response to respond to what your threats are now, not what they were in the past. Anxiety and depression need not be life sentences.

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