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Keeping mentally well – depression and stress
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Although CMT has no direct effect on the brain, people with any long term medical condition may face more challenging problems dealing with day-to-day life than “able bodied” people and, occasionally, these difficulties can become more acute, leading to a feeling of depression.
Depression is a medical condition in its own right and can respond well to treatment. If you feel depressed you should seek out help from your GP. Your GP may be able to refer you to see a counsellor or psychiatrist, depending on where in the country you live, and may also prescribe medication.
Stress
A little stress, now and then, is probably good for us. It is normal to experience a moderate amount of anxiety and stress. It can heighten our awareness and actually help us to adapt to demands of a deadline or enable us to get out of the way of oncoming traffic. The problems occur when either the level of stress experienced is not necessary for a situation, or when stress levels stay high over a long period. Stress and anxiety then begins to interfere with daily life.
The important thing is to recognise stress and work out a way to deal with it – the longer you leave it, the harder it is to solve the problem and the more damage it can do to you. These are some general ways that you may be able to deal with stress successfully:
Change the factors that you can control in your life for the better. Most importantly, learn to delegate and say “No”
Exercise regularly – the natural decrease in adrenaline after exercise may counteract the stress response. Exercise will also help make you fitter and healthier and so better able to deal with the problems of stress
Relax – use techniques such as guided imagery, meditation, muscle relaxation and relaxed breathing (see below)
Find a friend – social support can help reduce stress and prolong life
Recognise when you need help – talk to your doctor or social worker, to help you gain control over your symptoms
