For me, anxiety is the thing that I live with, that I manage every day. When it goes unchecked too long, when a life event causes it to surge past what I can manage, depression shows up.
Sarah, I thought this was a dog training blog…
Yeah, it is. See, I think this happens to dogs too. From a purely chemical standpoint we could argue that of course it does; that the stress hormones that run rampant and overwork our adrenal systems take a tole on our bodies and create a depressive state is very, very real. Why wouldn’t that be exactly the same in another mammalian brain with the same hormones?
The demons on my back can’t be cured but they can be treated. The treatments that work for me work for dogs too, so here they are:
Go outside.
Sleep as much as you need to.
Eat well.
Get curious.
If it suits you, try medication. There have been times in my life I didn’t need it, and now is not one of them. Above all, reach out for a friend when you need one.