Depression is a mood disorder that ranges from mild to severe. All of us have experienced a form of depression at some time in our lives. It can accompany loss, stress, unresolved anger, fear, shame, disappointment and other emotional dynamics that are a part of our life situation. Depression is experienced by children, adults, and elderly regardless of economic status, gender, or culture. Depression affects physical health, relationships, awareness, weight, memory, decision making ability, energy level, interest, and sleep. In addition to emotional experience, depression can result from diet, nutrition, and other physical biochemical origins.

Anxiety is part of our natural “fight-or-flight” response. It’s our body’s way of warning us of possible danger ahead. Anxiety disorder is a blanket term covering several different forms of abnormal, pathological anxiety, fears, phobias. Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental health problems. Anxiety disorders are a group of disorders which affect behaviour, thoughts, emotions and physical health. It is estimated that they affect approximately 1 in 10 people.

Our co-workers are very much like an extended family. We spend most of our waking hours with them, forging special bonds of trust and friendship that are unlike our other relationships.

So it’s not surprising that a co-worker’s death can sometimes be particularly difficult to deal with, particularly if you were close to that person, or if the death was sudden and tragic. You may also experience feelings of anxiety and guilt if the death occurred in the workplace, or your last interaction with the person was not pleasant. And even if the co-worker’s death is the result of a prolonged illness, you may still experience shock and depression when the news arrives.

Anxiety is part of our natural “fight-or-flight” response. It’s our body’s way of warning us of possible danger ahead. Anxiety disorder is a blanket term covering several different forms of abnormal, pathological anxiety, fears, phobias. Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental health problems. Anxiety disorders are a group of disorders which affect behaviour, thoughts, emotions and physical health. It is estimated that they affect approximately 1 in 10 people. 18.1% of Americans are affected by anxiety disorders. They are more prevalent among women than among men, and they affect children as well as adults. Anxiety disorders are illnesses. It can be present from an early age or begin suddenly after a triggering event. They are prone to flare up at times of high stress.

Numerous factors have been linked to the development of mental disorders. In many cases there is no single accepted or consistent cause currently established. A common view held is that disorders often result from genetic vulnerabilities combining with environmental stressors (Diathesis-stress model). An eclectic or pluralistic mix of models may be used to explain particular disorders. The primary paradigm of contemporary mainstream Western psychiatry is said to be the biopsychosocial (BPS) model - incorporating biological, psychological and social factors - although this may not be applied in practice. Biopsychiatry has tended to follow a biomedical model, focusing on “organic” or “hardware” pathology of the brain.