Try these when you’re feeling anxious or stressed:

Difficulty concentrating can be one sign of an anxiety disorder, and it is a reported symptom in the majority of people diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder.

Stress, anxiety or depression can cause forgetfulness, confusion, difficulty concentrating and other problems that disrupt daily activities.

1. Take a time-out.
2. Eat well-balanced meals.
3. Limit alcohol and caffeine, which can aggravate anxiety and trigger panic attacks.
4. Get enough sleep.
5. Exercise daily to help you feel good and maintain your health.
6. Take deep breaths.
7. Count to 10 slowly.
8. Do your best.

To calm your mind and cut stress, try working these self-care tips into your daily routine: Move your body. Exercise is an important part of physical — and mental — health. It can ease your feelings of anxiety and boost your sense of well-being.

Signs of Self Medicating

• Staying away from family, friends, social events, and other activities.
• A sudden change in hobbies or who one spends time with.
• Secrecy about how one spends time.
• Neglecting physical care, such as showering or eating.
• Having difficulties in work, school, or other areas.
• Sudden anger.

Rates of self-medication tend to increase with the increase of co-occurring mental health issues. The compounding effects of multiple issues often result in higher rates of substance use. The pain from depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or other mental health issues can cause you to seek relief from substances.

Whether you turn to alcohol, illegal drugs, or prescription medications (or even food or cigarettes), regular self-medication can lead to addiction, a worsening of mood disorders, and increased health problems. It can also damage your relationships at home, work, and school. But you’re not powerless.

Commonly found in pain relievers, acetaminophen gets rid of more than just physical agony – it also diminishes emotions. Commonly found in pain relievers, acetaminophen gets rid of more than just physical agony — it also diminishes emotions.

As it is with any medication, antidepressants can have side effects, including the possibility of what is termed “emotional blunting.” According to studies, nearly half of people taking antidepressants at some point experience emotional blunting from antidepressants.

Anger, sadness, anxiety, and fear are just some of the emotions a person may have. Being unable to control emotions can be temporary. It could be caused by something like a drop in blood sugar or exhaustion from lack of sleep.

If you’re on the right dose and the level of lithium in your blood is right, you may not have any problems taking this medicine. However, some people find lithium slows down their thinking or makes them feel a bit “numb”.

Lithium toxicity, also known as lithium overdose, is the condition of having too much lithium. Symptoms may include a tremor, increased reflexes, trouble walking, kidney problems, and an altered level of consciousness. Some symptoms may last for a year after levels return to normal.

Adverse effects were the most common cause for lithium discontinuation. Among the adverse effects, diarrhoea, tremor, creatinine increase, polyuria/polydipsia/diabetes insipidus and weight gain were the top five reasons for discontinuing lithium.

Second generation mood stabilizing anticonvulsants carbamazepine and valproate are now widely used as alternatives or adjuncts to lithium.