[Boater]

Hi All,
I wonder if you can help me? I cannot focus or concentrate when other people are around ( including my family). At work, I share room w six colleagues who more or less chatter a lot. The mere fact that people are in the room makes me jittery. Is this a symptom of some kind? Of what? It makes my life a hell. I have to be able to focus.

[bwkeys45]

It could be both, to be honest. I have anxiety and depression and sometimes I have a hard time telling them from one another. Have you been to a psychologist or gotten a diagnosis?

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

Sounds like anxiety, if I had to choose one. I have the same or similar problem. Jitteryness is a symptom of anxiety notable anxiety.

[Boater]

Thanks to both of you. I have been in therapy for depression, but never really dealt with the anxiety part. I suppose I never described how difficult it was, and is, to stay focused around others. Hm.
Anyone know if it can pass without treatment?

[atomicc]

Hmm it sounds like any number of things. If it affecting you very much you should see a psychologist about it and see if they can help you. I hope you can work this out

[healingme4me]

Not being able to focus can be either or, depression/anxiety. I don't know about passing anxiety, depression can go away, if it's situational.

I have to bring up with my pdoc, this week, my 'jumping a mile', over loud noises. Happened, again, today. Deep down, I know that's something deeper seeded than what I've been in treatment for.

Focusing around chaos, now that's something that takes time and skill and learned coping mechanisms. I live with my three kids, there's always noise going on around me. I work with someone, who I feel, needs to hear noise constantly, most likely part of her upbringing in a larger sized family unit, where myself and other worker, aren't used to so much noise. It can be draining, in that regard.

Anxiety is monitored by a listing of symptoms. Talk therapy can help, but if it's an anxiety disorder, that can be treated by a psychiatrist. If that's the route, you choose, of course.

There are anxiety coping skills out there. If it's that. No one here, in PC, can truly say for sure, dx's are best left to doctors, not fellow patients.

[Cyran0]

My anxiety frequently leads to periods of depression and like bwkeys45, I have trouble telling them apart. I think what happens is that anxiety eventually burns me out and leaves me depressed.

Anyway, sounds to me like you have some issues with both. It's important to remember that a diagnosis is not a label for you but more of a tool to help professionals treat you (and file your insurance). Whichever it is it's important to get help if it's interfering with your life.

And yes, anxiety can pass without treatment for some people but it really comes down to what's causing it. Since you have a therapist, you may as well talk this out.

[Mustkeepjob32]

For me your symptoms sound like anxiety, however, many who have anxiety have depression also. It goes hand in hand.

[Stockbroker]

When you are in these situations, try and focus your attention on your breathing. 4 second inhale, hold it in 3 seconds, exhale 4 seconds ..2sec pause. This will (a) quiet your mind (b) relax your body which has tensed up from the anxiety.

Since this is anxiety you are dealing with you are probably breathing shallow and that contributes to loss of focus, and certainly makes anxiety worse.

S.E.E.
Sleep, Exercise, Eat Healthy

[Pierro]

Its hard to distinguish between the two.

[circles5]

Originally Posted by Cyran0

My anxiety frequently leads to periods of depression and like bwkeys45, I have trouble telling them apart. I think what happens is that anxiety eventually burns me out and leaves me depressed.

hmm seems to be the same for me.. i was just diagnosed with 'depressive episode' once again...
It's always when my anxiety has peaked for an extended amount of time..
and the psychiatrist referred to my depression as secondary to my anxiety disorders....; or in other words a product of.
And i too have difficulty telling them apart..

C

[duende]

Hi Boater,

I actually have both anxiety and depression. In my experience, the difficulty in focusing could be either, or both. For me, the depression seems to have slowed down my thought processes. But the anxiety can really seem to take up headspace when you're trying to focus. Also, at least in my experience, it's physiologically distracting. Good question.

Does that sound similar to what you experience?