I have been experiencing severe anxiety for nearly five years now and along with this have been periods of low mood.

My career involves counselling and so I spend my days supporting people to move through these difficult stages in their lives but actually, I don't take the supportive advice myself. I know all of the things that I should be doing, I understand the nature of what I experience but getting the motivation to fight the anxious thoughts and go out and do these things is somewhat challenging. I allow anxiety and low moods to get the better of me and I'm not afraid to admit that.

Admitting this is what has allowed me to get to the point now where I can do something about it and start taking the suggestions that I give others. Getting to this point can be difficult; it's taken me five years! Up until now, I have outwardly said that anxiety does not define me but internally I have allowed it to and now it's time to change that.

From experience, I have found that it can be something that you hear, see, read etc. that prompts this change in perspective. It might be something huge that prompts this turning point but it also may be a series of small things that gets you there. For me, it has been a series of small things. Lots of little things that have challenged my way of thinking and taken me one step closer to making change. The latest thing (which has tipped this change process over the edge) was something that I read about how we spend our days when we are feeling low. We often hear that exercise, getting out of bed, eating well and doing things are important to moving the low mood and while this is true, I have found it difficult to simply 'do' these things.

So, to share the advice that I found helpful: Each day, do one thing that makes you feel like you have accomplished something and one thing that you enjoy - it's a place to start and feeling like you have accomplished something in your day can be a really great way of shifting the low mood.

Paige

A Moodscope member.