When someone close to you has a serious illness, it is normal to feel anxious and extremely sad at times.

Some of the important ways that a person can help themselves is firstly learning ways of managing stress:

• Use relaxation techniques, slow breathing exercises
• Get enough sleep
• Exercise
• Maintain social contact
• Reduce alcohol and other drugs.

But sometimes the worry is so great that people develop symptoms of anxiety. This can include feeling edgy / restless, tired, having difficulty concentrating, developing muscle tension, and having difficulty in falling / staying asleep.

When a person experiences feelings of sadness, being moody and low very intensely and for a long period of time may become an illness in itself - depression. Depression is a very common mental health problem - one in four women and one in six men experience depression at some stage of their lives.

The Beyond Blue website has comprehensive information about the signs and symptoms and treatments of anxiety and depression.

This page was created on 26 March 2007 and is due for review in March 2009