# Help and Advice > Questions/Information about depression >  Why is it so hard to learn?

## Grey haze

25 years ago I had a panic attack that then it led to varying degrees of depression that is particularly crap today.

So my depression is driven by anxiety. The anxiety is anticipatory and has always been.
My fears today are exactly the same as they were 25 years ago. Meetings, Flying, Staying away from home and some social anxiety.
How does this happen? If I have attended 100s of meetings, but I have one Thursday that I am as anxious about as the first since my intial panic attack.
I have had very uncomfortable meetings but I have got through them and felt good when they were over.

Apologies for this being mainly about anxiety, but my depression I firmly believe is completely down to my anxiety.

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## Suzi

Never apologise for talking about anxiety. The two go hand in hand I've found. 
Have you got some breathing/meditation you can use to help?

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## Paula

If you had heartburn every time you found yourself in certain situations, you wouldnt insist you should have learnt not to get heartburn. Yes, there are therapies than can help you cope with anxiety but its not a case of shrugging it off - its an illness and certain symptoms will rear their ugly heads. Its important to try to manage better but its just as important to not beat yourself up about it

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## Grey haze

> If you had heartburn every time you found yourself in certain situations, you wouldn’t insist you should have ‘learnt’ not to get heartburn. Yes, there are therapies than can help you cope with anxiety but it’s not a case of shrugging it off - it’s an illness and certain symptoms will rear their ugly heads. It’s important to try to manage better but it’s just as important to not beat yourself up about it


Thats an interesting view and I never really thought of it in that way as it would be a physical issue, but it does make sense.

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