Hello and thanks for writing in. I understand that this must be a very stressful time for you after the recent death of your brother. From the description of your symptoms, it appears that you are suffering from an Adjustment disorder - with predominantly anxiety symptoms. I would like to give you the following suggestions to handle your stess and anxiety problems: - Practising relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, deep breathing, etc. can help relieve stress. - Ensure that you get 7 - 8 hours of continuous sleep everyday. - Avoid alcohol, smoking or any other substances as they all have been associated with many psychiatric disorders, including depression. - Develop a strong social and spiritual support system. Have friends / relatives who you can trust and talk to regularly, keep up with social and religious activities frequently. - Keep your mind always active and engaged - finding a new hobby, spending time with nature, doing tasks which you enjoy, etc will all help in avoiding depressive thoughts. - Last, but not the least, seek help early: when you feel low in mood or feeling depressed or having difficulty in managing your stress, please don t hesitate to seek help immediately. Early intervention by means of counselling or sometimes medication can prevent you from going into a major depressive episode. Wish you all the best. Regards, Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar MBBS., DPM., MRCPsych.(U.K.) Consultant Psychiatrist