Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, but can often times grow into something much more. Left untreated, anxiety can take over the body and mind and creates a lot of suffering for people, especially if you have a busy lifestyle. Symptoms can include rapid heartbeat, aches and pains, and muscle tension among many others. Often times we see anxiety also lead to depression if not treated. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, each year about 18% of the US population is suffering from some kind of anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can often last six months or more and often get worse without treatment. Like depression, anxiety is thought to be caused from a combination of genetic factors, medical conditions, substance use/abuse and the circumstances of modern life. There is good news, however. Anxiety is our body and minds’ attempt to stay safe. Our brain and body can respond to everyday stressors such as a work deadline, public speaking, or relationship problems just as a solider might react in combat. With help, we can learn to accept anxiety and recognize there is not anything inherently wrong, just challenges and changes. Counseling is critical to make it to this junction so you can stop letting anxiety overwhelm your life. We work with clients to get immediate relief from their anxiety symptoms, and get to the root causes of their anxiety so they have tools to head it off when it re-emerges in the future.
Depression
According to the Centers for Disease Control, depression affects roughly 10% of the US Population at any given time. Unlike a bad day or week, depression impacts our ability to function in our social, professional and personal lives.
What are the signs that I might be depressed?
• Feeling sad, anxious or bored with little or no ability to shake off the mood
• Low energy, feeling tired or fatigued. Feeling irritable and even very angry
• Lack of or excessive amounts of sleep, waking frequently during the night
• Poor concentration or the ability to focus on normal tasks
• Loss of interest in hobbies, family or social life
• Low self-esteem and feelings of guilt
• Physical aches and pains with no apparent reasoning, e.g. chest, head or stomach pain associated with anxiety or stress
• Loss of interest in living, thinking about death, suicidal thoughts
• Sudden weight gain or weight loss
• Thinking that it will always be this way
What causes depression?
Depression can have a number of possible causes. For some, it happens due to a traumatic life event such as death of a loved one or relationship breakdown. There are many other stressors that people often over look though, such as financial stress, change of life standards, parenthood, health problems, or even simply moving to a new area.
Depression and Anxiety can be Treated
We work with clients to get immediate relief from their anxiety symptoms, and get to the root causes of their anxiety so they have tools to head it off when it re-emerges in the future.