Anxiety and Depression

Let’s view a day in the life of an anxiety disorder.

It’s the middle of the day, and you’re taking a lunch break at work. You try to focus on eating, but your thoughts are racing. “Did I remember to lock the door this morning?”

You’re pretty sure you did, but still, you imagine going home to a burglary and feel your heart rate increase. There is a sudden urge to drive home and check the lock, but lunch is only 30 minutes, and you live 10 minutes away. It takes about 4 of those precious minutes to assess the situation and decide what to do.

“I could make it if I hurry, but I’d probably get a speeding ticket, come back late, and get fired.” You decide against going home and try to push the worry away. But you can’t shake the feeling that something terrible might happen at home while you are away at work.

Then, your thoughts turn to the incident that happened earlier this morning. “I can’t believe I switched up the patient paperwork! How could I be so dumb?” The supervisor understood, but you fear that they might report you to HR for a HIPPA violation.

Then, a flash of panic overtakes you.

Because of that error, you think that your life could be about to change dramatically. All your education and hard work are about to go up in flames. What if you lose your job, can’t pay your bills, and end up on the streets because no one will hire you?

“It’s going to be okay,” you tell yourself.

You know from therapy that thoughts are just thoughts, not facts. Retraining your brain to challenge “cognitive distortions” and thinking positively is essential.

Still, your stomach is in knots, and your heart is beating faster. It’s hard not to think worst-case-scenario thoughts when your body is reacting as though something terrible were happening.

Another anxious thought suddenly appears.

As you reach for your lunch, the news about a recent E. coli outbreak comes to mind. You’re not sure if you should eat the spinach salad you packed. Tears well up in your eyes as you feel the crushing weight of the never-ending worries that plague your life.

Just then, a colleague walks in and starts a conversation with you. You hastily brush the tears away and try to engage, but it’s hard to put on a fake smile and chat right now. So, you find an excuse to leave and do some deep breathing on your way to the bathroom.

Butterflies are in your chest, your mouth is dry, and your stomach is still in knots. Suddenly, you realize the pit stains are growing in your underarm area. Embarrassment flashes across your face, and you head off to get your jacket before anyone notices.

That’s when you catch a glimpse of your supervisor and wonder if they’ve made a call to HR about you. “Could this day get any worse?” Nothing terrible has happened, but it feels like everything is going wrong.

It’s hard to focus on your work for the rest of the day.

The fear of making another mistake drives you to double and triple-check all your tasks, which slows down your progress. The more you worry about falling behind on work, the harder it is to focus and get things done.

By late afternoon, you’re mentally and physically exhausted. You give up trying to finish work and play games on your phone instead. It feels good to check out, although there will be more stress later.

When you finally get home, you feel overwhelmed and easily irritated. You snap at your loved ones and retreat somewhere private to escape into your favorite Netflix show.

Everyone feels anxiety at times, but…

…when it develops into a mood disorder that affects your daily life, it’s time to get professional help.

People with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, persistent worry and fear that are out of proportion to the everyday situations they experience. Some people experience sudden feelings of acute and disabling anxiety, called “panic attacks,” which trigger severe physical reactions when there is no present danger or apparent cause.

Feelings of anxiety and panic are challenging to control and interfere with daily activities. Symptoms can start in childhood or the teen years and last long into adulthood.

In therapy, I will help you get to the root of the anxiety you are experiencing. I have training in well-researched and effective methods that desensitize the intensity of emotions and allow your brain to shift toward more adaptive beliefs and healthier perspectives.

Together, we will practice nervous system regulation skills to empower you on your mental health and wellness journey.

At the beginning of treatment…

I will ask about your medical history. Sometimes anxiety is caused or exacerbated by an underlying medical condition such as a thyroid problem, withdrawal from alcohol, a respiratory disorder, and drug misuse (among other things). Therefore, it’s essential to consult with your doctor to address any medical conditions that could be contributing to the anxiety you are experiencing.

My specialty addresses the brain-body connection by helping you process the emotions, thoughts, and sensations that make daily life difficult.

As awful as anxiety disorders feel, they are treatable. You don’t have to live with debilitating anxiety.

Imagine feeling calm and more in control of your thoughts throughout your day. Imagine only feeling intense anxiety when appropriate (when there is a clear and present danger) and then returning to a state of inner peace and stillness once the threat has passed.

You have within you the capacity to influence your psychological and physiological responses. I have the skills and tools to help you do that. Reach out today if you’re ready to regain control of your life.

Now, let’s look at a day in the life of a depressive disorder.

The alarm clock goes off, and you hit the snooze button for the first of 5-7 times. It’s not that you can’t wake up. You don’t want to wake up and face another day feeling like this. It’s as if a weighted blanket is pinning you to the bed. There’s a familiar heaviness in your chest and a sense of dread that follows.

You consider going back to sleep since it’s not a workday, but you should get some things done around the house. There are dirty dishes piled high in the kitchen sink, counters covered in take-out containers, piles of mail, and appliances you must put away. Dirty laundry outnumbers the clean clothes in your closet, and your bathroom looks like a tornado blew through it.

Yellow dandelions dot the yard, and weeds grow in the cracks of your driveway. The neighbors complained about the curb appeal yesterday – as if you need reminders about everything you’re failing at in life.

Sometimes, you wish you could cease to exist.

Life feels so hard when doing every little thing takes so much energy. A text message comes through, and you glance at your phone. Some friends are planning to go to the lake this evening. You used to love going to the lake.

For a moment, the memories come flooding back – the way the bonfire flames dance against the night sky, the smell of the lake water and the sound of waves lapping at the shore, the feeling of sand between your toes, the conversation, and laughing (so much laughing!).

That feels like a whole different time now. It’s hard to relate to the lively person you were before the downward spiral into depression. You don’t feel like going out with friends now.

Putting on a fake smile and being around people is too tiring. Your mind feels slow, and you struggle to make conversation. It’s hard to care about anything when you feel empty inside. Being alone is better.

“Am I going to feel this way for the rest of my life?”

The thought makes you want to disappear. “What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I snap out of this?”

Hearing a lawnmower in the distance reminds you to get up and clean. Your parents are coming over on Sunday, and you don’t want them to see how much you’re struggling.

You feel ashamed that you can’t pull it together. Your parents instilled in you values including a strong work ethic, dependability, and self-sufficiency. And here you are, struggling to get out of bed and do your laundry.

Suddenly, a deep, aching sadness starts growing inside as you consider how you fail to live up to their expectations.

Depression makes navigating daily life challenging.

While depression affects people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and genders, the individual expression of symptoms and coping behaviors will vary.

In general, symptoms of depression include changes in appetite and sleep patterns, difficulty focusing and making decisions, loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities, feelings of irritability and anger, feelings of hopelessness or pessimism, lack of energy, fatigue, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, and thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts.

Behaviors may include isolation from family and friends, inability to meet responsibilities, becoming withdrawn or detached, engaging in high-risk activities, greater impulsivity, increased use of alcohol or drugs, and problems with sexual desire and performance.

Symptoms that are present for at least two weeks may meet the criteria for a diagnosis of depression, but that doesn’t mean it’s a life sentence.

I offer a holistic and trauma-informed approach to depression.

When treating depression, I like to understand some of the physical factors that could be contributing to it. I will ask you about your medical history and substance use. I’ll inquire whether you have tried antidepressants and how helpful they are or were for you.

Since I am not a doctor or psychiatrist, I cannot give medical advice or prescribe mental health medications. It’s essential to consult with your doctor about physical health problems that could be contributing to depression.

We will also consider the sociocultural factors (family of origin, cultural background, religion, gender, etc.) that influence your beliefs, values, behaviors, and attitudes. I need to understand your experiences and perspectives to be most helpful to you.

Sometimes, traumatic or adverse life experiences can lead to a downward spiral into depression. When I ask about the onset and severity of symptoms, I will also ask about life events and what you think may have triggered the depression. This information helps me make a comprehensive treatment plan so we can get to the root of the depression.

My office is a safe, nonjudgmental space.

In this space, we can work to help you get relief from symptoms of depression.

I’m trained in therapeutic techniques proven to help the brain reframe negative beliefs, resolve unprocessed trauma contributing to depressive symptoms, and forge new neural pathways that are positive. I can teach you the skills to “jumpstart” your nervous system to get unstuck from depression.

It can feel impossible to get out of the bottomless pit of despair that depression is. I’ve been there. I know what it is to wonder if you’ll ever feel normal again.

I promise you it is worth every ounce of energy it takes to start the journey toward wellness.

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

All it takes is one small step in the right direction. Consistent effort, no matter how small, builds momentum, which keeps you moving toward healing. Together, we will set realistic goals and focus on small, achievable steps that will encourage you to keep pressing forward.

HOPE is the key to success here. If you have even a spark of hope, you can find the motivation to keep going.

Please know that there IS hope and healing! You don’t have to do this alone. Let me help you get your life back!