How To Treat Anxiety And Depression

Introduction to Anxiety And Depression

Is there a way to rid your life of anxiety or depression? Anxiety disorders are affecting more people today. The effects of stress, anxiety and depression can be devastating. Fortunately, depression and anxiety are treatable. At first, you may not know how to go about treating your problem. You might think that there is no way to get help because you are too ashamed of what you are going through or because you are worried about the reaction of your friends or family.

You might experience a deep sense of hopelessness or helplessness. In extreme cases, this can lead to suicide thoughts. For some individuals, feeling helpless makes them feel like they can do nothing to help their situation.

So, you may be wonder…Should I turn to my doctor, or should I contact a shrink? Should I be on medication or is there other alternatives?

Your First Step In Managing Anxiety.

Talk to your doctor first and let him or her provide you with options. It is likely he or she will recommend speaking with a professional psychotherapist or counsellor. When you start to work with a psychotherapist or registered counsellor in a private practice, you will have the advantage of receiving personalized one on one attention from a trained professional who understands how the brain works and why certain things are more likely to happen when you are depressed or anxious.

If you decide to book an initial visit with a professional therapist, you will be asked about your symptoms and why they feel the way they do. Counselors will then help you identify effective ways to deal with the symptoms, developing a mental health treatment plan that works for you.

Psychotherapy can also help to control panic attacks, learn to breathe properly and to manage physical symptoms such as dizziness, lightheadedness, and nausea. Many people find this form of therapy very helpful. Also, a combination of both psychotherapy and medication can provide great results when working with depression in particularly.

What Causes Anxiety?

Firstly, let me say that anxiety is a normal human, reaction to any stimulus. It's usually accompanied by an increase in heart rate and blood pressure as well as muscle tension. So, what causes anxiety? Well, there's not one specific reason behind it, but there are a few major ones.

The first is that people experience anxiety when the 'normal' or typical things in their lives change. This could be anything from moving house, to a new job, to the arrival of a new baby. As the person changes mentally, so does the symptoms; short-term memory loss, restlessness, irritability, muscle tension, headaches and nausea are common.

There are also some research that shows that some people are more prone to anxiety and depression than others due to some hereditary genes.

What Are The Symptoms Of Anxiety?

Anxiety symptoms usually comes and go but sometimes can remain all day long, and they will include:

• Sleepiness
• Fatigue
• Trouble focusing
• Jumpy, edgy, moody
• Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
• Having an increased heart rate
• Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
• Sweating
• Trembling

You may also notice that they become extremely quiet or even cry (not from sadness or pain, but because they feel anxiety symptoms disrupting their brain chemistry).

How To Treat Anxiety?

If you want to know how to treat anxiety quickly and effectively, then the first thing you should do is talk to your doctor about using prescription medication such as anti-depressants, or beta blockers, or long-term anxiety medication.

However, there are also other ways of treating anxiety disorders; this includes methods such as counselling, hypnotherapy and lifestyle changes. For example, if you have anxiety that is caused by stress, then you should find ways of reducing stress as much as possible. Try taking up relaxing hobbies like Yoga or meditation to reduce the effects of anxiety on your body. Similarly, if you suffer from migraines, a good way of treating the symptoms is by taking regular mild electric stimulation or acupuncture, as both these have shown to help people suffering from migraines and other types of acute mental health issues.

There are also other modalities used by registered psychotherapists and counsellors such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It teaches the person on how to change his or her thinking patterns in order to avoid the anxious feelings. The first step is to identify negative thoughts that make you feel anxious and replace them with positive ones. This is called cognitive behavioral therapy. Anxiety therapy teaches you to understand how to control your anxiety; recognize, avoid, and overcome anxiety-inducing thoughts; and devise new, more effective coping mechanisms for anxiety-inducing situations.

Another aspect of anxiety therapy is a form of relaxation therapy, also called relaxation therapy. This type of therapy takes your fears and concerns about your anxiety disorder and replaces them with more realistic fears and concerns. This is done through self-hypnosis, hypnotherapy, guided imagery, or other non-invasive relaxation techniques. These techniques teach you new ways of thinking that enable you to effectively deal with your fears and anxieties. If you're still worried and you're not getting the relaxation therapy that you want, then you need to see a psychiatrist or psychologist. There are many anxiety disorders that require professional treatment.

Is It Best To Meet My Therapist Or Counsellor In Person Or Virtually?

Nearly 2 years in the pandemic, most people are now seeing their counsellor through telehealth or virtual care. The benefits are the ability to speak to one another without the mask on. Then, it's the ability to stay in the comfort of your home and avoid traffic or travel time. At Pillars of Wellness, our counsellors accept both, in person and through video conference using an encrypted platform.

Should you need to speak to a health professional specialized in counselling or mental health, feel free to contact us. Our therapists are currently accepting new clients.