Anxiety is a common mental health disorder today. Maybe you have been experiencing symptoms of anxiety for years, or perhaps your anxiety emerged as a result of a global pandemic, social divide, and other environmental factors. Often our experience of anxiety is very internally disruptive but invisible to others. We may hesitate to tell others about what we are going through out of fear of being judged, thoughts that we have failed in some way, or beliefs that if we ignore the feelings of anxiety that it will just go away.
If you have noticed your anxiety increase, regardless of the reason, you are not alone. Anxiety disorders are one the most common mental health disorders today with more than 40 million adults in the United States meeting the diagnostic criteria. Anxiety and stress are normal responses to life’s stressors, and a number of factors contribute to the development of anxiety—difficult life experiences, personality traits, family history of mental health disorders, and physical health. During moments of high distress, it may seem as though the physical sensations of anxiety will never go away; however, research shows us that anxiety is treatable and the feelings we experience are temporary.
Different Types of Anxiety Disorders
There are a number of different anxiety disorders including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The different types of anxiety disorders share some commonalities which can include symptoms such as racing heart, sweating, and racing thoughts. There are some differences in the experience of anxiety among the different anxiety disorders. People with panic disorder feel as if they are in sudden danger, feel helpless, and feel as if they are losing control even though there is no real threat or danger. A panic attack can last for several minutes and can occur at random. Generalized anxiety refers to a persistent feeling of worry. PTSD is generally a result of experiencing a traumatic event. PTSD refers to the intense and uncomfortable thoughts and feelings related to the traumatic experience. OCD refers to the unwanted thoughts and emotions that cause a person to engage in a behavior repetitively.
What Does Anxiety Look and Feel Like?
Symptoms of anxiety can be both physical and psychological. Many of us know that feeling when we are about to give a presentation in front of a group of people, take a test, or meet someone for the first time. While our triggers to anxiety symptoms may be different, it is highly likely that we have all experienced anxiety at some point in our lives. Anxiety isn’t all bad as it does serve a purpose in helping alert us to threats and helping us prepare for important moments in our lives. However, if anxiety increases in severity and duration and begins to cause problems in your life, your anxiety may be at an unhealthy level.
Difficulty sleeping is a warning sign that can look different for each person. You may find yourself thinking about the past or the future as you lay in bed, preventing you from falling asleep. Or perhaps, you may notice that you are waking up every 3 to 4 hours and cannot easily fall back asleep. In both situations, it is common to begin to worry about what will happen the next day if you can’t get to a restful night’s sleep.
2. Lack of Concentration
You are having a hard time concentrating and following through with things at home, work, school, and in relationships. You may miss important deadlines, overlook key details, and fail to follow through with important obligations. It can look like slipping grades and poor performance at work.
3. Being Easily Irritated
You notice you are on edge, restless, and are easily irritated. You often find yourself in disagreements with loved ones and co-workers over small instances such as someone’s loud chewing or that they did something differently than what you would have done.
4. Feeling Tired
You feel tired easily and experience more fatigue with anxiety. Your energy level is low, causing you to struggle to find the motivation to complete simple tasks like getting out of bed in the morning and doing laundry. Coffee and other caffeinated beverages are no longer doing the trick and giving you the burst of energy you need. Maybe your laundry has been piling up or you have missed several days of work due to fatigue.
5. Intense and Prolonged Worry
Anxiety may cause you to have a hard time controlling worried thoughts. Your mind can race with “what if” thoughts about the future such as “what if I fail”, “what if they don’t like me”, and “what if I’m not good enough”.
6. Fast Heartbeat
If you are experiencing feelings of anxiety, your heart may beat really fast. You may check your pulse and notice your heartbeat increasing and your mind jumps to the worst-case scenario about your increased heart rate.
When to Get Help
Here are some questions to consider to help you determine if you should seek help for your anxiety:
Am I avoiding activities, people, and places that remind me of a time I experienced a panic attack?
Has my anxiety contributed to conflict in any of my relationships with loved ones?
Have I missed important family, work, and school responsibilities because of my anxiety?
Have I tried to control or manage my anxiety in other ways without success?
If you answered yes to any of these questions or if you want to talk to someone about your anxiety symptoms, help is available. Many people may be hesitant to get help for a number of reasons including not knowing where to turn for help, feeling shame or embarrassment about anxiety, or confusion about their insurance coverage. A good place to start can be to talk with your doctor or medical professional. If you are confused about your insurance, you can call the number on the back of your card to determine your coverage and identify treatment locations that accept your insurance provider. Anxiety can be treated by medical and mental health professionals.
Valera Health offers therapy and psychiatric services via telehealth so you can receive the mental healthcare you need from the comfort of your home. We can help you on your personal journey to get treatment for anxiety.
Clinical depression, also known as major depressive disorder, impacts many people across the country. In 2017, more than 17 million adults in the United States struggled with mild to severe depression. Today, we will explore common signs for recognizing depression and how to know when to get help for you or a loved one. Below are some common signs.
5 Signs of Clinical Depression
Clinical depression has the potential to cause significant distress in many aspects of your life if it’s left untreated. It is important to be able to spot the warning signs so that you can receive appropriate treatment for this disorder. Below are some of the moderate to severe warning signs that you should be aware of.
1. You Lose Interest in Pleasurable Activities
You may find that petting your cat isn’t as enjoyable as it once was, or going out to eat doesn’t bring about the same excitement as it has before. Understand that this is a common symptom and challenge yourself to do one thing every day that brings you joy, no matter how small. That can look like taking a bubble bath or watching your favorite TV show.
2. You Have Feelings of Hopelessness and Guilt
You may feel as if you will feel down and sad forever, and there is nothing you can do to change it. Remind yourself that feelings aren’t facts and that they are temporary. Developing feelings of gratitude and thanks can help combat feelings of hopelessness and guilt. Write down 5 things you are grateful for each day. These don’t have to be major things. In fact, sometimes we experience the most gratitude over the small things in life. This can include the warm cup of coffee in your hands, the rays of the sun shining through your window, and the coziness of your bed.
3. You Experience Changes in Energy, Appetite, and Sleep
You may find yourself feeling tired a lot sooner in the day. You may be sleeping past your alarm or having a hard time falling asleep at night. Maybe your appetite has gone away or you find that you are eating more than normal. Keep a water bottle with you throughout the day to stay hydrated, and keep small snacks nearby if you become hungry.
4. You Have Physical Aches and Pains
You may notice an increase in neck and shoulder pain and other physical pains in your body that didn’t exist before the onset of your depression. Moving your body once a day by stretching and walking may help to reduce physical aches and pains.
5. You Have Thoughts or Intentions of Suicide
Having thoughts about not being alive is common when you are experiencing depression. Practice some self-care activities such as journaling, taking a bath, and reading. Reach out to a friend or a loved one via phone or text so they can help distract you. Think about things that have helped you feel grounded and calm in the past.
When to Get Help
No single factor contributes to the development of clinical depression. Researchers have found that genetics, environment, social stressors, physical health issues, and substance abuse all contribute to the development of depression. If you are experiencing multiple symptoms of depression that have occurred every day for 2 weeks or longer and have tried to manage your symptoms on your own but they persist, it may be time to get help.
Fortunately, depression is treatable and common treatment approaches include therapy and medication or a combination of both. If you are thinking about getting help for your depression or any other mental illness, we at Valera Health are here. At Valera Health, we understand that it can feel intimidating to ask for help. That’s why they offer telehealth services for both therapy and psychiatric services. Mental health conditions like depression shouldn’t be left untreated. Hope and help are available on your personal journey with mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or ADHD.
How to Get Help
If you are thinking about getting help for your mental illness, a good place to start is to talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Your doctor may be able to provide you with a referral to a mental health professional. If you have insurance, you can also call the number on the back of your card to verify your mental health benefits and determine what providers are covered under your plan. You can also see what insurance Valera Health accepts by requesting a consultation.
If you need to talk to someone immediately, call the 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. You can also contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at 1-800-950-6264 Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST.
The mind and the body are connected. If the mind is unhealthy, it reflects on the body, and vice versa. Dr. Brock Chisholm, the first Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), said that “without mental health, there can be no true physical health.” As a society, we have seen mental health make its way into our media. Some of our favorite athletes, singers, and actors have bravely discussed their struggles with mental health, oftentimes advocating for therapy, normalizing medication, and encouraging people to seek help for their mental illness.
Impact of Mental Health on Physical Health & Quality of Life
Mental health refers to the state of our mental wellness; mental health is something we all have. Mental illness refers to a mental health disorder such as anxiety and depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five adults in the United States live with mental illness. Our mental health plays a role in our lives from our longevity, to our vulnerability to contract various diseases, our use of drugs and alcohol, and our ability to thrive in our jobs, at school, and with our families. Below are some statistics that shed light on the strong connection between mental health and our behaviors, physical health, and quality of life.
Half of the people who experience mental illness will also develop a substance use disorder.
People who suffer from depression and schizophrenia, if left untreated, tend to live shorter lives than those who do not suffer from a mental illness.
Depression has been connected to a 50% increase in a person’s risk of dying from cancer and a 67% increase in developing heart disease.
Almost all suicides are a result of mental illness and suicide happens to be the third-leading cause of death for young adults and adolescents.
The Cost of Mental Illness
Mental illness, if left untreated, can contribute to problems with relationships, lost income, suicide, and substance use. Researchers suggests that people experiencing severe mental illness are more likely to receive lower quality medical care, are more likely have chronic medical conditions, and are likely to die prematurely compared to people without mental illness.
Why It’s A Good Idea for Everyone
Consider the physical disease of obesity and how normalized it is in our society. Anywhere you look, you will see advertisements and apps with our favorite celebrities touting their workout routines, meal plans, and supplements all with the goal of helping you lose weight and beat obesity. Imagine what would happen if, as a society, we could normalize mental health in the way that we normalize obesity.
Health insurance providers not adequately covering mental illness in their insurance plans.
Beliefs that people who suffer from mental illness can’t get better and there’s no hope.
Fewer opportunities at work and school for people with mental illness.
Many of us already have or will experience a mental illness in our lifetime. Nearly 20% of Americans will experience a mental illness at some point in their lives, but less than half will receive the treatment they need.
How To Talk About Mental Illness
It may feel intimidating or scary to talk about your mental health. Those feelings are normal. Consider starting small when opening up a conversation about mental health and communicate in ways that are comfortable to you. This can look like writing poetry, painting, dancing, sending a short email or text to a trusted friend. Set a certain amount of time aside (a half-hour, for example) to talk to someone about your mental health without distractions when you feel comfortable in doing so. It may help to look up some statistics on mental health to help you feel like you are not alone. Finally, get help by talking to a doctor or medical professional about what you are experiencing.
Get Help Today
Mental illness is treatable. If you experience mental illness, getting help and the treatment you need is key in improving your physical health, wellness, and overall quality of life. By normalizing mental health, we can send a message to anyone struggling with mental illness that they are not alone, they are supported, treatment is possible, and there is hope.
We at Valera Health understand that it can feel intimidating to ask for help. That’s why we offer telehealth services for both therapy and psychiatric services. Help is available on your personal journey with mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or ADHD.
