Clarity Counseling and Wellness

Anxiety and depression: what are they really and how does therapy help

What is Depression

Depression can typically be described as a prolonged feeling of sadness, decrease in energy or motivation, irritability, and general feelings of worthlessness. Often physical symptoms such as back pain or muscle aches and interruptions in sleep patterns and appetite are also experienced as well as thoughts of suicide at times.  An increase in feelings of depression can follow a particularly difficult experience or time in life but can also seem to not have a real cause or origin that can be easily identified.  Symptoms can also vary and may not always look the same for everyone. Depression therapy can help start to alleviate these symptoms and help you to live more freely.

how can therapy help?

Depression can often feel like a loop of negative thoughts that can be hard to break away from on our own. Therapy offers a space to express the thoughts we may hold inside and to explore ways to begin to release them. While family and friends can be supportive, it may feel overwhelming to work through some of our toughest struggles with them. Therapy offers a judgement-free zone focused exclusively on individual support for your own healing and well-being. Having trouble finding motivation, increased feelings of worry, and negative thought patterns are common for many of us. If you find yourself feeling stuck and ready for a change, depression counseling can help. I often work with clients looking for support to manage increased feelings of both anxiety and depression.

For more information on depression and available treatment, www.nimh.nih.gov

what is anxiety?

Anxiety can generally be described as increased worry or fear and can cause feelings of restlessness, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and trouble sleeping.  Increased anxiety can also cause panic attacks that cause increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and a feeling of being out of control.  Anxiety can be a general feeling or can be associated with a particular object or situation, such as fear of flying or crowds, which is referred to as a phobia.  Some people also feel increased worry or fear of social situations and can experience difficulty comfortably interacting with others. Receiving treatment for general anxiety, panic attacks, and social anxiety can help relieve the symptoms and help you live more fully.

How can therapy help?

The therapeutic environment offers a chance to step away from the daily grind of life and reflect on your health and wellbeing. It can be hard in every day life to find a space to really explore difficult feelings and what to do about them.  Therapy creates a safe space dedicated to doing just that. Anxiety therapy helps to identify how you would like things to change, set goals for those changes and provide structure for how to reach those goals.  We focus mainly around the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors holding you back from living fully and set goals for the changes you are hoping to see in your life.

For more info on anxiety and available treatment, visit www.nimh.nih.com.