You Can’t Change What You Won’t Face

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If you have anxiety, it means your thoughts are racing full speed in your head constantly going through the worst-case scenarios. If you have depression, you could be in a low mood experiencing a lack of sleep or motivation to enjoy life. Unfortunately, there is still a giant stigma around anxiety and depression. Many people will not seek treatment for them because they are afraid of being judged for needing support.

Nobody thinks twice about receiving help for a physical injury, such as a sprained ankle. Why should this be any different for our mental health? Just like a physical injury, the pain you are in cannot be ignored when you suffer from anxiety or depression. Symptoms of anxiety and depression include-

  • Shakiness

  • Increased heartrate

  • Isolation

  • Chest tightness or rapid breathing

  • Negative thinking

  • Racing thoughts

  • Persistant sadness

These symptoms are not fun to carry with you on a daily basis. I know how hard it is to accept that you need support. We are human after all and very prideful. But, you can't expect anything to change if you don't face your problems head on.

More Common Than You Know

When you are struggling with anxiety and/or depression, you may not want to do anything about it because you think no one will understand what you are going through. That you are the only one struggling with these issues.

The Anxiety & Depression Association of America says that anxiety is very common, affecting 40 million adults a year. In 2019, 19.4 million Americans had at least one depressive episode.

No one needs to feel alone when there are so many people going through the same thing.

Mental Health Can Affect Physical Health

You may think that your physical and mental health are separate issues, but they are actually one and the same. For example, people with depression tend to have insomnia. You may think it could be the result of a physical imbalance, when it can also be contributed to imbalances within the nervous system.

People with anxiety often will have a faster heart rate, which can be followed by a panic attack. It's common for people to mistake untreated anxiety for more serious conditions. Our mind and body communicate with one another, so when one is out of sync, it throws the other off balance. Similar to everything else in life, there needs to be a balance with your mind and body. Ignoring your mental health can actually weaken your immune system and contributes to physical ailments such as headaches and stomach aches.

Early Detection for Early Recovery

Just like you would with any abnormal physical symptoms, speak to a mental health professional as soon as you notice something different. Not doing anything about your mental health can cause long-term problems. For example, depression can cause fatigue if you lack the motivation to get out of bed or develop insomnia if depressive thoughts are keeping you awake. Anxiety can keep you on edge any time you feel nervous as well as chronic pain.

You do not want to wait until your symptoms get so bad that you mask these feelings with unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcohol or drugs. Instead of living your life always in a battle with yourself, going to treatment as early as possible can increase your chances of a full recovery. Your therapist can come up with a personalized treatment plan for you to be in a better mood, get plenty of sleep, and to live your life to the fullest.

If you are still struggling with talking to someone about your anxiety and/or depression, I would be happy to answer any questions or concerns you have. Contact me today so you can begin the process of facing your problems head on.