Ancient healing systems have long honored the connection between the mind, body, and spirit. In the past several decades, the modern scientific community has followed suit, providing evidence-based research confirming the benefits of an integrative approach to health. If you need mental health services such as anxiety treatment, depression treatment, bipolar disorder treatment, ADHD treatment, PTSD treatment, and more, holistic treatment may help you find relief and recovery.

At True Life Center, our holistic approach to recovery is central to our support. If you are interested in holistic treatment for mental health, reach out to our friendly and knowledgeable staff today.

Why Choose a Holistic Approach to Depression Treatment?

Trauma can manifest as chronic illness, depression can deplete the spirit, and anxiety can push relationships to their breaking point. These mental health conditions affect every aspect of life, so truly effective trauma treatment must comprehensively address those same aspects. Too often, patients experience the treatment as a series of symptoms rather than a whole individual. This can lead to misdiagnoses, unsustainable results, and a great deal of frustration. Treatment centers that take a holistic approach recognize mental health conditions as biological, physiological, and spiritual conditions. Unfortunately, those who lack this approach view them as a brain-based disease. This comprehensive treatment approach supports lasting wellness and promotes self-care.

Which Holistic Services Are Most Beneficial?

Each individual’s struggles and hopes are unique. A great holistic practitioner will be interested in hearing your personal story before determining whether their services will help you meet your wellness goals.

Common holistic services include:

• Acupuncture
• Massage
• Fitness
• Nutrition
• Yoga
• Mindfulness meditation

All of these services play different but important roles in recovery. Acupuncture and massage offer relaxation, pain reduction, mood improvement, and enhancement of the body’s innate healing abilities. Fitness and nutrition sessions are extremely individualized and allow patients to practice prevention, develop healthy lifestyle habits, and workshop specific concerns surrounding energy, immunity, sleep, mood, etc. Yoga and meditation help cultivate awareness of the mind and body and provide tools to manage stress more effectively. These holistic services can be powerful individually, more so in combination, and even more so when our mental health treatment staff work together to coordinate your care.

Holistic vs. Western Medicine

For many, the word holistic brings images of yoga mats and herbal remedies only, but in its truest sense, holistic means taking the whole system into account. Western medicine and holistic medicine are often incorrectly depicted as opposing viewpoints. However, a combination of the two typically yields a quicker and more thorough recovery. A broken leg, for instance, merits a visit to the doctor for an X-ray and cast. But eating nourishing food, receiving acupuncture, and practicing meditation may help manage pain, reduce stress, and speed the healing process. The same can be true of anxiety, depression, PTSD, or any mental health condition. Medication (prescribed thoughtfully and only as necessary), psychotherapy, and holistic treatments can complement and balance one another to help you achieve authentic wellness.

Benefits of a Holistic Approach to Depression Treatment

There are numerous benefits of holistic treatment for mental health. A few of these benefits include:

• Promotes relaxation
• It helps develop coping skills
• Encourages a healthy diet and proper exercise
• It can be easily implemented
• It is often more cost-effective than medication

At True Life Center, we want to help you learn how to live with a mental health disorder. Reach out to our team today.

Heal Your Mental Health with Treatment at True Life Center

True Life Center is an integrative mental health and addiction treatment center located in La Jolla’s UTC area. We offer outpatient psychiatry, psychotherapy, and an intensive outpatient program that seamlessly integrates evidence-based medicine with holistic services. Please contact us if you have any questions about our approach or feel that holistic treatment may benefit you or a loved one. Call today at 858.202.1822 to speak with a team member.

The post The Benefits of Holistic Treatment for Mental Health Conditions appeared first on True Life Center.

At True Life Center, our acute stress disorder treatment program in San Diego, CA, provides comprehensive care for people who are ready to learn how to manage symptoms of acute stress. Learn more about treatment for acute stress disorder from our team today.

What Is Acute Stress Disorder?

Most people have heard of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in which a person’s life is disrupted by anxiety, feelings of panic, intrusive thoughts, and even flashbacks to the traumatic event. Acute stress disorder is similar, except that it can be diagnosed between three days and one month after the traumatic event, while PTSD cannot be diagnosed until the symptoms have persisted for one month or longer.

Patients with acute stress disorder might experience symptoms such as:

• Nightmares
• Intrusive thoughts involving the traumatic event
• Feeling numb or empty
• Flashbacks
• Confusion and disorientation
• Trouble recalling details of the traumatic event
• Anxiety, panic, or racing heartbeat

How to Know If You Need Acute Stress Disorder Treatment

Often, people who experience symptoms of acute stress disorder will get better on their own. However, some people might have particularly severe symptoms or be at risk of developing PTSD. Such people can benefit from timely intervention and treatment by professional therapeutic and counseling staff. Even if two people have had the same traumatic experience, they will not necessarily have the same reaction. Everyone processes trauma differently and may need help to deal with what has happened.

Some signs that you may need to seek acute stress disorder treatment are:

• Previous diagnosis with PTSD or acute stress disorder after a traumatic event
• Symptoms become so severe that it impacts eating, sleeping, or self-care
• Other mental health conditions are present
• Mood swings or uncharacteristic behavior

Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder

Most of the time, patients who have been diagnosed with acute stress disorder receive a treatment plan that includes intensive psychotherapy. If symptoms are severe, medications or other types of therapy might be recommended. Often, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help patients regain control of their thoughts and reduce distressing symptoms. Another type of therapy that can help patients with acute stress disorder is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). This therapeutic technique can help reduce stressful and negative associations and help patients reframe their reactions to negative memories.

Choose True Life Center for Acute Stress Disorder Treatment

If you are in the San Diego, California area, contact our True Life Center team. Our facility has been designed to be serene and relaxing, providing the perfect environment for our patients to recover and focus on healing. Our evidence-based neurobiological integration approach to treatment helps our patients achieve their goal of lasting recovery. We understand that mental health conditions and emotional disruptions are experienced physically in the body, so each patient will be offered a treatment plan that attends not only to their mental and emotional health but also to their physical health.

If you or someone you care about has experienced a traumatic event and needs help, reach out to us today. Our caring and compassionate staff are available at 858.202.1822 or online to help you access the treatment you need. Let us tell you how we can help with a treatment plan for acute stress disorder.

The post Do You Need Acute Stress Disorder Treatment? appeared first on True Life Center.

Q.) I worry a lot…about my job, my kids, my weight, the growing piles of laundry on top of the washer…. do I have anxiety?

A.) We all experience stress and anxiety from time to time, and in certain situations, like moving to a new city, taking a test, or attending a job interview, that anxiety is not only normal but beneficial. Generally, the difference between healthy anxiety and an Anxiety Disorder is the amount of time you spend in that anxious state, and the severity of the feeling. If your anxiety is preventing you from living a full and satisfying life in any way, I would encourage you to seek help. The laundry can wait.

Q.) A friend suggested that my unexplained stomach problems and migraines might be anxiety-related, but I don’t feel particularly anxious. Is it possible for anxiety to be physical?

A.) Not only is it possible, it’s very common! I often see patients who have been suffering from the physical symptoms of anxiety – which include insomnia, upset stomach or nausea, shortness of breath, headaches, fatigue, muscle tension and more – long before they receive an anxiety diagnosis. Often, individuals will visit their primary care doctor for help in addressing the symptoms, while the root cause remains unaddressed. That’s why generalized anxiety disorder treatment at True Life Center includes holistic services like acupuncture, yoga, and meditation. Mental health affects more than just the mind, and true healing requires attending to someone’s whole health – mind, body, and spirit.

Q.) What should I do if I suspect that I have an anxiety problem, but I’m too anxious to talk to a professional about it?

A.) You aren’t alone in being hesitant to seek help. Unfortunately, only one-third of those suffering from Anxiety Disorders receive treatment. Others delay treatment for years while numbing themselves with alcohol or prescription medication, spending excessive time on social media, or distracting themselves with work or with food. Many times I see patients who put off getting help because they fear that consciously facing the source of their anxiety will make things worse. And it might get a little worse before it gets better. But sharing and processing, thoughtful medication when necessary, and learning the tools and resources for self-care can provide immense relief. I encourage you to ask a trusted friend or loved one to support you in getting the help you need. This can mean assisting with research, helping you make phone calls, or holding you accountable for attending that first appointment.

If you have questions about anxiety disorders or want to learn more about treatment for anxiety or other mental health issues, please contact us today at 858.202.1822. We would be happy to provide information, resources, and support.

The post Ask the Psychiatrist: Anxiety Disorders appeared first on True Life Center.