At True Life Center, our mental health treatment staff is ready to help give you the tools and tips you need to cope with anxiety and free yourself from the symptoms that are getting in the way of your life. We believe that our anxiety disorder treatment program provides people with the support they need to begin their road to recovery. Learn more about signs of anxiety and how we can help by calling 858.202.1822 or filling out our online form.

Symptoms and Signs of Anxiety

There are many different signs and symptoms of anxiety, and it can affect anyone at any time in their life. Traumatic events and stressful situations act as frequent triggers. It is crucial to identify and understand these triggers to better understand how to treat them.

One of the major signs of high-functioning anxiety includes excessive worrying that can become intrusive enough to make it difficult to concentrate on work or daily tasks. A person experiencing anxiety may also be agitated or feel a sense of imminent danger or threat. This jolts the body into fight-or-flight mode to prepare for a dangerous situation and can have you feeling on edge. Anxiety also prevents your brain from being able to concentrate and can interrupt your memory as well, negatively impacting your work life or productivity.

Anxiety manifests in other parts of the body besides the brain. Hidden signs of anxiety such as fatigue and muscle tension may begin to arise more and more regularly. Additionally, you may have trouble sleeping. Many people who suffer from these subtle signs of anxiety report that they have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep due to racing thoughts or worries.

Another significant and debilitating symptom of anxiety includes panic attacks, which create an overwhelming sense of fear that can result in:

• Shaking
• Shortness of breath
• Hyperventilating
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Elevated heart rate
• Weakness or dizziness
• Chest pain

How You Can Reduce Your Anxiety

There are many ways that you can reduce your anxiety or learn to cope with your symptoms. Maintaining mental and physical health is a key component of recovery and ongoing wellbeing. Make sure you eat a healthy diet and get plenty of daily exercise. Limit caffeine and stay away from substances like alcohol or drugs, which contain substances that can increase your anxiety. Additionally, many professionals use mindfulness, yoga therapy, and meditation to decrease symptoms of anxiety.

We also encourage you to seek professional help from a caring staff of trained experts to give yourself the best chance to manage and overcome your anxiety. Professional mental health treatment centers like True Life Center can give you the tools and resources you need not only to survive but to thrive in spite of your struggles.

Mental Health Treatment at True Life Center

Our True Life Center team believes that proper mental health treatment includes a range of options so that each person can receive the exact level of care they require in recovery. We will work with you to determine which of our mental health treatment options would be best for you.

Some of these mental health treatment options include:

• Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
• Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
• Neurobiological integration approach
• Trauma therapy
• Mood disorder treatment

Also, we provide choices for specialized anxiety treatment, including:

• Acute stress disorder treatment
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment
• Panic disorder treatment
• Social anxiety disorder treatment

Our treatment programs ensure that people have the tools they need to heal from mental health disorders. If you are interested in learning more about how our team can help you or someone you care about find the strength to deal with mental health disorders, reach out to True Life Center today.

Choose True Life Center to Help You Treat Anxiety

At True Life Center, our staff and professionals are here to help you overcome signs of anxiety so you can focus on improving all areas of your life. We will help you manage your anxiety through therapy programs custom-tailored to you, your symptoms, and your goals. Our mission as dedicated caregivers is to help you find ways to stop anxiety from interfering with your daily life. Do not suffer on your own any longer. Contact True Life Center by completing our convenient online form or calling 858.202.1822 for more information about our treatment facility and the programs we offer to get you to a place of calm and true fulfillment.

The post Signs of Anxiety appeared first on True Life Center.

Q.) When I bring up my struggles with depression to loved ones they either encourage me to “snap out of it” and “cheer up,” or remind me of the many things I have to be grateful for – which only makes me feel guilty for not feeling better. Are they right? Am I “too blessed to be depressed”? 

A.) I’m so sorry that you are struggling, and that your loved ones aren’t responding with the sympathy you expected. Unfortunately, depression is largely misunderstood, and though your friends and family may have the best intentions, they are likely unaware of the complexity and severity of the disease. Similar to chronic illnesses like cancer or autoimmune disease, depression does not discriminate. It can affect anyone at any time, even those who are otherwise “blessed.” Depression is a biological, brain-based disease, and it requires proper care. If you haven’t already, please seek professional help. A great practitioner or center will not only provide you with that compassionate support you are seeking, but also help you in educating those around you.

Q.) Ever since my dad’s death last year, I’ve felt hopeless, restless, and can’t sleep through the night. My primary physician recommended antidepressants, but I declined. I’m just grieving, I’m not depressed…right?

A.) My condolences on the passing of your father. Losing a parent is never easy, and there is no right way, or right length of time, to grieve. It is certainly true that grief can turn into depression, just as pre-existing depression can complicate grief, and the symptoms are nearly identical: despair, fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, inability to concentrate, and loss of interest. Personally, I’m much less concerned with whether grief or depression is causing your suffering, than I am with the fact that you are suffering. One year of struggling with sleep, energy, and motivation has probably been incredibly disruptive to your sense of wellbeing. You might find that talking with a mental health professional about your loss, and exploring options for healing that may or may not include medication, helps you adjust to this new reality and find the strength to return to a full life.

Q.) A close friend recently confessed that she has depression. This came as a shock to me as she consistently optimistic and cheerful. Is there anything I can or should do to support her through this?

A.) You’re a good friend to ask this question. Depression can be an extremely isolating illness, more so when loved ones shy away in fear of saying or doing the wrong thing. Often the most powerful thing you can do is to simply be there. That might mean holding your friend’s hand while she cries, offering to drop by with dinner, or leaving her a sweet voicemail. Don’t be afraid to ask her if there’s anything you can do to make her feel better. I would also recommend that you learn as much about depression as you can. Popular myths about depression, including the idea that those who present as optimistic and cheerful can’t be inwardly depressed, can be harmful and minimizing.

If you have questions about depression or want to learn more about treatment of depression or other mental health issues, please contact us. We would be happy to provide information, resources, and support.

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