Anxiety and Depression Management

You may have experienced feelings of sadness or worry at some point during your life, but for some men and women, these feelings quickly become overwhelming and cause significant distress. Anxiety and depression are serious mental health issues. If you feel like your life is being impacted by anxiety or depression, it is time to seek help. The mental health experts at Total Access MD can help you, or a loved one better navigate this inner turmoil. Visit us at our clinic in Pasadena, Texas, or fix an appointment online or by phone. We are here to help.

Anxiety and Depression Management FAQ

What is depression? What are the symptoms?

Depression is a serious mental health condition that needs early intervention. It causes an overwhelming sense of sadness. The sadness we all sometimes feel, like when something wrong happens or we lose someone we love, is expected. Depression, however, is different. It's an overwhelming feeling that doesn't go away on its own and can, in fact, get worse without treatment.

Some additional signs of depression include:

Constant fatigue that makes even small tasks challenging
Disturbed sleep and insomnia
A slowdown in your thinking and movements
Fixation on failures
Feeling worthless and guilty
Frequently contemplating death and suicide
Anger and irritability

If the above seem familiar to you or a loved one, you should seek professional help. Seeking out professional help at the earliest is essential, and if you are in and around Pasadena, Texas, then connect with us.

What are anxiety disorders?

Most of us experience anxiety right before or during an important event. It is the body's response to the stress and excitement we feel when we try something new, meet new people, or attend a special event. It can be helpful because it encourages us to be prepared and focused. But sometimes anxiety persists even when there is no triggering event — it becomes our constant companion, causing problems at work and home in addition to difficulties sleeping. There are five types of anxiety disorders.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Generalised anxiety disorder, GAD for short, is a physical and mental health condition characterized by persistent and uncontrollable worrying about common everyday events and activities
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Many of us have obsessive-compulsive tendencies. This means we repetitively perform certain actions, and that these behaviors feel challenging to control. OCD is different because the repetitions are performed in response to repetitive thoughts, known as obsessions. The person with OCD feels compelled to repeat the behavior to reduce their anxiety caused by their obsessions.
Panic Disorder: Panic disorder, otherwise known as panic attacks, often has a severe impact on the lives of those suffering from them. The symptoms may range from very frightening to life-disrupting and even debilitating. Symptoms include unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath and dizziness.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): PTSD is a psychological disorder that can develop after a traumatic experience, such as assault, abuse, terror, warfare, or disaster. These types of events can cause mental, physical, and emotional trauma and directly result in serious long-term illness.
Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder): Social anxiety disorder or social phobia is one of the most common anxiety disorders. It affects millions of people each year. People with social phobia believe that other people are always watching and judging them, making comments about them, or even plotting to hurt them. Because of this, they end up feeling and behaving differently than most people. Social Phobia (also called Social Anxiety) can paralyze an individual.

Chronic anxiety disorder is a severe health condition that can interfere and impair your daily life. If any of the above descriptions of Anxiety Disorders resonate with you, then it is crucial to seek help early.

How can depression and anxiety disorders be treated?

At Total Access MD, we do a full analysis of your life to determine the root cause of depression and anxiety disorders so that we can offer support going forward. We help you make lifestyle adjustments, and offer counseling and other natural modalities before prescribing medications.

Lifestyle changes like a change in diet, improved exercise regimen, and other lifestyle changes can help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Psychotherapy is a type of mental health treatment that uses psychological methods, such as talking and listening, to help resolve emotional and behavioral problems.

You can help control your symptoms with lifestyle changes and psychotherapy, but many people also need medication. Medications like antidepressants and antianxiety medication are highly effective at treating depression or anxiety.