You are not alone.

“Even though you are struggling with depression or anxiety right now, remember you are so, so much more than your problems,  and you are a warrior for fighting them.”

Anonymous

Roughly 1 in 5 American adults struggle with depression, anxiety, or some other mental health problem.

And roughly 1 in 20 has what is considered a serious mental illness (i.e., major depression, bipolar disorder, OCD) that can make it especially hard for a person to do daily activities of living, work, or relate to others.

Depression

Everyone is sad sometimes, but depression is something different. Depression is extreme sadness or despair and lasts for days or longer. Depression can interfere with daily life activities, such as brushing teeth, keeping appointments, taking care of errands, not having the energy for exercise or much of any kind of movement.

Depression can also cause physical symptoms, such as physical pain, weight loss or weight gain, sleep changes (i.e., insomnia, having trouble falling asleep, having trouble staying asleep, sleeping all the time).

People with depression may also have trouble concentrating, struggle with feeling worthless, feeling guilty – a lot, and thoughts of death or suicide.

Anxiety

Feelings of tension, worry, dread, intense concerns, and fear characterize anxiety. There may also be physical symptoms, such as sweating, trembling, dizziness, increased blood pressure, or rapid heartbeat.

People can have intrusive thoughts or may avoid certain situations out of worry.

Treatment

Please see my Resource Tab for ideas on how to manage these difficulties.

Individual counseling is one valuable resource for living a life with contentment, satisfaction, and joy. I offer a free 20-minute phone consultation to see if I am a good fit for you. Please reach out. I can be reached by phone at 301-279-7779 or by email at BethLCounseling@aol.com or by using the form below.