Adults Dealing with Anxiety and Depression

Depression and anxiety refer to common mood disorders that often coexist. Amy Castongia, a Huntersville, North Carolina-based Licensed Professional Counselor at Calm Blue Waters Counseling, offers adults dealing with these conditions solutions for thoughts and emotions negatively impacting their overall well-being. Calm Blue Waters Counseling provides online therapy for clients in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida.

Defining Depression

Depression refers to a mood condition distinguished by feelings of sadness and a significant reduction in your interest in doing activities or pursuits that once brought pleasure.

Depression is a tricky kind of thing because there is no one cause and countless triggers. For example, it could be triggered by -

• A traumatic event (including illness).
• Biological change (such as pregnancy/menopause/miscarriage).
• A family predisposition.
• The consequence of a life loss (loneliness), etc.

Life events often combine, and depression plays into a downward trajectory away from your life objectives and peace.

Defining Anxiety

Anxiety represents your innate reaction or coping mechanism in which you respond physically or emotionally to perceived threats. When manifesting appropriately, anxiety is a natural and advantageous response in dangerous situations.

Anxiety becomes a problem when it arises without any apparent threat or persists chronically even after the danger no longer exists. Examples include -

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder - excessive worry about everyday life related to -
  • Relationships.
  • Work.
  • Health, etc.
• Social Anxiety Disorder – anxiety that leads to proactively avoiding social situations due to overwhelming fear of judgment, embarrassment, or humiliation.
• Phobias - intense fears about situations or objects – i.e., heights, crowds, flying, enclosed spaces, etc.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – more commonly known as OCD. These behaviors are coping choices used to reduce anxiety–
  • Obsession (ongoing, unwelcome thoughts).
  • Compulsion (repetitive behaviors/chronic mental acts).
• Panic Disorder – unanticipated powerful fear or discomfort causing sweating, a racing heart, etc.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – the consequences of experiencing some sort of trauma. PTSD symptoms vary but may include –
  • Nightmares.
  • Flashbacks.
  • Intense anxiety, and more.

Treating Adults Dealing with Anxiety and Depression

Fortunately, adults dealing with anxiety and depression have options which include –

• Therapeutic approaches –
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
• Mindfulness-Based Therapy Interventions.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
• Applicable stress-management techniques.
• Lifestyle modifications, and more.

The above-noted approaches empower individuals with important personal skills to help manage the effects of anxiety and stress on their daily lives.

Contact a North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida Certified Counselor

Anxiety disorders and depression are complex and can be impacted by genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. For more information about our telehealth personalized counseling options, contact Amy Castongia of Calm Blue Waters Counseling at 980-689-1794 or online.