New Orleans, LA Anxiety and Depression—Counselors and Therapists
Anxiety and depression can hijack a person’s mind, and thinking clearly can feel like an impossible task. If you have ever struggled, you may recognize thoughts like these…
“This voice inside my head is constantly recounting everything that could go wrong and every way that I could mess up. It knows every fear and every insecurity.”
“Every day. Every moment. I always feel nervous or scared or worried. Why? I do not know. Sometimes there is a reason, but mostly, there isn’t. My friends don’t get what it’s like to live with that kind of weight on you.”
“Can I go out? No. I lied. I’m busy, in a way …busy breathing and telling myself that I’ll be fine.”
If you have ever fought depression or anxiety, you can probably relate. The negative thoughts that these mental illnesses produce can be crippling. Jodi Picoult illustrates, “Anxiety’s like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you very far.” As many as 40 million Americans are experiencing that very dynamic and have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Many of those are also struggling with depression. The symptoms of anxiety and depression are severe and long-lasting, and they disrupt people’s ability to carry out their normal lives.
Just as many people know what it feels like to struggle against anxiety and depression, so many people know what it is like to find the healing they need. There are many effective treatment options available. They are working with mental health professionals to find the right diagnosis and the right path forward—toward healing and reclaiming their normal lives.
The counselors and therapists at Thriveworks New Orleans understand what it takes to battle depression and anxiety. We have stood side-by-side with many clients as they found the care and healing they needed.
Effects of Anxiety and Depression
When serious physical illnesses strike, often, treatment involves care for both the body and the mind. Cancer and diabetes and other illnesses take their toll emotionally as well as physically. The same holds true for mental illnesses. When anxiety and depression strike, their effects are emotional, but they are also physical. Such effects may include…
- Disrupted Appetite – Depression and anxiety can alter people’s relationship with food. For some, they lose their appetite and have difficulty eating. Others desire to eat all the time. Accordingly, they may gain or lose weight.
- Irregular Sleep Patterns – A similar dynamic with sleep can occur that happens with food. Some people experience insomnia—difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking rested. Others experience hypersomnia—a desire to sleep constantly.
- Lethargy – Fighting a mental illness can deplete people’s energy. Fatigue can be a result of sleep disruptions, but it can also be an independent issue.
- Difficulty Focusing – The negative thoughts, the drained energy, the disruptions in sleep and eating can all lead to challenges with staying focused and accomplishing tasks. It is common for people struggling with anxiety and depression to have difficulty focusing.
- Indecisiveness – Unclear thinking can inhibit people’s decision-making ability. Even choices that are seeming small—like where to grab dinner or what to wear—can become emotionally draining. When it is difficult to make decisions, big or small, people often feel stuck.
Diagnostics for Anxiety and Depression
“Depression is like a bruise that never goes away. A bruise in your mind. You just got to be careful not to touch it where it hurts. It’s always there, though.”
– Jeffrey Eugenides, The Marriage Plot
Anxiety and depression are common and even widespread, but they are also often misunderstood. Myths surround what they are and how to treat them. People may offer advice about getting more sleep or exercising more or trying medication. While these are often given with earnest intentions of helping, they underestimate what anxiety and depression are and the treatment they need. Anxiety and depression are not the normal phases of sadness and worry that all people experience. They are illnesses, and they often need interventions from an experienced counselor or therapist. As with many diseases, the first step of healing is often recognizing the problem. If you have experienced the following for at least two weeks, consider reaching out to a mental health professional:
- Disinterest in activities and relationships that once brought joy.
- Feeling sad, hopeless, empty, or worthless.
- Psychosomatic pain—physical pain that is caused by a psychological wound.
- Thoughts of dying or suicide.
Scheduling Therapy at Thriveworks New Orleans, LA for Depression and Anxiety
No magic potions or silver bullets can easily cure anxiety or depression, but there are many treatment options that may bring significant healing. Each person’s symptoms are unique, and so treatment plans need to be tailored to each individual. Many treatment plans include a multi-layered approach that includes a medication for symptom relief and a talk-based therapy that can build coping skills and promote long-term healing.
If it is time for you to meet with a therapist to find your treatment plan, know that the therapists at Thriveworks New Orleans are ready to meet with you. When you contact our office, a scheduling specialist will answer and help you make an appointment. Many new clients have their first appointment within 24 hours of their call. We do not keep a waitlist, so you will never be put on one. However, weekend and evening sessions are available, and we accept many insurance plans. Let’s battle anxiety and depression together. Call Thriveworks New Orleans today.
