Anxiety & Depression

“There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t” – John Green

Anxiety

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Break free from anxiety and restore peace and balance in your life. Relief is possible.
Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, if you experience intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations, you may have an anxiety disorder. There are several types of anxiety disorders, and you may have more than one. Sometimes people with anxiety disorders are simultaneously struggling with depression or other psychosocial issues.

Anxiety symptoms include:

  • Feeling nervous, restless or tense
  • Experiencing a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
  • Difficulty controlling worry
  • Avoiding things that trigger anxiety
  • An increased heart rate and/or breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
  • Sweating and/or trembling
  • Difficulty sleeping and/or feeling weak or tired
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Gastrointestinal (GI) problems

Through counseling you can learn how to:

  • Explore the roots of your anxiety
  • Understand your emotional experiences
  • Minimize symptoms and unhelpful responses to anxiety
  • Strengthen skills to better cope with anxiety-provoking situations
  • Adopt healthier routines and reduce harmful habits/behaviors
  • Increase your capacity to face feared situations
  • Bolster resilience and enhance quality of life

Depression

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If you have persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest, you may suffer from depression. Depression is a mood disorder that affects how you think, feel and behave, and it can negatively impact your emotional and physical well-being. Depression can vary in severity and duration and may exist with other emotional and physical challenges. It is not uncommon for people who are depressed to feel hopeless and to question whether therapy can help, which unfortunately can delay treatment.

Depression symptoms include:

  • Feelings of sadness, emptiness or hopelessness
  • Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or self-blame
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in most normal or everyday activities
  • Sleep disturbances, fatigue or lack of energy
  • Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased appetite and weight gain
  • Anger outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over minor issues
  • Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
  • Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
  • Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
  • Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death
  • Suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
  • Unexplained physical symptoms, such as headaches or muscle pain

Psychotherapy has been proven effective in helping those with depression to:

  • Identify thoughts, feelings and behaviors that are contributing to symptoms
  • Explore the impact of past traumatic experiences
  • Reduce and better manage symptoms through varied interventions
  • Improve relationships
  • Establish healthier routines and decrease destructive habits and behaviors
  • Develop a plan for coping with crises
  • Enhance resilience and improve quality of life

Please don’t wait to get help. Support is available and you do not have to face depression alone.

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Licensed Professional Counselor & Mental Health Service Provider
Located in Brentwood TN

Christianne Downey

Licensed Professional Counselor, Mental Health Service Provider