Category: <span>Anxiety</span>

Panic Attacks Vs Anxiety Attacks – How to Identify Triggers

Although panic and anxiety attacks are similar in their    Anxietysymptoms and duration, they are very different from one another

People who have experienced either of them know how scary they can be. In fact, about 4.7 percent of U.S. adults will experience some form of anxiety or panic attack in their lifetimes. To further complicate matters, the two types are not listed as separate disorders in the DSM-5. But you can find some helpful information by reading the following article.

When you suffer from a panic or anxiety attack, the first step is to address the situation that is triggering the symptoms. You must try to avoid the situations that may trigger the attack. The next step is to practice mindfulness and breathing exercises. In addition, you should eat a balanced diet and drink enough water to stay hydrated. It’s also important to get enough sleep.

Anxiety and panic attacks are caused by two different types of responses to fear. The first is triggered by irrational fear. This is an instant reaction to a threatening situation. Hence, you will experience symptoms such as nausea, headache, and sleep disturbances. You will be able to cope better if you can express your fear or anxiety through speech. It is also vital to spot the difference between anxiety and panic attacks.

Many people have difficulty dealing with panic attacks, especially if they don’t know what to do or where to go. The first step is to plan for what to do if you experience one. Whether you should call a friend for support or leave the room, you should come up with an action plan that will help you calm yourself and try to remove yourself from the situation.

A few ideas for how to deal with your panic attack or anxiety attack symptoms

  • The most important thing to remember is to focus on your breathing.
  • If possible, try to perform some physical activity. This will help burn off some of your stress.
  • You can also talk to someone who can help you to determine what caused the panic or anxiety attack. It may be embarrassing to let others know that you have a panic attack, but it’s important to seek help to overcome this condition. If you’re unsure of what to do, consider contacting a mental health professional.

If you’re having panic attacks, you’re not alone. Many people with panic disorders have symptoms that may be mistaken for heart attacks and often go to the doctor to get diagnosed with a medical condition. Often, panic is ignored, or may not be considered as the cause of these symptoms. If you’re concerned that you have a heart problem, visit the emergency room right away. During this visit, your healthcare provider will run tests to rule out any physical problems, such as an infection or heart problem.

If you have a panic disorder, your doctor may recommend you visit a mental health specialist. In most cases, treatment for panic disorder involves medication or psychotherapy. You can even find support groups in your area or online.

Depending on the severity of your panic disorder, your doctor can prescribe medications or recommend psychotherapy to help you identify triggers and patterns that cause the attacks. It is also important to seek help from your family and friends. You may need to go to a specialist to see if they’re able to help you with your condition. If your treatment is not working, you can go online and find books on coping techniques.

Symptoms of panic attacks are often intense and last for minutes. In some cases, these attacks can be long-lasting. Some people may have them daily, while others experience panic attacks on a weekly or monthly basis. If you have a panic disorder, you may feel stressed and in fear of it happening again, even if the severe attacks have only occurred once or twice.

mental health during Covid-19

Inspiring Mental Health During Covid-19

Taking Care Of Mental Health During Covid-19

During the Covid-19 health crisis, it is important to concentrate on your physical health by taking the proper precautions both in and outside your home. Taking care of our mental health during Covid-19 is also just as important.

With the pandemic comes a whole new lifestyle. You aren’t going out as often, seeing as many friends and loved ones that you usually do, and some are even working inside of the home. If you find yourself struggling with anxiety, stress, depression, or negative feelings in general, do not refrain from seeking the help of mental health professionals.

Anxiety

Anxiety is common to experience in the wake of a pandemic. Coping with fear and uncertainty can be difficult, especially for those that have never experienced these feelings to this extent previously. The best way to tackle any fear is to become educated on the topic. The more you know about the dangers, and your risk, the easier it is to put your fears into perspective. The news is a trigger for anxiety– turn it off! Having some time “media-free” can help to reduce anxiety levels. If the anxiety you are feeling begins to feel more like panic, seeking help from a medical professional is the best way to begin your road to recovery.

Stress

Covid-19 has also brought on feelings of stress to many people in both the USA and the world as a whole. Routines are turned upside down and daily life doesn’t seem real. Parents are even becoming teachers! With all of these changes, life can begin to feel overwhelming, and these issues can take a toll. With people isolated or seeing too much of each other within the same walls, families can begin to experience extreme frustration. These stresses are temporary, and you will get through them. Talking with a professional may help to relieve some of the stress, as they can provide specific techniques to help you feel a better sense of wellbeing.

Depression

Depression is becoming more widespread than ever before. Many people have lost their jobs, are socially distancing to prevent themselves and their immediate family from getting the virus, and have to adjust to completely new schedules. If you find yourself in a bad mood for no particular reason on a daily basis, have difficulty feeling pleasure in things that used to interest you, are experiencing a lack of appetite, or have feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, or feel that life is not worth living, seek medical assistance immediately.

An evaluation with a mental help professional is the first step to leading a better life. There are many effective treatments available to help you take care of your mental health during Covid-19. Our comprehensive services will evaluate and identify and the effects that it has had on both you and your family. It is important to make sure that you can be the best version of yourself to get through this pandemic and tackle it head-on.

If you are feeling overwhelmed or just need to talk with a caring mental health professional to help you cope with your mental health during Covid-19, Riverview Community Mental Health Services is here for you.  We have a highly qualified staff of trained professionals available at our offices in Stuart and Port Saint Lucie, FL.

Riverview Community Mental Health Center

Stuart
865 SE Monterey Commons Blvd
Stuart, Florida 34996
772-266-4713

Port Saint Lucie
451 SW Bethany Drive, Suite 103
Port Saint Lucie, Florida 34986
772-301-1354

depression

Depression & Anxiety

Depression and anxiety often go hand in hand, and with the current worldwide changes due to COVID-19, depression and anxiety are becoming more common than ever. This can be hard to navigate, especially if these feelings are new for many due to ever-changing work
environments, stress from job loss, homeschooling, and losing access to resources like counseling, addiction counseling services, etc. If depression or anxiety is new to you, or even if you’ve experienced them your whole life, let’s take a deep dive into what both depression and anxiety really are and how to know if you might be suffering from one or both of these illnesses.

What is Depression?

Depression, which is also known as major depressive disorder, brings a negative effect on how you think and feel on a regular basis. This can make it extremely hard to cope in your day-to-day life as it causes you to feel sad and lose interest in activities where you would normally find joy. Depression symptoms range from constant feelings of sadness to changes in eating habits, sleeping habits, feeling worthless or undervalued, having a hard time thinking or decision making, and more. Luckily, this disease is treatable through a  combination of counseling and sometimes medication.

Diagnosing & Treating Depression

It can be difficult to diagnose and treat depression because feelings of sadness can stem from various situations that happen throughout any person’s normal life. Things, like losing a job, losing a loved one, or ending a relationship, can cause a person to fall into a state of depression. However, major depressive disorder is characterized by at least two weeks of being unable to shake your emotions of sadness as well as a change in habits and loss of interest in things that were once enjoyed. Treating depression can be difficult as each person requires a different type of treatment in order to be effective. Medication is one type of treatment for depression, which is only considered after a thorough diagnostic evaluation by a medical professional. There are times when brain chemistry is more susceptible to depression, which can only be treated by medicine. Additionally, therapy is a very real form of treatment that can assist that fighting depression through techniques that do not involve medicine. These include psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, as well as self-help, and coping mechanisms such as instilling healthy habits like regular exercise, enough sleep, a well-balanced diet, and beyond.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety, in its most definitive form, is a person’s bodily response to stress. Feelings of anxiety can be brought on by several factors such as starting a new job, moving to a new place, major changes in the environment, etc. The difference between normal stress and anxiety is that anxiety becomes something that is extreme and can lead to an actual anxiety disorder. An anxiety disorder moves beyond stress or fear and becomes something that takes over your daily life and causes you to feel fearful or nervous all the time to the point where it can be debilitating at times. This type of anxiety is very unhealthy as it can lead to a variety of health issues and bad habits such as substance abuse, overeating, a tendency toward violence, etc.

Diagnosing & Treating Anxiety

Anxiety disorders cover a wide variety of things including panic, phobias, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsiveness, post-traumatic stress, and more. Diagnosing the type of anxiety disorder you may be suffering from typically stems from certain events that may have occurred throughout your life. These types of events can include abuse during childhood or adulthood, intense violence such as war or criminal situations, and even examples of humiliation or shame. Treating anxiety can be difficult as it is hard to diagnose and also hard to admit as the feelings of anxiety are very common and cause one to feel as if they aren’t something that they necessarily need “help” treating.

Symptoms of anxiety can include jitteriness, irritability, sleeplessness, fear, shame, and more. We as a society also tend to “shame” those who admit feelings of fear or anxiety due to these feelings being associated with weakness. If you are feeling overly anxious or fearful of anything in general, seeking medical help is always in your best interest. Depression and anxiety can sometimes go hand in hand and can become immensely dangerous to your health when gone untreated. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms
listed, please seek the opinion of a medical professional. The worst-case scenario is that you are diagnosed as healthy and given ways to improve your mental health on your own, however ignoring a genuine diagnosis can lead to very significant health issues. Leaving any of these symptoms untreated in any way does not only harm you but also those around you, please seek help if you feel you may be experiencing depression or anxiety.

Man in distress sits near a beach with his hands over his head

Mental Health in Men | Getting Help

Mental Health in Men

Mental health is a vital part of your overall health, so it is important to know how to take care of it.

While issues with mental health in men are very similar to issues in females, there are still major differences in the way that these issues affect men vs. women.

The type of mental health issues men face and the way that they handle them are two of the biggest differences between the two genders.

Mental Illness

According to Psychology Today “men make up 75% of overall suicides in the United States, with one man killing himself every 20 minutes”.

This is a shocking statistic that shows how many men across the U.S. are suffering from a mental illness of some kind. Often mental health in men goes undiagnosed and untreated.

Mental illnesses affecting men more so than women include obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and drug and alcohol abuse. While women definitely experience these same illnesses, it seems to be more prevalent in men.

Substance Abuse

Overall substance abuse seems to be a predominantly male problem, with “a rate of 3 to 1 in comparison to females” according to Psychology Today. Many studies have shown that men engage in substance abuse due to stress in their life, mostly attributing to loss of income, loss of employment, and divorce.

Many men feel an overwhelming responsibility to provide for their families and to be the primary “breadwinner” and sometimes men that have a particularly hard time with this, or who feel like they might not be living up to this, turn to substance abuse as a way to cope.

Stigma In Getting Help

One of the largest parts of men being the vast majority of mental illness cases is due to the stigma that surrounds getting help.

Much evidence has shown that there is a staggering number of men that do not seek help at all, even if they recognize a problem.

This is even more prevalent amongst minority groups, including African American, Hispanic and Asian men. Most likely, this issue stems back to societal expectations that men should be able to “suck it up” or “be a man” and handle situations like this on their own.

This is absolutely not true, as many individuals should seek help with a mental health issue that they do not have the tools or knowledge to handle on their own.

Solving The Problem

The largest part of helping men with mental health issues is to begin recognizing it as a health issue, and removing the stigma of men asking for help.

When this happens, changes will start to be made and hopefully, lives will stop being lost due to suicide from a mental health problem or a substance abuse problem.

Siloutte of woman jogging in profile with a golden skyline in the background

Exercise Boosts Health and Promotes Improved Mental Functioning

Exercise Can Improve Mental Health?

Exercise can provide so many benefits including weight loss, improved physical health, and can even help to reverse or heal many ailments. However, there are additional benefits beyond these that come with physical activity as well. There have been several studies showing the vast mental health benefits of exercise in several ways.

How Can Exercise Improve Mental Health?                              exercise

People choose to exercise for a variety of reasons. Many people want to trim their
waistline and improve their overall physique and muscle tone, but the other benefits
can be an unexpected surprise bonus. These benefits can involve relieving stress,
improved memory, better sleep, and an improvement in overall mood and positivity. All
of these can have drastic favorable effects on your mental health as a whole such as
relieving symptoms of depression, ADHD, PTSD, stress, and anxiety.

Depression & PTSD Benefits

Some of the most common mental health issues that can be improved and mitigated
through physical activity are depression and PTSD. Several studies show that exercising even
as little as 15 minutes a day can reduce the risk of developing major depression.
Additionally, it is scientifically proven that exercise releases endorphins, a chemical that
makes us feel good, in our body that help to improve our mood and outlook on life.
PTSD relates to the nervous system producing a response to experiencing severe
trauma. This response can include anger, tension, stress, and more. It is believed that
exercises using repetitive motions or cross movements such as running, rowing a boat,
etc can help the brain to recover from that nervous system response.

Stress & Anxiety Benefits

Stress and anxiety are incredibly frequent in millions of people throughout the world.
These can come about from specific events or activities such as a stressful job, a toxic
relationship, abuse, and beyond. Endorphins from exercise can certainly help to relieve
stress and anxiety, but there are also studies that have been done to show that the
rhythm of exercising can bring mental health benefits as well. Focusing on your feet
hitting the ground, or your breathing while exercising can allow your brain to really
focus and be mindful which can then dull the overwhelming worry or anxiety in your
brain.

As a whole, it is common knowledge that exercise is good for you and your body. The
additional benefits of relieving stress and anxiety and possibly appeasing depression
and/or PTSD. We highly recommend finding whatever type of exercise routine works
best for you, and sticking to it as best as possible to see great results physically and
mentally.

exercise

The Benefits of Exercise for Well-Being

Benefits of Exercise             benefits of exercise

Everyone knows that there are many beneficial physical effects on the body when it comes to exercise. Those that add exercise to their daily routines typically have lower BMI, lower blood pressure, more energy, and a decreased risk of getting diabetes. Not many people think of the psychological effects that exercise has on the body, though! Regular exercise can help to mitigate symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders, along with keeping your memory up to par!

There are five main benefits of exercise when it comes to the psychological impact of exercise on the body. So, next time, choose the stairs over the elevator or your comfortable walking shoes over the short car ride!

Here are a few examples of the benefits of exercise

  1. Increase your self-esteem. When one begins to see more muscle, less fat, and weight loss, self-confidence goes up to an all-time high! Weight loss and shopping for new clothes may not have been your prime goal, and you may even see a change happening before you even realize the cause. 
  2. Give your brain a boost. Regular cardio exercise helps to create new brain cells and improves the overall performance of the brain. In addition to this, it even helps to strengthen the hippocampus, resulting in better memory and less cognitive decline. Creativity and mental energy go through the roof!
  3. Stress Relief. Regular exercise helps to decrease stress levels, making us have a better overall sense of wellbeing. Increasing the heart rate actually helps to reverse stress-induced damage to the brain by hormone stimulation. Mood, cognition, and thinking processes improve.
  4. Sleep better. Regular exercise increases the body’s temperature, which induces a calming effect on the mind. This results in falling asleep quicker, and for longer periods of time. Our “built-in alarm clock” is also regulated, helping us to control when we feel tired versus awake and alert. It is best to exercise throughout the day, and not close to bedtime.
  5. Decrease the effects of depression and anxiety. Exercise definitely improves the mood, which helps to decrease the symptoms that both depression and anxiety have on our mental state. Endorphin levels rise, and feelings of happiness and euphoria are released. Regular exercise may be the key to feeling a bit better!

Exercise has drastic effects on your mental health and overall well being, as well as all of the physical effects that can be seen. While seeing results is important for those with a knack for aesthetics, it is just as important to FEEL the results. Over time, one will feel better overall, both physically and mentally, by incorporating regular exercise into their daily lives.