Depression and Anxiety

What are depression and anxiety?

Depression and anxiety are disorders that affect millions of people in the United States. They are some of the most common mental health conditions and range in severity from mild to potentially life-threatening.

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Depression is a disorder of despair that makes you feel worthless, hopeless, and desperately sad. Felt occasionally, these emotions are a normal part of life's ups and downs. However, when you have depression, feelings like these take over your life, and you're helpless to shake them off.

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Anxiety often occurs alongside depression. It differs in that the dominant feelings are stress and worry, but again, the emotions overwhelm you and leave you unable to think or function normally.

Why might I develop depression and anxiety?

There are many possible triggers for depression and anxiety, from obvious traumas like bereavement and losing your job to reaching the limit of a chronically stressful situation. Sometimes not dealing with a traumatic experience when it happens can lead to depression and anxiety months or years in the future.

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You could develop a specific type of depression, such as postpartum depression after having a baby. You could also have a specific type of anxiety disorder, such as social anxiety. However, in many cases, the reasons why people develop depression and anxiety aren't clear, as it can arise seemingly out of the blue.

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There are two main approaches to treating depression and anxiety: therapy and medication.

How does therapy help with depression and anxiety?

Talk therapies are a vital aspect of recovery from depression and anxiety. Even if you don't know why you're depressed or anxious, discussing your feelings and thoughts with a professional therapist can be enormously beneficial.

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You can also use practical approaches like CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) to help you learn to adjust your thinking and cope better with situations that provoke your anxiety.

How does medication help with depression and anxiety?

Antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications aren't always necessary for treating depression and anxiety, especially if you have mild symptoms. However, they can often be valuable if you're moderately or severely ill. The treatment philosophy at Lotus Direct Care is to use the most effective medication that's the best fit for you.

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They aim to help you transition to a place where you no longer need medication to stave off symptoms of mental health disorders, but that isn't always possible. Therefore, they focus on prescribing drugs that are unlikely to cause long-term adverse effects such as addiction. 

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If you're struggling because of depression and anxiety, call Lotus Direct Care today or book an appointment online.