Tag: mental health treatment options

Overcoming Pandemic Related Anxiety 

As a mom, you know it’s important to take care of your mental health, not just for yourself but also for those who love and rely on you. But that can be challenging when you combine the stresses of motherhood with the anxiety generated by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Parenting has added challenges as a result of COVID-19. Many parents juggle child care while working from home or have engaged in teaching duties during their kids’ virtual school. Some people lost loved ones, some lost jobs, and all of us lost a little bit of the security we used to feel pre-pandemic. Who wouldn’t feel anxious with all that pandemic stress? Managing your mental health is always a priority, especially now.  

Overcoming Pandemic Related Anxiety
*This is a guest post and all opinions are those of the author. This post may also contain affiliate and/or paid links. Rest assured that we only work with companies and individuals that we trust. While some of those companies and individuals may work in the medical field, this post is not intended to be a substitution for medical advice. Always speak to your doctor if you have concerns about your mental or physical health.

How the Pandemic Affects Mental Health 

You’re not alone if you feel overwhelmed when it comes to struggling with health-related anxiety. An estimated 27.2% of American adults reported anxiety symptoms between January 26 and February 7, 2022, according to the Household Pulse Survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics and the Census Bureau. 

The physical and psychological symptoms of pandemic-induced anxiety and depression can take a toll in all areas of your life: 

Physical Symptoms 

      • Increased fatigue
      • Headaches
      • Elevated heart rate and blood pressure
      • Digestive problems
      • Insomnia
      • Appetite and weight changes 

Mental/Emotional Symptoms 

      • Mood swings (anger, irritability)
      • A deep, lasting sadness
      • Lack of focus or concentration
      • Inability to find joy or pleasure in favorite activities
      • Irrational fear (anxiety)
      • Feelings of guilt or hopelessness (depression)

As you can see, these debilitating symptoms can make it hard to function in daily life, especially when it comes to parenting. It’s hard to keep up with an active toddler, for instance, if you are exhausted, or you may lose your patience and snap at your child or partner when you’re overly irritable.  

Tips for Sleeping Better with Anxiety-Induced "Coronasomnia"
Anxiety or depression may also raise the risk of substance abuse issues. Some people may turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to cope with their COVID-related anxiety or depression. And it can be tough to feel motivated to take care of yourself mentally and physically, but missing doctor’s appointments or screening tests for mental or physical health issues can make the problem even worse. 

It’s crucial to find strategies to help lessen any stress you’re feeling as a result of pandemic anxiety or depression. Taking care of your health and well-being will make it easier to take care of your family. If you’re waking up with anxiety, let’s look at some coping methods that may help you feel better. 

How to Beat Your Health Fears: Healthy Ways to Cope 

Whenever possible, tune out the bad news about the pandemic and tune into the blessings of your life. Develop a gratitude practice (even a quick 5-minute meditation works) to develop a positive mindset. 

Take care of yourself with healthy habits. Proper diet, exercise, and plenty of sleep can help you feel stronger physically and mentally. This can help alleviate any COVID anxiety symptoms.  

Don’t catastrophize any signs of illness. You don’t automatically have COVID if you get a cough or have a runny nose. Take a breath to get calm. Then, take a COVID test or call your doctor to discuss your symptoms. 

Don’t isolate yourself. You may be anxious about leaving your house for errands or work, especially if you have young children who can’t be vaccinated yet or you care for older relatives who are immunocompromised.

Take the proper health precautions. You may wash your hands well with soap and water after you’ve been outside the home or wear a mask in public if it makes you more comfortable and is recommended by your local health department. 

Get your health information from reliable sources. There’s plenty of fear-mongering and misinformation about COVID-19 on social media and the Internet. Talk with your healthcare provider if you need trusted information to help ease your health-related anxiety. 

Online Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Seeking Professional Help 

If your symptoms of anxiety or depression are occurring almost every day, and they’ve been going on for more than two weeks, check in with your physician. You may want a psychological evaluation that could diagnose a mental health condition. This could help you towards treatment, typically medication or a talk therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy. 

For anyone on mental health treatment already, for anxiety, postpartum depression, or another condition, it may be time to review the current treatment plan to make sure it’s working, especially if you’ve been experiencing anxiety or depression symptoms. If antidepressants or talk therapy aren’t getting you results, it may be beneficial to discuss alternative therapies with your mental health provider.

One such treatment is transcranial magnetic stimulation. This non-invasive, non-sedating treatment uses gentle magnetic pulses targeting specific areas of the brain to help ease symptoms of major depressive disorder, which often overlaps with anxiety.  

Remember that you’re not alone if you’re struggling with pandemic stress that’s turned into anxiety. Reach out for help. We can all get through this together. 

Author Bio

Dr. Steven Harvey joined Greenbrook TMS in March 2018 as Regional Medical Director of our Greater St. Louis region. He is board-certified in general psychiatry and has been practicing since 1996 since earning his medical degree from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr. Harvey’s interest in TMS therapy was first sparked during his residency, and in 2013 he began practicing TMS therapy.

How to Treat Depression Without Medication

Globally, more than 264 million individuals suffer from depression, with about 5% of the UAE population being affected. If you or a loved one is currently experiencing symptoms of depression, read on to learn how you can treat depression without medication.

How To Treat Depression Without Medication
*This is a guest post and all opinions are those of the author. This post may also contain affiliate and/or paid links. Rest assured that we only work with companies and individuals that we trust. While some of those companies and individuals may work in the medical field, this post is not intended to be a substitution for medical advice. Always speak to your doctor if you have concerns about your mental or physical health.
How To Treat Depression Without Medication
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What is depression?

Depression is a mood disorder that causes an individual to feel continually sad or lack interest in life. While it is normal for people to feel sad or depressed at certain times throughout their lives, depression is characterized by intense feelings of sadness that last for weeks and inhibit an individual’s ability to live their life. 

Generally, when someone is experiencing depression, they have symptoms for at least two weeks. These symptoms may include being intensely sad and feeling tired or lacking energy for the majority of the day, as well as feeling hopeless, pessimistic and worthless. 

Not being able to sleep or sleeping too much and having no interest or pleasure in many activities are other common symptoms. A weight change may also occur. Finally, individuals who are experiencing depression may regularly think about death or suicide. 

That being said, not everyone’s depressive symptoms may be the same, and their severity, frequency, and length can also vary. For many individuals, these symptoms may occur in patterns. Commonly, depression can occur in alignment with changes in the seasons. 

The Postpartum Depression Drug | Brexanolone (Zulresso)
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What causes depression?

While doctors haven’t yet found out the exact causes of depression, it is generally considered to be the result of a combination of factors that include: brain structure, brain chemistry, hormones, and genetics. For example, individuals who experience depression often exhibit a physical difference in their brains from those who don’t suffer from depression. 

Additionally, neurotransmitters (chemicals in your brain) play a significant role in your mood. When experiencing depression, these neurotransmitters aren’t operating the way they usually should, affecting your brain chemistry. Changes in hormone levels can also trigger depression symptoms. Finally, while the exact genetics aren’t known, there is a strong correlation between individuals who experience depression being related to other individuals who suffer from it. 

Depression is an incredibly complex disease that can also be caused by stressful life events, medications, and other medical problems. In many cases, depression occurs alongside other medical or mental health problems, including anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, substance use disorders, and eating disorders.

How is depression diagnosed?

When diagnosing depression, doctors can use a number of different methods. First and foremost, they may start with a physical exam that examines an individual’s overall health to determine whether there is another medical condition. They may also do bloodwork to investigate hormone levels.

Additionally, a psychiatric evaluation will be conducted in which a doctor asks about thoughts, feelings, and behavior patterns that shed light on an individual’s mental health. From there, a doctor will check symptoms against the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) that lists the criteria for depression. 

While only a physician or mental health professional can officially diagnose depression, if you think you are suffering from depression, you can take a self-assessment and then share the results with your doctor. You can also perform a quick online depression self test to see if what you are feeling is something to be truly concerned about. 

If you think that you or someone you know is suffering from depression, it is crucial to talk to your doctor immediately. From there, they will be able to evaluate you and suggest treatment or refer you to a mental health professional.

What to do if you think you have postpartum depression
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Can you treat depression with lifestyle changes? 

While there are medications that can help you treat depression, many individuals prefer to treat depression without medication. In many cases, individuals can effectively manage their depression through natural remedies or other tactics. That being said, depression rarely goes away on its own, so if you or a loved one has symptoms of depression, it is critical that you take steps to address it and don’t aim to handle it on your own. 

In some instances, lifestyle changes can make a significant difference when it comes to managing depression. As sleep and depression have a relationship, maintaining consistent bedtimes and wake-up times, and creating a relaxing bedtime routine can help. Similarly, cutting back on caffeine and alcohol is also advised. 

One Year Postpartum & Still Depressed
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Research has shown that regular exercise can help to prevent and treat depression without medication. At the same time, certain nutrient deficiencies (such as a vitamin D deficiency) can play a role in depression symptoms. A well-balanced diet that contains the right mix of nutrients is also essential. For this reason, you want to make sure you are eating fish, nuts, and probiotics – all of which may be beneficial when suffering from depression. 

Stress is often a significant cause of depression as it increases cortisol levels (a brain chemical). If you are repeatedly stressed, look to incorporate stress-relieving activities into your daily life. Some options include journaling, deep breathing, exercising, meditation, and time management. 

Finally, when you are feeling depressed, it can be common to withdraw from other people. However, during these periods, you don’t want to go it alone. Therefore, you must continue to speak with friends and family and tell them what is going on and how you feel. Depending on your support network is crucial in ensuring that you don’t further intensify feelings of isolation and loneliness. 

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How does neurofeedback therapy for depression work? 

If lifestyle changes don’t work, then you may want to consider neurofeedback therapy for depression. Research demonstrates that this treatment is often an effective and viable option for individuals who suffer from depression, as well as anxiety and other related symptoms, including sleep disorders and attention difficulties. 

Neurofeedback therapy is a non-invasive way to regulate and measure your brain waves and to retrain them through conditioning. This is one way to treat depression without medication.  This program enables you to retrain your brain to overcome depression and start living life to the fullest. 

During a neurofeedback therapy session, electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors will be attached to your scalp to monitor your brain wave activity. In a session, with the sensors still on, you watch a TV show, and whenever you produce healthy brain activity, the TV screen becomes bigger, and the audio, clearer. These are considered a reward for your brain. 

Throughout your neurofeedback therapy sessions, you start to be able to independently control your thoughts and emotions to move away from depressive thoughts. Once your therapy sessions are completed, you will be better equipped to process your emotions. 

Do you suffer from depression? If so, what treatments do you use (or have used in the past)? Have you ever considered neurofeedback therapy for depression? Let us know your thoughts and any additional insights in the comments below.

Author Bio

Dr. Upasana Gala is the founder and CEO of Evolve Brain Training, an award-winning neurofeedback-centered institute that focuses on using non-invasive brain training techniques to maximize the brain’s true potential. Earning a doctorate in Neuroscience from the revered Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Gala has spent over a decade trying to unravel the way neurochemical and neurophysiological changes in the brain affect the way we interact with the world. Her goal is to share her knowledge, encourage others to tap into and expand their brain’s capabilities, and dispel any myths surrounding our most complex organ.