InSynch Health

When Do Anxiety or Depression Require Medical Intervention

When you suffer from anxiety or depression, it can feel like you’re all alone. But there are therapies that can help. The key to finding long-term relief is knowing when to seek treatment. Here’s how to know when to call our office.

Depression and anxiety affect millions of Americans. In fact, the CDC estimates that about 12% of Americans routinely experience symptoms of anxiety, and about 5% have been diagnosed with depression.

Unfortunately, data also shows that less than half of people with mental health issues like depression and anxiety disorders actually receive medical treatment for their symptoms. Part of that is likely because many people don’t know when it’s time to seek care.

At InSynch Health in Beaumont, Texas, we help patients find solutions for anxiety and depression symptoms, tailoring every treatment plan to target the root causes of those symptoms. If you’re suffering from depression or anxiety, here’s how to tell when it’s time to seek professional care.

Anxiety and depression: Know the symptoms

Anxiety and depression can happen on their own, but many people suffer from both conditions. Knowing the symptoms of each is the first step toward understanding when medical treatment can help.

Depression symptoms

Everyone feels depressed from time to time, and in most cases, those sad feelings can be traced to a specific cause. If you have depression, though, you feel sad most of the time, and often your sadness occurs for no identifiable reason.

Of course, when you have depression, there is a reason for those feelings: Depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain that creates persistent feelings of sadness, along with other symptoms, like:

• Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
• Lack of interest in friends, loved ones, or activities
• Difficulty with concentrating or focusing
• Feelings of fatigue and low energy
• Changes in sleep — either sleeping too much or not enough
• Moodiness
• Changes in your appetite
• Headaches
• Thoughts of suicide

You may not have all these symptoms, and the severity of your symptoms can vary significantly over time.

Anxiety symptoms

Anxiety can be divided into types including social anxiety, separation anxiety, or phobias, along with general anxiety disorder. If you have anxiety, you’ll have symptoms such as:

• Pervasive or intrusive worries
• Anxious thoughts on a regular basis
• Nervousness
• Fatigue
• Problems with sleep patterns
• Changes in appetite
• Problems focusing or concentrating
• Heart palpitations
• Rapid breathing

A little anxiety from time to time is normal, but people with anxiety problems have anxiety and worry that’s far out of proportion to any actual event or concern.

When it’s time to seek help

Looking at these lists for depression and anxiety symptoms, you might notice that some signs overlap. In part, that’s because both anxiety and depression have to do with problems modulating your thoughts and feelings.

When it comes to deciding when to seek medical help, the bottom line is this: Any time you have symptoms of depression or anxiety, it’s time to schedule an appointment with our team. That’s because anxiety and depression can quickly overwhelm your life, taking a toll on not only your emotional wellness, physical health, and relationships with friends and family, but also your career.

You absolutely should call our practice right away if your symptoms are:

• Lasting more than two weeks
• Interfering with your sleep
• Making it hard to focus or concentrate
• Taking a toll on your regular activities
• Affecting your relationships
• Intrusive and overwhelming
• Present all or most of the time

If you’re having thoughts of self-harm or suicide, you should call 9-1-1 immediately.

Treatment options

Our team specializes in custom therapy tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Therapeutic options include:

• Medication
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Psychotherapy (“talk” therapy)
• Exposure therapy (for anxiety)
• Stress management and relaxation techniques

Most patients with either depression or anxiety (or both) benefit from a combination of medication and therapy, often coupled with lifestyle changes to set the stage for optimal health.

It’s also important to remember that, for many patients, anxiety and depression are chronic conditions requiring ongoing treatment. Our team works with you to help relieve your current symptoms, while also providing the skills you need to manage symptoms that may arise in the future.

You deserve to feel better

When you’re chronically depressed or anxious, it’s easy to feel as if you’re unworthy of feeling better. You may feel guilty or ashamed of your symptoms and have difficulty controlling them. Those feelings are very common — and they may also stand in the way of getting treatment.

What you need to know is this: Anxiety and depression are real medical problems that require a real medical approach. At InSynch Health, our team works closely with you to help you find the right combination of therapies, so you can enjoy a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life.

To learn more about the treatment options we offer for anxiety and depression, call our office at 409-245-0795 to book your appointment with a provider from InSynch Health.

InSynch Health

✆ Phone (appointments): 281-721-4181

Email: frontdesk@insynchhealth.com

Fax: 949-757-6621

Address: 87 I-10 Service Road, Suite 125, Beaumont, TX 77707