What is IFS Therapy for Trauma?

Everyone has a personality. However, if you allow yourself the freedom to think more openly, you will see that you’re made up of many sub-personalities. Quite often, these sub-personalities are in conflict with each other. Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a type of psychotherapy that takes this into account in a big way. In fact, the title is meant to validate each part of you as part of your internal family system. 

You want to balance the parts of an external family, right? Well, IFS seeks a similar kind of balance for all the personalities that make up your “Self.” In the process, it can help you recover from a wide range of problems — including trauma. 

What is IFS?

This approach recognizes that none of your sub-personalities are bad. Rather, they’ve had bad roles imposed upon them. They are wounded and deserving of healing. Healing your sub-parts brings harmony to the greater Self. Again, you can think of a family for context. If each family member is healthy, the whole family is healthy.

Working with an IFS therapist has been found to promote:

• Self-compassion

• Self-leadership 

• A calm reaction to the inevitable symptoms of daily stress or previous trauma 

• A deeper understanding of oneself

• Preparation for emotional difficulties that lie ahead

What is Trauma?

You probably know many of the common causes of trauma, e.g., neglect, abuse, disaster, disability, and more. The causes are many, but they typically fall into a few broad categories:

• Too much happens too soon 

• Too much happens for too long

• Losing personal power and the resources to deal with that

• Not having access to healing options

This adds up to some of your many parts — your internal family members — being traumatized. Some sub-personalities have shifted into permanent emergency mode. They seek to protect you even in the methods are not functional. Obviously, bringing these parts back into balance can facilitate recovery. 

How IFS Can Help With Trauma

IFS reminds the trauma survivor that they are not “just” a traumatized person. In fact, some parts of our internal family are not carrying negative memories and sensations. Integrating the different sub-personalities can help identify where the pain lives. You’ll better understand your triggers and visualize paths toward healing. Your IFS therapist creates a safe environment in which this work can be accomplished. 

Some IFS Techniques

To better grasp how the recovery happens, it helps to know a little about the general approach taken with IFS. Firstly, the many sub-parts of you are broken into two general categories:

• Firefighters: As the name implies, these are protectors. They put out fires, but you’ll still have to get to the root cause of those fires.

• Managers: These parts plan diligently to help you avoid triggers. This saves you from painful experiences but, again, does not deal with the sources. 

What Happens Next

You’ll need to find where the sensations emerge from. It could, for example, feel like tight neck muscles. If so, that’s where your focus must be aimed. Some steps you will take:

• Learn from the part of you that feels the pain the most. Is that pain tied to an emotion or a particular memory? Does it grow from a certain time in your life?

• Identify how you feel about this sub-personality. This will help both you and your therapist surmise how important of a role it plays.

• Challenge yourself to become friends with this part of you. Find out where the fear comes from and see if friendship releases it.

IFS is an innovative and effective approach toward trauma recovery. To learn more, I invite you to reach out today. Let’s connect for a free and confidential consultation. 

Learn more about therapy for trauma and PTSD.

5 Symptoms of Depression in Men

Both men and women deal with depression. There are some similarities in how the disorder presents but some very important differences, too. First and foremost, women appear to be twice as likely to struggle with depression. I say “appear” because there are some very important factors to consider.

For starters, due to cultural conditioning, men seem to be far less willing to report feeling depression symptoms. In addition, the signs of depression that men show may not be familiar to others — or to the men themselves. While depressed women are openly sad and often cry, men often replace sadness with anger. This makes it critical that we all become more aware of such symptoms.

Why Do Men Get Depression?

The reasons anyone gets this condition are complex. But some general depression risk factors exist for men, e.g.: 

• Childhood trauma or abuse can make them more vulnerable to depression as adults

• Chronic, everyday stress is enough to challenge anyone’s mental well-being

• Depression is more likely if the man is already dealing with a physical illness

• At least one-third of prescribed medications have the potential to cause depression as a side effect

• Genetics seem to play a role in terms of family history 

So, the first step is to identify such risk factors for yourself or other men in your life. From there, it becomes urgent to familiarize yourself with the outward signs. There are well-known symptoms that can affect men and women equally. These include:

• Profound sorrow and sadness

• Feeling empty or hopeless

• Intense fatigue

• Sleep and appetite disturbances

• No longer getting pleasure from activities you once enjoyed (including sex)

But what about the symptoms that seem more prevalent in men?

5 Symptoms of Depression in Men

1. Anger

This can manifest as personal irritability, frustration, or restlessness. Just as often, depression-related anger can be inappropriate, abusive, and violent. It can feel controlling and threatening. Depression clichés may have you looking for someone acting gloomy or blue. In reality, as many as half of men with depression report having a short, explosive temper. 

2. Choosing Escapism

Are you allocating an unusual amount of time to activities that serve as a distraction? Such activities could involve exercise, sports, video games, pornography, social media, or anything that helps you ignore the intensity of the depressive emotions. This could be a major red flag.

3. Risky Behaviors

Escalating the escapism could move you into the realm of immediate danger. The unconscious goal here is numbing the pain rather than talking about it. Common risky behaviors for men with depression are:

• Reckless driving 

• Over-consuming alcohol 

• Other forms of substance abuse

• Gambling

• Seeing prostitutes, cheating on a partner, and engaging in unsafe sex practices

4. Sexual Dysfunction

Counter to the list item on the list directly above, depression in men can derail their sex life in several ways. For example:

• Depression itself can reduce one’s sex drive

• Arousal can be fleeting

• Some men are unable to attain orgasms 

• Some medications prescribed for depression can cause sexual dysfunction

Roughly 25 percent of men with erectile dysfunction have diagnosed or undiagnosed depression. Since men are not keen on reporting either depression or sexual issues, that number could be much, much higher. 

5. Suicidal Thoughts/Suicide Attempts 

The most frightening paradox of this topic is highlighted by there two U.S.-based statistics:

• Women have twice as high a depression rate as men

• Men are four times as likely to die from suicide 

This points to the tendency for men to withdraw socially while disguising their symptoms. It also drives home just how important it is to know more about men and depression — and to ask for help. 

Learn more about Depression Therapy.

What is Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy & Is it Right for You?

Psychotherapy never stops evolving. As time passes, more and more treatment options are available to people in need. Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a relatively new concept that is rapidly gaining acceptance and popularity. Ketamine is a psychedelic drug that can induce a hypnotic state during which healing happens.

Ketamine began as an animal anesthetic but was used for humans during the Vietnam War. Such use expanded to emergency responders, and that’s how its psychotherapeutic potential was discovered. When ketamine was given to a person who had attempted suicide, it had an unexpected, positive side effect—suicide ideation was drastically reduced.

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy FAQ

How does KAP work?

Ketamine is believed to impact a particular neurotransmitter that increases your brain’s ability to adapt and adjust. Through a process called neuroplasticity, your nerve cells become better equipped to reduce the risk of mental distress. For example, KAP has been found to short-circuit the factors that can create treatment-resistant depression. 

What other conditions are commonly treated with KAP? 

The list is long, varied, and growing. Some problems addressed via KAP include Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, substance abuse, disordered eating, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, chronic pain, and Bipolar Disorder. 

How is ketamine administered?

Lozenges are the most common method. But it can also be delivered via injections, nasal sprays, and intravenous infusions. The positive impact is felt within minutes. 

What are KAP sessions like?

Your therapist is with you all the way as the ketamine eases you into a trance-like state for about 40 to 60 minutes. Think of it as a healthy and productive form of dissociation. But there’s even more to it than the actual ketamine sessions.

In between, you meet with your therapist to work on integration, during which:

• You talk about your ketamine experiences 

• Integrate these experiences into your everyday life

• Homework is given as a way to carry over the healing outside the therapy setting 

Are there any side effects or other cautions to know about?

Let’s start with the side effects. Generally speaking, they are rare. If present, they usually present as minor episodes of:

• Drowsiness

• Headache 

• Nausea 

• Headache

• Increased blood pressure and/or heart rate

• Disorientation

You will need someone to bring you home from the sessions in which ketamine is administered. Other factors to bear in mind:

• In cases when ketamine is injected, needles are involved 

• Anyone deemed susceptible to addiction must address this reality in pre-treatment conversations

• Make sure your insurance will cover KAP

• Be diligent about making sure your KAP clinic is regulated 

What can KAP offer me?

KAP can provide symptom relief that often occurs in a matter of hours. In addition, most patients experience long-lasting symptom relief and become more sustainable with ensuing sessions. KAP is still relatively new, so there’s not a very long-term record yet. What we do know is promising—especially for folks who have not found relief through other treatment approaches.

General Benefits of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

• Calm mind

• Mood enhancer

• New brain cell growth 

• A reduction of pain and, thus, less of a need for traditional painkillers

• A general sense of being an active participant in your everyday life 

How Can You Know if KAP is Right for You?

I will safely assume that the above summary of KAP has provided some answers and provoked more questions. As is typically the case, the next step is to speak with a mental health professional with experience in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy. Therefore, I invite you to reach out at your earliest convenience to learn more. Let’s talk about your situation and decide together if KAP is the right path to take you to a place of healing and recovery. 

5 Signs of High-Functioning Depression

You might imagine that depression is easily recognizable—in others and in yourself. In many cases, you would be correct. However, a condition called Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD) is also a reality. Euphemistically called “high-function depression,” PDD is less severe than a major depressive disorder. However, that’s where the danger may lie. 

If it’s downplayed or even ignored, it will (as the name implies) persist even though treatment is needed. Since all forms of depression carry with them a risk of suicide, this is obviously not what anyone wants.

High-Functioning Depression and Its Risks 

PDD may feel like you’re in some kind of limbo. On the one hand, you’re functioning. You go to work or school, and you handle the basic daily functions of life. At the same time, you’re unhappy and lacking energy. It feels like too much to maintain relationships and friendships. Your responsibilities are overwhelming. This in-between state puts you at risk for:

“It’s all in my head.”

If there’s no clear-cut sign of an illness, you may think you’re being overdramatic. Things are not that bad, and none of the people in your life seem too concerned about you. They tell you—and you tell yourself—that the answer is as simple as “snapping out of it.”

“It’s no big deal.”

It is critical that more people learn to recognize the signs of PDD. When you minimize the severity of your feelings, you surrender the opportunity to get help. The longer this lasts, the greater the risks.

5 Signs of High-Functioning Depression

Someone with PDD may smile as often as anyone else. They may hold down a job, have friends, and be raising a family. Upon closer examination, all is not nearly as well as it seems. 

1. Talking About Feeling Sad or Hopeless

People with PDD cry a lot but may be good at hiding it. If you listen carefully, what you might identify are:

• Chronic self-criticism 

• Comments about feeling “empty” or lacking hope

• Expressing regret about things they did in the past or decisions they made that led to where they are now

• Outbursts of anger and/or irritability 

• Morbid curiosity about death and dying

On their own, statements like this don’t automatically diagnose anything. But, for certain, they must not be dismissed or ignored. 

2. More Effort Needed

Sure, you can get things done with high-functioning depression. But wow, it takes a whole lot of extra effort. Your to-do list has been tackled, but you’ve got nothing left. Even during the process of being productive, you’re still not working at the level you once did. Concentrating, in particular, feels exhausting.

3. The Pain Comes Out in Other Ways

Since PDD is less obvious, the person may feel ashamed that they’re down “for no reason.” They opt to hide it from loved ones. What they can’t hide is how the problem manifests elsewhere, e.g.

• Unexplained aches, pain, and tension (including headaches) 

• Appetite swings from increase to decrease

• Unplanned weight loss or gain

• Sleep disturbances that can involve insomnia or excessive sleep 

• Feeling low energy even when you sleep for 10 or more hours 

4. Self-Medication 

When you don’t recognize that you’re depressed or you’re trying to hide it, what do you do for comfort? The answer, too often, is self-medication. It might be drugs, alcohol, overeating, risky behaviors, pornography — basically anything that might temporarily fill the void. 

5. Less Joy, Less Fun

Here is where friends and family members can recognize the problem. People with PDD lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. This can include sex. 

Look For Clarity

If you have a sense of feeling depressed, why not reach out and learn more? It could be the most important call you ever make. 

Learn more about Depression Therapy.

When Depression & Cultural Expectations Collide

On the surface, it may appear simple. Depression is a disorder that can impact any individual—regardless of race, ethnicity, class, age, sex, or sexual preference. Technically, this is true. However, cultural expectations can very much influence the entire experience. The risk factors, symptoms, and treatment options are similar in any geographical area. The perception? That’s a different story.

Meanwhile, you must never ignore depression or take it lightly. It is a disorder that can result in self-harm and suicidal ideation. How, then, do we approach treatment when cultural expectations move the goalposts? Attempting to answer that question is an evolving process.

What Do We Mean By “Depression?”

Across all cultures, there are misconceptions about this particular mental health condition. Feeling “depressed” is not the same as being diagnosed with a Major Depressive Disorder. It’s not even close.

Everyone gets sad or lonely at times. Anyone can struggle through times of low self-esteem. These are normal and inevitable parts of life. To be diagnosed with depression, you must be displaying five or more of the following symptoms for at least two consecutive weeks:

• Being in a depressed mood almost all day, every day

• Marked loss of energy

• Significant changes in sleep patterns (too much or too little)

• Feeling worthless, hopeless, or guilty

• Unable to enjoy activities that once gave you pleasure 

• Noticeable changes in weight and/or appetite 

• Restlessness 

• Decrease in concentration and the ability to make decisions 

• Chronic thoughts of death, dying, or suicide 

Clearly, this is much more than feeling blue. Never underestimate the potential symptoms of depression. 

What Do We Mean By “Cultural Expectations?”

Depending on a person’s religion, nationality, ethnicity, age, gender, class, etc., the symptoms of depression may be viewed quite differently. In some countries, depression is identified almost exclusively via its physical signs. Also, each culture may define “suffering” differently and, in turn, perceive it differently. 

In other words, a man in one location could be shamed into silence if he talked about feeling worthless. Meanwhile, in another setting, even the tiniest mention of such a self-perception might be instantly medicalized. 

Translation: When treating clients in a culturally diverse country like the U.S., cultural expectations must be discerned and factored in. 

Treatment Across Cultures

There is some good news in this area. As the world metaphorically shrinks, people are exposed to ideas that were once not in their normal realm of thinking. For example, certain psychotherapeutic modalities that are popular in the West (especially the U.S.) are gaining traction in other parts of the globe. Meanwhile, a concept like mindfulness that was once identified with the East is fairly established elsewhere. That said, this is not a situation to be left to chance. 

Some ideas to ponder if you think depression and cultural expectations are colliding in your life:

• If someone in your family is displaying signs of depression, get them assessed. However, take the time to consider cultural factors before suggesting a consultation or visit.

• Take stock of your own mental well-being. Are you shrugging off red flags due to years or decades of cultural conditioning? It could help to speak with a therapist to answer this question.

• Before choosing a mental health practitioner, find out how culturally aware and sensitive they are. You will not benefit from a one-size-fits-all approach. You need personalized care. You need a counselor that takes your beliefs and perceptions into account.

Now What?

Clearly, these intertwining issues can sometimes present quite a challenge. Therefore, the best first step is to get more information. With that in mind, I invite you to reach out. I’d love to speak with you during a free consultation and find out more. 

Learn more about Depression Therapy.

Are Anxiety Disorders Genetic?

Assigning a specific cause for any mental health disorder is a tricky proposition. There are always so many factors at play. It’s easy, of course, to chalk everything up to genetics. But that wouldn’t be an honest or accurate appraisal. So, when pondering the genetic influences that can result in an anxiety disorder, it is always best to proceed with caution. 

The short answer is that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the presence of an anxiety disorder. Having someone in your family with anxiety increases your risk. But plenty of folks have anxiety disorders without any such family history.

What is an Anxiety Disorder?

Anxiety is a normal and usually useful emotion. It alerts us to risks and threats at all levels. When we feel anxiety, our bodies kick into high alert to prepare us for potential danger. For someone with an anxiety disorder, this system is short-circuited. You perceive threats everywhere and can remain in a state of fight-or-flight. Your body is preparing for trouble even though no trouble is present.

Common symptoms include:

Physical 

• Digestive disturbances

• Headaches and unexplained muscles aches

• Increased heart rate, palpitations 

• Shortness of breath

• Sweating 

• Tremors and twitches

Emotional

• Tense, easily startled

• Restlessness

• Irritability 

• Feeling apprehensive 

• Expecting the worst to happen 

This cycle can alter your brain. The amygdala—which processes threatening input—grows in size and prominence. It overshadows other parts of the brain—e.g., the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex—to derail rational thought and decision-making. In other words, an anxiety disorder leaves you stuck in hypervigilance. This has many negative outcomes for us, both emotionally and physically.

What Causes an Anxiety Disorder? 

Now that you know a little about the mechanics of an anxiety disorder, you are likely wondering why some people struggle and others don’t. After all, anxiety is the most common mental health condition on the planet. What causes it, and can we prevent it? 

Let’s start with the question in this post’s title. Yes, research has found evidence that such disorders can run in families. On top of that, researchers have identified genes that are associated with anxiety. And this is where it gets tricky again. Your family provides you with those genes. They also provide you with the environment in which you grow up. How do we differentiate between the influences of these two factors? Is that even possible?

So, factoring all this in, here are some of the agreed-upon reasons why some people get anxiety disorders, and others don’t:

• They endured traumatic events in their life (especially in childhood)

• They have a timid personality 

• Hormone levels

• Members of their family have struggled with anxiety

• The home environment when they were growing up did not make them feel safe

So, What Does This Mean?

Like so many aspects of growth, life, and development, there are so many potential influences. In the case of anxiety disorders, yes, they can happen to anyone—under some specific circumstances. But a genetic component is at work. Imagine two people exposed to very similar environmental stimuli. If one of them has a long family history of anxiety, they are at greater risk of this disorder. As research continues, we hope to discover much more about this risk.

How Does This Affect Me?

If you have anxiety disorder symptoms, you should get assessed as soon as possible. Your therapist will take a history and factor in all that evidence before making a diagnosis. The treatment plan will be individualized based on this evidence. In other words, inherited or not, anxiety requires treatment, and it can be effectively managed. Let’s talk soon about all of this.

Learn more about Anxiety Therapy.

How Trauma-Informed Therapy Can Work For You

Trauma has always been part of the human experience, unfortunately. It hasn’t always looked the same, but kids get bullied online; some experience neglect, and others, abuse. One out of every six women experiences rape or sexual assault, and those are only the numbers that are reported. People lose loved ones in unexpected ways. Over the past three years, everyone has endured a pandemic, political unrest, and economic uncertainty. What are we to do?

Undoubtedly, societal changes are required. But, in the meantime, how do we help all the trauma survivors—of all ages—out there? Trauma-Informed Therapy is an effective approach. With emotional and psychological safety as a top priority, such treatment can be life-changing—in the best possible ways.

What is Unique About Trauma-Informed Therapy?

Trauma affects all facets of your life. It shapes your thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and actions. Therapy that has a trauma-informed approach is diligently aware of these realities. A trauma-informed therapist never underestimates trauma’s role in someone’s life. Within that framework, they set about identifying the underlying trauma and its cause. This approach has proven to be effective for those not suffering from trauma, e.g., people struggling with depression or anxiety.

The Four Assumptions of Trauma-Informed Therapy

Also known as the “Four R’s,” they are:

• Realization: When you attend a trauma-informed therapy office, the entire staff is aware of trauma and the impact it can have on lives.

• Recognize: The entire staff is fully trained in recognizing the signs and symptoms of trauma. 

• Respond: Beyond awareness is implementation. The trauma-informed therapy office is geared toward applying the six principles described below. 

• Resist: Since trauma survivors can be triggered, what the staff is resisting is the re-traumatization of their clients. 

The Six Principles of Trauma-Informed Therapy

1. Safety: Everyone—clients and staff members—must feel safe when inside the facility.

2. Trustworthiness and Transparency: Trauma can erode a person’s ability to trust. In a trauma-informed office, the staff is committed to being transparent in the name of developing trust.

3. Peer Support: Working with trauma survivors can be a challenging environment. Fostering a climate of hope and safety is a giant step toward making it a place of healing. 

4. Collaboration and Mutuality: Effective trauma care is not a top-down hierarchy. Everyone on the premises plays a critical role. 

5. Empowerment, Voice, and Choice: Part of the horizontal approach is empowering everyone to speak up and make their voices heard.

6. Cultural, Historical, and Gender: A vital part of any safe space is cultural diversity, awareness, accessibility, and acceptance. Without all of these, you run the risk of re-traumatization.

The Trauma-Informed Therapy Technique

As you can see, Trauma-Informed Therapy is much more than any specific modality or intervention. It is a personal approach in which treatment is tailored to each client’s needs—within an environment that encourages safety and trust. A trauma-informed therapist has a unique lens through which they view their clients. The trauma survivor does not have the added stress of wondering if they will be believed, validated, or understood. This approach is all about making room for a victim to feel safe and comfortable to share and, thus, to recover.

Learning More Trauma-Informed Therapy

If you or someone you know is dealing with the challenges of post-traumatic distress, there is hope, and you do not have to suffer in silence. But the key to getting proper Trauma-Informed Therapy lies in finding a qualified practitioner and a facility oriented toward the principles discussed above.

With all that in mind, I invite you to reach out and learn more. I’d love to address your questions and hear more about you in a free and confidential consultation. Let’s connect soon. 

Stress vs. Anxiety: 5 Ways They Differ

In casual conversation, people may use the words “stress” and “anxiety” interchangeably. This can be harmless when the technical definition is not the point. However, if you’re trying to figure out why you feel like you do, you must recognize how they differ. The primary distinction lies in where the triggers exist. Generally speaking, stress is caused by an external trigger, while anxiety starts within.

If you get stuck in traffic and it causes you to get tense and frustrated, it’s fair to assume you are stressed out. However, if you find yourself ruminating about the traffic the night before you have to drive somewhere, it could be that anxiety is at play. Let’s explore some of the differences.

5 Ways Stress and Anxiety Differ

1. Stress is a Response to Something Present

As the traffic example above highlights, stress almost always has a tangible cause. Anxiety is more free-floating. It creates a general sense of worry, dread, or nervousness. This baseline can then cause more anxiety even when no trigger is present. Keep in mind that anxiety is a diagnosable mental health disorder. Thus, it exists with or without an obvious reason.

2. Anxiety Has More Symptoms Than Stress

At times, stress and anxiety can look and feel very similar. Someone who is stressed or anxious may experience, for example, muscle tension, sweating, heart palpitations, dry mouth, and so much more. However, if that person has an anxiety disorder, they may also display symptoms like panic attacks or intrusive thoughts.

3. The Degree of Reaction

If a loved one endures an injury, this is clearly a stressful situation. You will likely experience a wide array of stress-related symptoms. A person with anxiety in this situation will probably have a much more intense and distressing reaction. They may feel less capable of controlling this response, and, left unchecked, this response can spiral into an anxiety cycle.

4. Impact on Daily Life

Since stress has a more obvious cause and can frequently be relieved when that cause is removed, it usually has a limited effect on daily functioning. Anxiety is ongoing. With or without an obvious trigger, the person feels anxious. It’s like a default setting. Over time, such anxiety will escalate, and it can become increasingly difficult to manage. As a result, your everyday life becomes more of a challenge.

5. Treatment Approach

When you have chronic stress in your life, you can manage it through lifestyle changes. You may need to switch jobs or reduce the amount of caffeine you consume. A therapist can be a huge help with this but overall, since stress has identifiable causes, it usually has identifiable solutions. Anxiety, on the other hand, requires more exploration and analysis. Working with an experienced therapist enables you to recognize underlying causes, counterproductive behavior patterns, and helpful new approaches.

Why You Should Ask For Help

• Stress and anxiety are often present at the same time. This reality can blur the lines enough for you to possibly downplay the anxiety or overreact to the stress. Either choice is counterproductive. 

• Unless acknowledged and managed, stress can increase your odds of eventually struggling with anxiety.

• Having someone to help you identify your triggers is a giant step toward managing either anxiety or stress.

• Both stress and anxiety are treatable. There is no reason to struggle in silence.

Reaching out to a mental health professional is not an overreaction. It is a proven step on the path toward reclaiming your peace of mind. Working with a therapist provides you with the opportunity to develop the coping skills you need to thrive. Your weekly sessions provide a safe space to examine, explore, and heal.

Discovering the Neuroscience Behind Anxiety

The word “anxiety” gets a bad rap. Anxiety is a normal, inevitable, and often helpful emotion. It can alert you to threats, risks, and dangers. Anxiety, simply put, can save your life. But the emotion has become inextricably linked with the disorder. Anxiety disorders come in several forms, and indeed, they are not a positive experience.

So, how does a potentially life-saving emotion transform into the world’s more common mental health issue? At the root is neuroscience. The more you understand the mechanisms behind this process, the better equipped you are to manage it. Let’s take a closer look. 

Anxiety and Your Brain

When confronted with a frightening situation, your body kicks into a hard-wired response. Commonly called “fight or flight,” this state requires your brain to instantly command your body to undergo many drastic changes. Anything that’s not needed for immediate survival takes a backseat. The release of stress hormones is what makes all this possible.

Some possible changes include:

• Heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing increase to supply your muscles with oxygen and nutrients.

• With blood flow redirected, you may notice your skin being paler, your feet and hands getting clammy, and your entire body being colder.

• Your muscles feel tense and ready for action.

• Your vision improves thanks to the dilation of your pupils to let in more light.

• You may not feel pain from injuries sustained during the crisis until everything has calmed down.

• All of your senses are heightened.

On some occasions, you may experience incontinence. In addition, an extremely stressful experience can alter how memories are stored. Your recall of the event can be vivid or blacked out.

Of course, such reactions are not supposed to be ongoing. If they continue for the long term, the result could be an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety’s Impact on the Brain

Anxiety is how we respond to stress. If anxiety becomes chronic, your brain cannot tell the difference between real and perceived dangers. This can get you stuck in the aforementioned fight or flight state, and it takes a toll on your brain, e.g.: 

Stress Hormones

When your brain signals that a risk exists, it floods your bloodstream with stress hormones to do everything listed above. Ideally, you return to a calm state once the threat is gone. An anxiety disorder can lock you into a place where the stress hormones never stop. Your amygdala, the part of the brain that deals with emotions, gets larger. This makes it overactive and results in a cycle of false alarms.

Less Rational Thinking 

A hypersensitive amygdala also affects your prefrontal cortex (PFC). The PFC is designed to keep you making analytical and informed decisions. It can discern how accurate the signal from the amygdala is. However, in the anxious brain, the amygdala and PFC have a weakened connection. You no longer have the benefit of the PFC’s wisdom. The ensuing irrational thoughts end up kick-starting another anxiety cycle. 

Memories

Since your fight or flight response negatively impacts memory storage, your hippocampus may shrink. This part of your brain is vital for choosing which memories to prioritize. But, a hyperactive amygdala can fool your hippocampus. It perceives that only anxious memories are worth storing. As a result, you more easily recall stressful and fearful memories at the expense of positive thoughts of safety and success.

Next Step

Now that you understand the mechanisms behind your anxious mind, you can more clearly identify the need for change. A commitment to therapy is a proven path toward addressing and managing anxiety and anxiety disorders. You can heal. You can recover. It all begins with a free and confidential consultation. 

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Never before has there been more mainstream awareness of mental health issues. This reality is critical in helping people become more capable of recognizing signs and seeking help. However, like most aspects of modern life, increased awareness can lead to a parallel increase in confusion and misunderstandings. Take, for example, Bipolar Disorder.

The word “bipolar” is often casually tossed around as an all-purpose adjective. As a result, false perceptions can propagate. People who genuinely struggle with Bipolar Disorder may end up acting upon information that will not help them. Therefore, in the name of accuracy, let’s present some basic facts about a disease that impacts about 1 in 40 Americans today.

Bipolar I Disorder

There are other, less severe variations of this disorder, and we will touch on them below. For now, the focus will be on the most common and challenging version. Bipolar I Disorder presents with alternating episodes of mania and depression. Since depression is a common mood disorder on its own, Bipolar I Disorder is most often diagnosed when a person is in the throes of a manic episode. 

What’s a Manic Episode Like?

The primary criteria include the following:

• A person is either extremely energetic or irritable

• The episode lasts at least one week

• The person’s behavior is unlike how they typically behave

In order for Bipolar Disorder to be considered a possible cause, the person must experience at least three of the changes on this list (for at least one week):

• Rapid speech and/or talking much more than usual 

• Racing, ever-changing thoughts that are evident through the person’s conversation topics

• Feeling so much energy that they barely sleep

• Burning off that energy through non-stop activity 

• Easily distracted

• Engaging in risky or dangerous behavior 

These kinds of symptoms are severe enough to hamper one’s ability to handle daily functioning. In more extreme instances, the person may experience psychotic signs like hallucinations.

What’s a Major Depressive Episode Like?

The “down” episode lasts at least two weeks, during which the person in question displays intense sadness and loses interest in activities that once excited them (including sex). Beyond that, you must experience at least four of the following symptoms:

• Sleep and appetite disturbances (increase or decrease of either)

• Fatigue

• Restlessness

• A feeling of worthlessness or guilt

• Inability to concentrate 

• Slow movement and/or speech

• Thoughts of death, dying, or suicide

Other Important Bipolar Disorder Facts

• In Bipolar II Disorder, the depressive and hypomanic episodes are shorter and less severe.

• Someone with Cyclothymic Disorder experiences hypomanic and depressive symptoms.  However, these symptoms are briefer and less intense and, thus, do not qualify as episodes.

• As many as 9 in 10 people with Bipolar Disorder have a family history of the condition.

• The average at which Bipolar Disorder is diagnosed is 25.

• There are no clear-cut causes, but stress, substance abuse, and biochemical imbalances are believed to play a role.

How is Bipolar Disorder Treated?

As challenging as all of the above may sound, help is available. A blend of medication and talk therapy commonly results in a lessening of symptoms. Treatment is very individualized, but mood-enhancing medications have proved effective. However, since Bipolar Disorder can seriously disrupt your day-to-day life, therapy is a powerful co-modality. Working with a therapist is an excellent way to learn more about the illness. In addition, your therapy sessions are valuable in helping you avoid triggers and stay on point with medications.

Loving someone with Bipolar Disorder has its challenges, and it makes a whole lot of sense to seek the support you need. Both therapy and support groups are also useful for family members, partners, and other loved ones. Either way, it starts with a free and confidential consultation.