Treating Anxiety and Depression: The alternative approach

Anxiety and depression disorders affect millions of Americans and are one of the biggest reasons of school and employee absenteeism. Everyone can have periods when they feel sad or worried about things in their lives, but what draws the line between that and an actual disorder is the prolonged effect that it can have on someone’s life and daily functioning. Many people can have both disorders together, and sometimes one can lead to the other. Alternatively, people can experience only symptoms of one of them. Anxiety can become a disorder when you worry pretty much every day and it does not go away with time. This can affect job performance, school work, as well as personal relationships. If you have had symptoms that last as long as 6 months, and center around excessive irrational fear and dread, this may warrant getting evaluation and treatment. The good news is that anxiety disorders are usually treatable, and people who have been suffering can end up leading normal and productive healthy lives. However, in many cases, without the proper treatment, problems can get worse and life can be impaired in some cases for many years. Depression is characterized by intense feelings of sadness, guilt, worthlessness, and sometimes a feeling that “life is not worth living”. It can range from severe depression with thoughts of suicidality, to more mild chronic depression where one feels that his or her life is pointless, meaningless, and hopeless. If the feelings last for several months, it may be the point to get help. In men, depression can complain about fatigue, irritability, sleep problems, and loss of interest in their usual activities, including sex. Women are more likely to experience guilt, sleep excessively, overeat, and gain weight. If you are battling depression, many times you might just feel overwhelmed by simple day to day activities. That is okay- its just a symptom of a medical problem, just like heart disease, bowel issues, or an a pain disorder. The important thing is that you take the initiative to talk to someone and get appropriate help. There are many forms of help available for anxiety and depression disorders. The best thing about getting help is that it can enable you to go back to your current level of functioning, where you can enjoy work, sleep, studying, eating, or having fun. Conventional medicine advocates a combination of cognitive behavioral counseling along with pharmacotherapy. There are many medications that are used to treat anxiety and depression, including many new ones with few side effects that can be offered by a licensed psychiatrist. In addition, through psychotherapy, one can learn tools that can help change one’s cognitive framework, to better manage the symptoms. Behavioral therapy centers on changing one’s behavior to control reactions to problems or avoid triggers. In holistic medicine, there are many other alternative options for treatment and therapy, without many of the annoying side effects of mild-altering drugs. Holistic medicine focuses on allowing the body to find its own correct balance, thereby correcting the problems that can arise. Through the use of homeopathy, as well as non-invasive procedures such as acupuncture, micro-current, magnetic stimulation, and Reiki, holistic medicine can sometimes achieve more beneficial outcomes than conventional medicine. The important thing is to find what works best for you, and explore enough options until you can find that. Don’t feel limited by what is typically done to manage these symptoms, because many people have found success through non-traditional means. Along with whatever means you choose, be sure to eat a healthy diet, and try to add exercise into your daily routine. At Amita Holistic Healing Center, we can work with you to create an individualized plan to help of your anxiety or depressive symptoms. We can work with traditional therapy in terms of medications and counseling, or we can design a program that is uniquely separate. We love to incorporate many aspects of non-traditional medicine into our repertoire, thus giving you a chance to experience a different type of treatment that is designed to bring the entire body into balance. Deeper relaxation, better circulation and oxygen flow, and a renewed sense of personal wellness are all goals that we strive to achieve. To learn more about our offerings, please call 718-375-1144 to make an appointment with Dr. Yakovleva today.