Conditions

 Anxiety Disorders are the most common mental health issue in the U.S. with nearly 1/5 of adults experiencing negative effects. Healthy anxiety aids us in analyzing events, adapting, and planning for the future. Anxiety becomes unhealthy when it interferes with daily life, relationships, sleep, or your ability to relax and feel well.

• Excessive anxiety, worry, or guilt that is difficult to let go or control
• Feeling nervous, restless, or tense
• Racing thoughts, difficult-to-manage rumination or fixation
• Problems with Avoidance
• Difficulty with concentration, feeling easily weak or tired
• Feeling like the mind easily goes blank or feels like its stuck
• Headaches, Muscle tension, tight jaw, or grinding teeth
• Sweats, trembling, rapid heart rate
• Digestive Issues
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Sense of looming danger or doom
• Urge to avoid or control things that set off anxiety
• Panic Attacks

Depression is the second most common mental health disorder in the United States, and the leading cause of disability worldwide. It is a mood disorder that causes regular sadness, loss of interest, or agitation. Depression is an inflammatory condition that can cause problems with mood, thinking, energy, behavior, and relationships which can cause problems with work, home, or social life. Stress, body chemistry, genetics, problems with relationships, grief, or environmental factors are some of the leading causes of depression.

• Most of the time (doesn’t have to be all of the time or every day) your mood feels sad, hopeless, empty, or detached. Some people experience irritability, frustration, or anger as their mood general mood.
• Outbursts of crying or frustration over small matters.
• You just don’t feel like doing the things you normally do. Motivation, energy, or interest in doing stuff just isn’t there.
• Tiredness or lack of energy. You feel more exhausted than you should or find yourself tiring easily.
• Sleep disturbances. Either insomnia or sleeping too much.
• Your temper seems shorter than normal.
• Decreased libido
• Slowed thinking, body movement, or speaking
• Problems with memory, concentrating, or making decisions
• Changes in appetite can be an increase or decrease
• Unintentional weight gain or loss
• Headaches, back pain, or digestive issues
• Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or self-criticism. Getting lost in loops in self-blame
• Frequent thoughts of death, that you would be better off dead, suicidal thoughts

Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the mind and body that happens as a result of either a singular distressing event – or a multitude of stressful events over time – that exceeds our ability to cope. This can include (but isn’t limited to): physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, isolation, accidents, natural disasters, oppression, bullying, violence, life-threatening situations, accidents, abandonment, or neglect. In fact, you can experience psychological trauma just by witnessing or learning about an event. In the case of secondary trauma, exposure to someone who has been traumatized becomes traumatic.

The basics of our stress response system is our fight-or-flight reaction. The mind and body can take this to extremes during traumatic events. When a flight to safety isn’t possible, flight from the present can be the next step. In such cases, the mind may detach from the body, turn inward, and withdraw from its connection to the present moment. If the fight instinct is activated it can project immense energy outward, expressed in tension, explosive emotions (like anger), thoughts, and behaviors in order to gain control.

When psychological trauma occurs the mind undergoes some fundamental changes in its assumptions of reality. The mind may learn lessons like the world is unsafe, other people are threats, or the self does not have the tools to cope with reality. Sometimes the mind blames the self for trauma and tells you that you are, unlovable, incomplete, or deserving of pain. These narratives shift people’s worldview and connection with the Self and as a result, they become very sensitive to any sign of potential threats including: feeling trapped, close connections to others, isolation, or any physical, mental, or emotional reminders of the trauma.

As a whole psychological trauma disturbs thinking patterns, arousal, concentration, memory, sleep, appetite, attachment, and energy. Psychological make it more difficult to regulate and self-soothe. Trauma can disrupt relationships, work, family, health, and social lives.

• Recurrent memories, thoughts, dreams, or nightmares that are about, or related in  content to, the traumatic event(s)
• Flashbacks, feeling disconnected from the body (some people describe it as though they are watching their life as if it were a movie)
• The feeling that the world is fake/an illusion or lack of awareness of surroundings.
• Attempts to avoid distressing thoughts, memories, emotions, or reminders about the event.
• Negative alterations of thoughts and mood. Inability to experience positive emotions
• Persistent negative beliefs or expectations about oneself or the world.
• Persistent negative emotional states: fear, horror, anger, guilt, sadness, shame, irritability.
• Loss of interest or reduced participation in normal activities
• Feeling detached or estranged from others.
• Amnesia about the events
• Explosive anger, irritability, or sadness/crying outbursts with little or no provocation.
• Reckless or self-destructive behaviors. Substance use to self-medicate.
• Feeling keyed up, tense, the need to know everything going on, constant worry
• Exaggerated startle responses
• Problems with concentration, or memory
• Impairment in social, work, school, family, or other realms of functioning.  

About 5% of adults in the U.S. have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a disorder that affects concentration and/or hyperactivity and impulse control. Some people are the inattentive type, others are the hyperactive type, and some people have both.

• A short attention span. Easily distracted
• Difficulty focusing on tasks. Is unable to stick to tedious work
• Little or no attention to details. Makes careless errors
• Trouble listening when others are talking. Often seems like their “head is in the clouds”
• Poor follow through, problems with procrastination
• Difficulty organizing simple tasks, issues with time management
• Frequently loses things, forgetful
• Often seems to be daydreaming or spacey
• Often feels bored
• Reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental energy

• Poor impulse control often acts without thinking
• Restlessness, in children often run/climb in situations when inappropriate
• Frequently is unable to engage in leisure activities quietly
• Being fidgety, having difficulty sitting still
• Difficulty waiting for turn, problems with interrupting others
• Acting as though driven by a motor
• Talks excessively or fast
• Irritability, quick temper