Anxiety and Depression

You may have anxiety or depression alone, but more than 40% of people struggle with both mental health conditions at the same time. At Mayo Counseling Center, LLC, Debra Black-Mayo, MS, LPC, CCTP, CDBT, has helped many people return to enjoying daily life without the burden of anxiety or depression. These mental health disorders won’t get better on their own, but they will improve with individualized therapy. Call the office in Chandler, Arizona, or use online booking to request an in-person or telehealth appointment today.

What causes anxiety and depression?

Anxiety and depression are closely related, but they have different causes:

Anxiety

Anxiety refers to the worry or fear you automatically feel when you face a dreaded or dangerous situation. These feelings naturally occur in your daily life (like when you face a job interview), but they normally don’t last long.

Problems arise when you can’t shake anxiety and it becomes a constant or frequent problem. It’s time to consider therapy when anxiety gets overwhelming, stops you from keeping up with responsibilities, or makes you change your daily routine to avoid the feeling.

Depression

Life events often trigger depression. However, you can also get depressed without an obvious cause when brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) become imbalanced.

Mild depression may improve on its own, but in most cases, depression doesn’t get better without treatment. If your symptoms last longer than two weeks, you should consider scheduling an appointment at Mayo Counseling Center, LLC.

What are the symptoms of anxiety and depression?

You may develop one of several different anxiety disorders, and each one has its own symptoms. For example, a phobia causes intense fear of a situation (flying) or object (spiders). However, all anxiety disorders cause similar symptoms, including:

• Nausea and stomach aches
• Irritability and nervousness
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty sleeping
• Headaches
• Increased heart rate
• Sweating

You can also get several depressive disorders, but they all cause one or more of the following symptoms:

• Feeling sad, hopeless, and worthless
• Isolating yourself from family and friends
• Losing interest in activities you typically enjoy
• Eating more or less and gaining or losing weight
• Sleeping more than usual or having a hard time sleeping
• Having a hard time concentrating
• Difficulty making decisions
• Lacking energy
• Thinking about suicide

Many people with depression have headaches, stomachaches, and chronic pain.

How are anxiety and depression treated?

Therapy is the primary treatment for anxiety and depression. Debra creates a therapy plan based on your diagnosis and the cause of your anxiety and/or depression.

Through therapy you learn skills for dealing with your mental health disorder. For example, you may learn mindfulness techniques and stress management, get support for a life challenge, practice ways to change negative thinking, or get guidance for facing your fears. The brain stimulation triggered by talk therapy can also boost neurotransmitters.

You can overcome anxiety and depression with support from Mayo Counseling Center, LLC. Call or book an appointment online today.