San Jose, CA Therapy and Counseling for Anxiety and Depression
Can you relate to any of these experiences?
“I don’t know why, but I feel nervous and jittery all the time—even when I know I’m ok and safe. My head knows it, but my body doesn’t. Other people don’t get what it is like for those feelings to always be right there with me.”
“This voice inside my head will not slow down or be quiet. It knows my fears and my insecurities. It’s so loud. Sometimes, I can only hear that voice saying I’m not good enough.”
“My friends called and wanted to go out. I lied. I said I had other plans. They wouldn’t understand. I had to inhale and then exhale. I had to reassure myself—I’m going to be fine. I had to say I’m sorry, over and over and over again.”
These thoughts are a small peek into what it is like to live with anxiety. Author Jodi Picoult described it this way, “Anxiety’s like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you very far.” If you understand, you are not alone. Anxiety is one of the most common mental illness diagnosed in the United States, and depression often accompanies it. As many as half of people who have anxiety also have depression. These mental illnesses can bring deep disruption into people’s lives, making their everyday personal and professional lives difficult. And yet, anxiety and depression also have effective treatments and many people experience relief. The first step may be reaching out for help from a mental health professional.
The therapists and counselors at Thriveworks San Jose have crafted many individualized treatment plans that have addressed their clients’ needs and brought much-needed relief. Our professionals know what it takes to walk hand-in-hand with clients who are battling anxiety and/or depression, providing guidance and support along the healing path.
The Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety
Anxiety and depression are mental illnesses that affect far more than people’s mental and emotional well-being. They can wreak havoc on people’s minds and bodies. Their symptoms include a long list of disruptions that are physical as well as emotional. For example, when people experience anxiety and/or depression, they may also experience…
- Disrupted Appetite – Depression and anxiety may disrupt how people eat—their taste buds and their appetite. For some, they may experience an increase in appetite while other experience a decrease. Accordingly, people may also gain or lose weight.
- Irregular Sleep Patterns – Similar to what happens with appetite, some people may experience insomnia—the inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or wake rested. Others may experience hypersomnia—the desire to sleep constantly. In either case, a common symptom to anxiety and depression is disrupted sleep patterns.
- Lethargy – Fighting a mental illness takes its toll and fatigue is a common side effect of depression and anxiety. The lethargy may be a direct result of sleep disruptions, but the two are not necessarily connected.
- Difficulty Focusing – Clear thinking and focus are often elusive when anxiety and depression are present. Distracting and negative thoughts can dominate an individual’s mind, making it hard to accomplish personal and professional tasks.
- Indecisiveness – Making a decision is difficult when one’s head is clouded with disruptive and negative thoughts. People may become stumped by simple choices about what to wear or what to eat. This is one reason many people with anxiety and/or depression feel stuck—indecisiveness keeps them from making the choices they need to make to move forward with their lives.
More than Sadness, Jitters, and the Blues
About 1 in 4 adults in the United States will be diagnosed with anxiety in their lifetime, and about 1 in 6 will receive a depression diagnosis. They are separate illnesses, but they are often spoken of together—and for good reason. Anxiety and depression frequently co-occur. About half of people who have an anxiety disorder will also struggle with depression.
“Depression is like a bruise that never goes away. A bruise in your mind. You just got to be careful not to touch it where it hurts. It’s always there, though.”
– Jeffrey Eugenides, The Marriage Plot
Despite being widespread, many myths and misunderstandings about anxiety and depression persist. They are so much more than the normal sadness, jitters, and blues that all people experience. They may involve…
- Experiencing apathy toward activities and relationships that once brought joy.
- Persistent and challenging feelings like worthlessness, emptiness, sadness, and hopelessness.
- Emotional pain that manifests as physical pain.
- Thinking about death, dying, and/or suicide.
Treatment at Thriveworks San Jose, CA for Depression and Anxiety
Anxiety and depression can bring intense difficulties into people’s lives, and they often make daily living impossible. However, relief is available. There are many treatment options available that can potentially restore normal, daily life. The counselors and therapists at Thriveworks San Jose work with each individual client to find the interventions that match the client’s symptoms and that may meet their unique needs.
If you are ready to meet with a therapist or counselor at Thriveworks San Jose, here are a few things that may be helpful to know. When you call to schedule an appointment, a person will answer and help you find an appointment. We do not have a voicemail. We do not have a waitlist. New clients, however, often meet with their therapist within 24 hours of their first call. We also accept many forms of insurance.
Let’s work together against anxiety and depression. Call Thriveworks San Jose today.
