Suffering from depression can encompass quite a hopeless feeling. It may seem you are never going to feel better or normal again. And sometimes, as soon as you start feeling better, you start anticipating for the overwhelming feeling to once again come over you. It is quite common for depression to be a reoccurring disorder, but it is also possible for it to diminish, and every so often, it is possible for it to be completely absent. Depression isn’t something to be taken lightly, as it can have a very large impact on one’s life. It can make you feel like you just can’t do anything. Depression can make it so that it is just a hard task to get out of bed in the morning. Many people think they are alone when it comes to suffering from depression, but depression is a more common occurrence than most people know. In 2012, 16 million U.S. adults suffered from at least one major depressive episode, while 350 million people worldwide are reported to suffer from depression. The numbers have actually only continued to increase as well over time. And one of the biggest problems, is that many people are failing to…
Whether the job you have is the one that you planned on since the day you were asked as a child, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” or just a job to pay the bills and take care of your family, work can be stressful. And stress is felt differently and at different levels for each person. Some people are much more sensitive to become anxious than others, and sometimes it can be difficult to manage. Deadlines, responsibilities, co-workers, clients, funds, the various aspects that can become overwhelming are endless. Stress can not only cause us mental and emotional anguish, but what many people don’t realize that it can also affect you physically. Since stress is somewhat of an unavoidable entity, it’s important that we at least know how to deal with it properly. According to the AIS, 40% of workers reported their jobs were either very or extremely stressful, while about 80% of workers reported feeling stress on the job, and almost half of those respondents said they need help in learning how to manage the stress. It only seems that over time, the stress in the workplace is growing, and unless you’re lucky enough…
After one endures a traumatizing incident in their life, it can be extremely difficult to know how to move on. Many people experience a feeling that they are living in a dream, or rather, a nightmare, and just can’t seem to wake themselves up. Experiencing traumatic stress after a traumatic incident, is entirely normal, and you shouldn’t feel alone when you are experiencing the stress that follows said incident. Many people out there have gone through similar things, and even if it was a different type of incident they experienced, many times, the traumatic stress symptoms that follow are similar, if not the same. What is a traumatic event? Traumatic events vary, as the trauma that is endured, and felt, and the post stress is subjective among different people. Some examples of traumatic incidents include: Natural disasters Car accidents Shootings Finding out you have a life-threatening illness An assault (physical assault, sexual assault, robbery, mugging) Bereavement Military combat Terrorist attacks After a traumatic experience, many people fall into a shock like state, which is very normal. One may experience a mental numbness, a distance with reality, or an inability to accept what has happened. There can be a battle of…
Cheating in a relationship has many effects on a couple, but also the relationships the person cheated on pursues thereafter. Our Lifeworks counseling centers in Carrolton and Dallas, Texas work with couples and individuals who have been acutely or chronically been impacted by cheating. The healing process is different for an individual, and also there are different forms of cheating people experience. When you have been a victim of cheating, do not expect to be completely “okay” and yourself right away. The pain you will experience in the moment of realization is one you should embrace and allow yourself to completely endure. Afterwards, when you find yourself in a new relationship, or even the same one, do not expect everything to be the same. Being in a position where you have learned not to take trusting someone for granted will open you up to paranoia and, possibly, less fulfilling connections. We also do not advise that you hide or run away from the fact of the matter. Now, there is no need to make it your Facebook status, however, there is solace in accepting that someone you cared about deeply was unfaithful. There will come a time when you may…
It can be easy to confuse paranoia and fear. To an extent the two are very similar, nevertheless, paranoia is driven from suspicion. It starts by acts performed by other people whose motives are driven to you as hostile. Some people cannot independently diagnose themselves as paranoid, and usually, a therapist does that. When this happens, it means that you are interpreting malevolence when in actuality there is none. Whether you feel paranoid about someone leaving the gas on in your house or someone messing with the brakes on your car, your judgement and train of thought have been compromised. One of the main reasons why overcoming paranoia is in your best interest is because you may find yourself harming yourself or innocent people because of your beliefs. Paranoia may also lead to you not seeking medical intervention when it is necessary, i.e. fear of the doctors conspiring to turn you in to the FBI. The feelings and beliefs associated with paranoia often times lead to isolation and emotional segregation from loved ones. On the other extreme, the paranoia can become shared or transferred to others, which can be devastating. The process to overcoming your paranoia entails recognizing when you…
We all fear something, small or big, and we all have our ways of dealing with our fears. But, what if the fear overcomes us to a point you can’t move or think straight? Playing a worst-case scenario in your head does not make you crazy or paranoid, but is a part of identifying a fear and then figuring out how to avoid it. Better yet, get rid of the fear. When you have spent enough time dwelling, and then unable to find a solution on your own, it may be time to seek professional help. There is no need to continue feeling agonized by your fears and learning to live with them. Acknowledging that you have a fear is very brave and an important part of healing. This may seem obvious, however, at times we do not really know what we are afraid of. Hence, a fear can mask something we feel deeper. After identification, the goal is to understand the fear. Our psychologists use the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to tackle your anxieties and then combating your physical response. Yes, a part of getting over your fear may include exposing you to it. This is a case by…
Ending a relationship can be simple or it can be problematic, and for every one person, there is a point where enough is enough. Regardless of the kind relationship, it sometimes helps to seek counseling to find therapeutic ways to overcome emotional hurdles. So, when is it time? For starters, when you start coming second to everything else. Feeling desired and wanted are necessary in every romantic relationship because that is the foundation of why two people come together. It may be difficult to articulate, but voicing to your partner that you need quality time with them is imperative. Human nature sometimes allows us the ignorance of knowing when we are in the wrong and at that time it is the duty of another person to point it out. Secondly, people talk about long distance relationships being difficult and unrealistic, but what about the person who is sitting next to you but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually somewhere else? Some couples describe their relationship being in a rut, and that can be a clue to ending it or working on the issues. Delicately and sensitively deciding on that issue can be tough. Another difficult situation is when a partner is pulling…
OCD is obsessive-compulsive disorder, a mental illness under the umbrella of anxiety disorders. However, OCD is not just needing your hair to look perfect on the day of a presentation or ironing your underwear, for those who suffer from this disorder, their day to day life is functionally impaired. The individuals affected by OCD have intense feelings of obsessive thinking and compulsion that are persistent, repetitive, and require an urgent need for action. Living with OCD directly interferes with a person’s quality of life. For a person who suffers from OCD, a typical day consists of a vicious cycle filled with doubts, anxieties, and inconsolable feelings. Some common afflictions are: Fear of contamination: This can be food, water, or even the clothing you wear. Poor hygiene, Hand washing, face washing, doing laundry, doing the dishes. Ideas of personal harm: Suicide, cutting, stabbing. Ideas of harming others: This is not limited to homicide, but even harming family members, i.e. stabbing a loved one in their sleep. Ideas of physical damage: Property or personal belongings Resisting the urge to carry out a compulsion can be difficult short term, but extremely useful long-term. OCD gives a person these consistent intrusive thoughts that are…
Social anxiety is anxiety related to anticipating or around a social situation. For most, the underlying fear is of evaluation from others in social circumstances, whether it be positive or negative. When you suffer from social anxiety, your goal may be to stay as inconspicuous as possible. Unfortunately for some, they may find themselves avoiding the situations where they anticipate being anxious or use alcohol or drugs to self-medicate before entering these situations. Speaking to an anxiety counselor sooner rather than later, can decrease your risks associated with alcohol abuse, depression, loneliness, decreased occupational advancement and the increased likelihood of remaining single. If social anxiety is stopping you from doing the things you want or need to do, seek professional help today. Challenging yourself on your own is effective until it is ineffective. Lifeworks anxiety counselors are experts in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and stay up to date on all advances for a drug-free approach to dealing with your individualized needs. CBT works by focusing on your behavior and what you are thinking about the why and how of your social anxiety. An integral part of CBT is to help you practice approaching social situations and remain in them in order to learn that nothing really…
Break ups are emotionally, mentally, socially, and physically difficult. For many people, their partner becomes a center focus of their day to day life, so when that person leaves, their day to day life is significantly impacted. The first feeling you may feel is rejection, then anger or sadness or self-shame. There is a time in which these feelings come and go, it’s a natural healing process, however, if these feelings become overwhelming, then it may be a good idea to seek counseling. Overcoming the codependency in the relationship is very important to find new perspective in your life. Entering a relationship opens you up with ideas and possibilities of a future, and when there is a break up a part of the grieving process is accepting that what you wanted to happen no longer may happen with that person. The initial feelings of rejection are related to feelings of self-worth and self-love. When you seek counseling, the therapeutic process will help you recognize and then accept the way you feel about yourself affects the way you relate to people in the world. Taking a closer look at rejection and examining whether someone is a dumper or a dumpee in…
