When Do Anxiety and Depression Require Professional Help?

Everybody feels sad or anxious from time to time. For most people, those feelings are fleeting, and before long, their mood stabilizes and returns to normal.

Yet, for many others with chronic anxiety or depression, it’s a different story. Feelings of sadness, stress, and even hopelessness persist, influencing every activity and taking a major toll on their lives and well-being.

The CDC says more than a third of Americans suffer from symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorders.

The good news: Both anxiety and depression can be treated, but the key is knowing when to seek medical help. 

Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Psychotherapist Mitchel Eisenstein, LCSW, provides virtual mental health care to patients of all ages across the country in the comfort of their own homes or offices.

Based in East Setauket, New York, Mitchel, via telehealth, has helped countless patients reclaim their lives, including many who suffer from anxiety and depression.

Mitchel uses an individualized, patient-centered approach to find the right treatment. He employs a wide range of modalities, including:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Voice dialogue
• Anger management
• Stress management
• Mindfulness
• Psychodynamic therapy. 

If you suffer from anxiety or depression, here’s how to tell when it’s time to enlist the help of an experienced mental health provider like Mitchel.

Symptoms of anxiety

Anxiety can affect different people differently, based on the type of anxiety disorder they have. People with general anxiety have persistent feelings of anxiety about all sorts of everyday occurrences. Other types of anxiety disorders include:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Social anxiety
• Separation anxiety
• Phobias

Your symptoms can vary based on the type of anxiety disorder you have, but most people have symptoms like:

• Feelings of nervousness or restlessness
• Feelings of impending danger or doom
• Increased heart rate or palpitations
• Profuse sweating
• Trembling
• Rapid breathing
• Feelings of fatigue or weakness
• Problems focusing or concentrating
• Panic attacks

People with anxiety disorders feel worry or anxiety that’s well out of proportion to any real “trigger.”

Symptoms of depression

While most people think of depression as feeling sad, it actually involves many other symptoms that can greatly impair your quality of life. If you have depression, you may have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Persistent feelings of hopelessness or sadness
• Low energy levels
• Fatigue
• Loss of interest in enjoyable activities
• Difficulty focusing
• Irritability or other mood changes
• Withdrawal from social interactions
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Changes in appetite
• Widespread aches and pains, including headaches
• Feeling anxious
• Feelings of worthlessness or self-loathing
• Thoughts of self-harm or suicide

Many people with depression also have an anxiety disorder. Both depression and anxiety may be treated similarly, typically with a combination of therapy and medication.

When to seek treatment

Any time you’re struggling with a mood issue like anxiety or depression, it’s a good idea to seek medical help — even if those symptoms have a definable cause or you think your symptoms may be short-lived. You should certainly call our office right away if:

• Your symptoms have lasted for two or more weeks
• Your symptoms are interfering with your life
• Your symptoms are intrusive
• You’re unable to concentrate as a result of your symptoms

If you’re having thoughts of harming yourself, you should call 9-1-1 immediately.

Mental health care is essential for treating your current symptoms, and it can also help you learn how to cope in the future for long-term improvement of your quality of life.

Don’t ignore your feelings

It’s easy to make excuses when it comes to your mental well-being, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed. But delaying care means your symptoms can get much worse, leaving you feeling trapped, hopeless, and riddled with anxiety.

Bottom line: Even if you’re not sure if you have clinical depression or anxiety, having a professional evaluation is the best way to ensure you get the treatment you need to manage those symptoms and enjoy life again. 

To learn more about how Mitchel can help you manage your anxiety and depression, book an appointment online or over the phone today.