Category: health and wellness

5 Best Herbal Remedies for Anxiety

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This article was originally published on SundayScaries.

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It’s not uncommon for you to hear that people suffer from anxiety. In fact, there’s a good chance you know someone who suffers from it. But do you really know what it is? Anxiety is considered an uneasy feeling that is accompanied by both concern and worry, most of the time about some upcoming situation or event. Many of these instances are also filled with great uncertainty, as well.

Now, the upcoming events don’t have to be a big thing. People with anxiety can start having symptoms from a wide range of events, from studying for a test to visiting a new place. Anything can bring on anxiety if you have it.

If you have an anxiety disorder, then you know firsthand that it can persist in your everyday life. You can start feeling anxious to such an extent that it affects your relationships, overall well-being, and even your work.

Similar to most other disorders, there are several different types of anxiety, including:

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Social anxiety
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • Generalized anxiety
  • Panic disorder

Each type of anxiety has its own debilitating symptoms that are slightly different from other types. Since there are so many different types of anxiety, it is a very common disorder that affects almost one-third of adults at one point or another in their life.

If you have one form or another of anxiety, there are several herbal remedies for anxiety that may help alleviate your symptoms. These herbal remedies have been studied specifically in regard to treating anxiety, so have been extensively researched. Remember to always do your own research and consult your doctor before trying any new herbal supplement or remedy.

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1. Passion Flower

Clinical trials have shown that passion flower may be able to help with anxiety. Since passion flower is usually mixed with other herbs in most commercial products and supplements, it is difficult to distinguish the particular qualities of the herb. As long as you take it as directed, passion flower is considered to be safe; however, there have been studies founding that it can also cause dizziness, confusion, and drowsiness.

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2. Kava

While initial studies were very promising and showed great benefits in anxiety treatment, later reports claimed that kava had the potential to cause serious damage to the liver. These reports, while they have been questioned, have caused the FDA to put out warnings about dietary supplements that contain kava. If you do decide to try kava to help with your anxiety, be sure to use caution and get your doctor involved to monitor any side effects.

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3. Valerian

Studies have shown that Valerian users reported a lower amount of stress and anxiety than those who did not use it. Valerian is also considered to be safe if you follow the dosage guidelines. It can, however, cause some minor side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, and headaches.

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4. Lavender

You may already know that lavender is popular in aromatherapy, but it is also popular as an oral supplement. This is because lavender will help you to reduce your anxiety. While the evidence about this is somewhat limited, side effects of taking oral lavender have been known to include headaches and constipation. On top of that, it can also increase your appetite.

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5. Marijuana

Marijuana for the treatment of anxiety is one of the most common reasons that people use it. This is because studies have shown evidence that marijuana can be extremely effective for treating anxiety disorders, no matter what the type. In fact, using cannabis to treat anxiety was first recorded in the year 1563. Garcia de Orta, a Portuguese physician, stated that it would remove all cares and worries from anxiety sufferers. He described marijuana as helping to calm and relax you, and may even put you in a hypnotic state.

If being used to treat anxiety for almost 500 years wasn’t enough, long-term users of marijuana have reported that they have noticed reduced levels of anxiety and stress and an increase in relaxation. Studies have also been done to confirm what many throughout the years have claimed. In 2014, a study from Vanderbilt University discovered that regularly smoking marijuana can potentially increase a naturally occurring chemical in the brain known as endocannabinoids, which become reduced during times of extra stress. While this is not definitively proven, researchers have a theory that this reduction in endocannabinoids is one of the major causes of anxiety.

Finally, marijuana is not only safer and more effective in treating anxiety than traditional anxiety medicines, but it can also help you get off any prescribed anxiety medicines, most of which normally have some extreme side effects like dizziness, internal bleeding, and even rectal bleeding. When you are looking for the best herbal remedies for anxiety, remember that herbal supplements are not regulated or monitored by the FDA. This means that some company’s quality may be a little lower than what is led to believe.

If you are thinking about using an herbal remedy to help treat your anxiety, be sure to speak with your doctor prior to starting. While there are many different herbal remedies available to help you treat anxiety, you should always be sure to do your research on them before testing them out. This way you’ll be safe and will limit any potentially hazardous side effects that may be caused by your new herbal remedies for anxiety.

Best Breathing Exercises for Anxiety Relief

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This article was originally published on SundayScaries.

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If you have ever experienced a panic attack or a sudden wave of anxiety, then you know exactly how miserable they can be. Your heart starts to pound a little harder, your breathing becomes a little shallower, the butterflies start fluttering in your stomach, and all you want to do is curl up in a ball or just simply get out of wherever you are.

While it may seem that you are the only person that this happens to, you aren’t. In fact, many people suffer from anxiety attacks on a daily basis, and it is extremely common. Luckily, there are some breathing exercises for anxiety relief that can help you deal with the situation, and even help prevent it from occurring altogether.

If you have ever had an experience that left you with an overwhelming feeling of anxiety, fear or even dread, you have experienced an anxiety attack. There is good news, however. Anxiety attacks, also referred to as panic attacks, can be treated and even prevented.

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What Causes an Anxiety Attack?

Anxiety attacks are the result of over worrying or concern. When there is something that really concerns you—or that you’re afraid of—it will cause your body’s stress response to start a series of events that affect your endocrine and nervous systems. Your body’s reaction to this response is what dictates the strength of the anxiety attack. The higher your concern or worry is, the greater the anxiety attack.

Anxiety is a tricky thing as it keeps trying to convince you that you are in some type of danger, even though you are actually in no danger at all. And while it can feel as though you are having a heart attack if your anxiety gets severe enough, the chest pain that you feel is from you not being able to breathe properly, which tightens your chest. This is exactly why you need to practice proper breathing exercises for anxiety relief.

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Why Breathe for Anxiety?

Amit Ray said it best: “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” If you want to be able to take control of your anxiety and control yourself when an anxiety attack strikes, you must train yourself to breathe correctly. By harnessing the power of better breathing, you are forcing your mind to focus on while relaxing your nervous system.

Doing so means that you will be able to calm yourself down and lessen the strength and amounts of your anxiety attacks.

Here are a few benefits of doing breathing exercises for anxiety relief:

  • It is instantly effective
  • It is extremely simple to do
  • It works on a physiological level that will automatically start to slow your heart rate
  • It calms down all your body systems
  • It can be done anywhere
  • It is free to do

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Best Breathing Exercises for Anxiety Relief

While there is no shortage of breathing techniques that will help you to lessen and prevent your anxiety, it is best to try several of them out and see which one you like the best.

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CO2 Re-breathing

CO2 re-breathing is a breathing technique that allows you to rebalance your levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide. This is especially effective if you have been hyperventilating. While it won’t necessarily completely stop an anxiety attack, it will help to reduce the severity of the symptoms.

With CO2 re-breathing, what you want to do is either use a paper bag or cup both of your hands over your mouth. You then start to breathe into the bag or your hands slowly. Be sure to use deep, regular breaths and continue doing so for about five to ten breaths.

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Relaxation Through Deep Breathing

While relaxation deep breathing to help you relax isn’t going to stop an anxiety attack from occurring, it is very effective for reducing high-stress situations that could lead to an attack. By the time you get to your tenth breath, you will have more than likely become much calmer and more comfortable.

To maximize relaxation through deep breathing, you will want to sit down in a comfortable position with your back straight and your arms at your sides or in your lap—whichever one is more comfortable for you. You then take a deep breath in through your nose for a count of five. Hold this breath for two to three seconds, then exhale slowly out of your mouth for about six to seven seconds. You want to breathe out as if you were going to whistle. Now repeat this ten times.

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Equal Breathing “Sama Vritti”

If you have ever had trouble falling asleep, you have more than likely tried to count sheep. This works the same way. It will help to interrupt the racing thoughts going through your mind or whatever it is that is keeping you from relaxing. It also helps to calm your nervous system and get you to redirect your focus.

To get started, you must first find a comfortable meditative pose. Start to inhale for a count of four, then exhale for a count of four. Repeat this ten times. As soon as you start to feel more comfortable, try to extend the inhaled and exhaled breath for counts of six to eight.

When you try using the best breathing exercises for anxiety relief, you can tell that they are working if you start to feel calmer. When you start to feel an anxiety attack coming on, by stopping what you are doing and immediately going into these breathing exercises for anxiety relief, you will help yourself to overcome the symptoms and even prevent an anxiety attack altogether.

Just remember that incorporating breathing exercises for anxiety relief is in no way a cure for anxiety, but rather a tool to help you prevent and overcome the symptoms of anxiety if you should need to.

CBD Oil for Sleep: Top Tips for Success

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This article by Madeleine Taylor was originally published on SundayScaries.

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For many people who struggle with insomnia, a natural remedy that actually works seems a pipe dream that doesn’t exist. If you have tossed and turned for several nights in a row and drank your bodyweight in chamomile tea to no avail, you will be all too familiar with the anguish I am referring too. Worst of all, the more you think about how much you want to sleep, the less likely it is to happen. This is due to underlying anxiety and stress of what could happen tomorrow if you don’t sleep, which causes many people to lose themselves in a mental turmoil of catastrophizing.

With traditional sleep aids like benzodiazepines being highly addictive and thus accompanied by nasty withdrawal symptoms and side effects, most people tend to steer clear of sleeping tablets and instead trawl the Internet for hours, desperately searching for home remedies that actually work. And while it is true that certain teas and natural pills can be effective in some cases, in the most severe cases of insomnia, they aren’t.

Fortunately, there is now a solution that is reliable, effective, and extremely efficient to help you fall asleep, get a good night’s rest, and break that sleep-wake cycle. And, best of all, it won’t break the bank.

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Introducing CBD Oil for a Better Night’s Sleep

Though they contain THC, cannabis-based products, including marijuana, have already been proven to help reduce the symptoms of serious diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic pain. And, as the world wakes up to a new and natural approach to combating illness, more research is being funded into the therapeutic benefits of CBD oil to treat everyday ailments like insomnia. So far, existing research indicates that CBD oil is capable of helping you sleep better and the more frequently you take it, the better the long-term effects will be. If you are just starting out on your CBD journey, or you simply want to learn more about how it can help combat the effects of insomnia, we have prepared seven tips to help you sleep better at night, as well as how to figure out the correct dosage to ensure a decent night’s sleep and improve your overall sleep quality.

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Take Your CBD Oil Earlier in the Day

Unlike traditional prescription sleeping pills, CBD should not be taken just before you want to go to sleep. It is not a question of instant gratification, but rather taking an appropriate dose a few hours before bed so that your endocannabinoid system can absorb all of the benefits of the oil and get to work in a timely manner. One of the main reasons we recommend CBD, such as hemp CBD oil, for sleep disorders, is that if you take it regularly, it is capable of adapting and balancing the hormones and chemicals in your body responsible for ensuring a good night’s sleep. This means that you don’t have to worry about missing a dose (on occasion), as its half-life is considerably longer than that of benzodiazepines.

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Consistency Is Key

Like with THC products and cannabis, while you can experience the benefits of CBD oil almost instantly, it is important to be consistent with your daily doses in order to experience the maximum benefits of this potent, all-natural sleep aid. As we mentioned above, CBD oil works to efficiently and effectively treat a multitude of different conditions and it could be that your lack of sleep is actually a result of an underlying issue like fear, worry, or anxiety. You will need to find the appropriate dose through trial and error, which shouldn’t take long for you to pinpoint if you keep up with your daily ingestion of the tincture.

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Set the Scene

A mind is a brilliant tool and if we learn to control it, it will be our greatest ally. If you have struggled with insomnia for several years, then it is important to let go of any expectations you might have. We tend to forget just how powerful our subconscious mind can be, so when you start taking CBD oil try to limit your expectations. If you take your drops and you are convinced that it isn’t going to work, you won’t allow yourself to succumb to the effects, and you may subconsciously try and negate the relaxing vibe that you are actually feeling deep down. Always approach CBD with an open mind and know that it will not harm you in any way.

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Find the Right Dosage

If you have been battling issues like insomnia, pain, or anxiety for as long as you can remember, and you have yet to find something that actually works to relieve the negative symptoms, then CBD oil could be the solution. While you might be extremely excited to experience the beneficial effects that everyone talks about, you don’t necessarily need to take the highest dose of CBD oil available. Whilst the precise recommended dose of CBD proportionate to your bodyweight has yet to be pinpointed, experts usually recommend that you should start with a lower dosage and gradually increase the amount you take until you reach the point where you notice it working. It is also worth noting that it is virtually impossible to overdose on CBD oil and as it is a completely non-addictive substance, you don’t need to worry about the potentially harmful side effects that exist with other medications when you suddenly increase or lower your dosage. It is a case of trial and error but, as a guideline, the Mayo Clinic recommends a dose of 40–160 mg of CBD consumed orally each day. While you are trying to figure out your ideal dose of CBD oil, you will want to factor in a few things:

  • How bad your insomnia actually is
  • How much you weigh
  • Your tolerance to CBD
  • The cause of your sleep disorder (if known)

Once you have a clearer idea of what you are setting yourself up to tackle, you can better prepare yourself for success.

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Final Thoughts

If you are trying CBD for the first time, you could find it helpful to keep a note of your daily experiences and the dose you took while you are trying to calculate the ideal dosage to meet your needs. This will allow you to hone in on what works for you and more importantly, what feels best for you so you can implement a long-term strategy based on personal facts. There is plenty of information on the subject of CBD and insomnia online, but always try to learn from reputable and legitimate articles and medical journals. You can also try talking to a licensed medical professional, who is experienced in prescribing CBD for sleep disorders as well as researching the most appropriate strain to combat your specific issues. Finally, most reputable online dispensaries will offer you the opportunity to buy smaller bottles of CBD oil so you can try them out before committing to ordering larger sizes or quantities. Regardless of how long it takes for you to get your dosage right, you will see an improvement in your sleep patterns even when taking a lower dose than what is ideal for you.

Can CBD Oil Cause Headaches?

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This article by Madeleine Taylor is originally published on SundayScaries.

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Like with cannabis itself, CBD oil has become one of the most talked-about natural remedies in recent years. It has been known to help alleviate symptom severity with mental health issues, such as PTSD, and illnesses like multiple sclerosis. It has also been shown to help relieve pain and migraine severity. People want to know more about the effects of CBD; they want to know how it can be used to help them and if there are side effects. One of the biggest concerns about CBD oil is whether it will cause headaches or a migraine—one of the things it is supposed to help.

What do you need to know about CBD oil, and how it can help you?

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What Is CBD Oil?

First, it’s important to understand what CBD oil is and what it is not.

CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is a compound found in the cannabis plant, Cannabis sativa. Hemp is a plant that is associated with marijuana, but when grown and processed differently it produces a variety of different products.

CBD oil is made from hemp plants that contain low levels of THC and high levels of CBD. There are similarities to medical marijuana, but medical marijuana comes from plants that contain high levels of THC, which is the psychoactive ingredient. There are thousands of varieties of hemp, and what is used to make CBD oil is different than hemp that contains high levels of psychoactive ingredients. CBD hemp contains zero to trace amounts of THC, so you don’t need to be concerned about whether CBD will “get you high” or produce any of the effects you’d experience when using marijuana.

Hemp oil and CBD products can be sold and delivered throughout the United States and are not considered contraband or an illegal drug.

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Why Is CBD Oil Considered Effective?

CBD oil is touted as being able to help with a variety of health concerns. It interacts with the body through the endogenous cannabinoid system or endocannabinoid system. This is the body’s system for regulating homeostasis and helps a person feel balanced. The endocannabinoid system plays a role in appetite, sleep, mood, hormone regulation, pain, and immunity. Many people find that supplementing with CBD oil enhances their body’s natural ability to deal with these things.

To date, CBD has been the subject of more than 20,000 medical studies examining how its use can improve health. It has been shown to be effective for treating anxiety, depression, epilepsy, inflammation, cancer, and cancer treatment side effects, memory loss, immunity, sleep disorders, chronic pain, spasticity, and menstrual symptoms.

*Note from RJ: If you enjoy the science behind how CBD and marijuana affect the endocannabinoid system, check out the research published on the National Center for Biotechnology Information website.

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What Are the Side Effects of CBD Oil?

Like anything we use, some people experience side effects when incorporating CBD oil into their wellness and self-care routines. These side effects are typically mild, but if you are experiencing side effects, it might be an indication that the product is not right for you. This is the case with all-natural health remedies and supplements. If there is a problem, you can consider sampling other brands, as there is a variety of different methods for manufacturing and producing CBD oil out there and some are better than others.

It should be noted that feeling “high” or experiencing euphoria or any psychoactive effects of CBD is never a side effect of using the product. CBD oil does not contain THC or at least does not contain an amount of THC high enough to produce this effect. It will not affect perception, consciousness, sensory awareness, or anything associated with using drugs.

The most common side effects experienced by CBD users include a drop in blood pressure, dry mouth, sedation, lightheadedness, and drowsiness. Most agree that these symptoms occur when dosing is an issue—someone takes too high a dose of CBD too soon and their body isn’t able to process the introduction of the substance gradually. Ideally, you’ll give yourself time to adjust to CBD by starting with a small dose and slowly increasing it over days or weeks. High doses of CBD are not believed to be toxic, but they can counteract the positive benefits you’re seeking.

According to at least one study investigating CBD side effects, there is no reason to believe it has any negative impact on:

  • Blood pressure
  • Heart rate
  • Body temperature
  • Glucose levels
  • pH levels
  • Oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange between the lungs and bloodstream
  • Red blood cell volume
  • Digestive system
  • Potassium and sodium levels

When it did affect any part of the body connected with any of these factors, it was in a positive manner.

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Is It Possible to Be Allergic to CBD Oil?

Though it has not been proven that an allergic reaction to CBD is out of the realm of possibilities, no medical studies have shown any link between an allergic reaction and CBD. The same is true for headaches and CBD; CBD is not believed to be linked to headaches or migraines.

The is also true for other unpleasant side effects, including changes in appetite, weight, and diarrhea. Put simply, should you develop a horrible migraine following taking a dose of CBD, it is likely to be coincidental.

In addition to carefully introducing CBD to your body, it’s also important to use a high-quality oil you can trust. In most cases, when someone experiences a negative side effect after using CBD oil, it’s due to an issue of purity. Essentially, they are not taking what they think they are taking. Like all-natural health supplements, CBD oil needs to come from a reliable brand and it’s up to the consumers to educate themselves properly before trying CBD oil.

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What should you consider when shopping for CBD oil?

  • Purity and safety: CBD oil should be guaranteed free of lead and mercury and other contaminants. Products imported from overseas sometimes contain only trace amounts of CBD oil and are actually nothing but fillers.
  • Testing: CBD oil should be tested by a third party to ensure quality and potency. Third-party testing also helps to identify microbial contamination and whether or not the product contains any harmful chemical fertilizers.
  • Labeling: Regulations concerning product labeling are not very stringent when it comes to CBD and other natural products, so it’s important to do your research. Companies should be transparent about what is in their product even though they are not required to be by the government yet. Proper labeling should include the product’s name, the manufacturer’s name, and a list of the content in the product.

Speeding up Fitness Recovery with CBD

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This article by Madeleine Taylor was originally published on SundayScaries.

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Everyone’s talking about CBD. So, what gives? Well, quite a lot actually. Far from just being the health, well-being, and fitness fad of the moment, this natural oil has plenty of proven benefits going for it. Like the fact that there’s scientific proof that it’s anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety, great for your immune system, and can even reduce pain.

Now, to add to these benefits, a study has found that using CBD while working out can also help speed up recovery times.

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More CBD, less stiffness, less soreness

Catabolic hormones are responsible for breaking down muscle tissue. When you’re looking to increase muscle mass and improve muscle tone, driving down your levels of catabolic hormones (including cortisol) is essential.

Excessive cortisol impairs protein synthesis and proactively works against tissue growth. When cortisol levels are too high, even the hardest hitting of workouts could bring about little in the way of muscle improvement. On the flip side, cortisol is pivotal to protecting the liver and removing toxins (which is why cortisol is still needed by the body, despite its negative effects).

CBD oil can play a central role in helping your body hold onto a natural cortisol balance. According to Stuart Titus, president and CEO of Medical Marijuana, Inc., the study “actually mentions very specifically that the non-psychoactive cannabinoids like CBD are more preferable to use because you can give larger doses without any of the intoxicating or negative side effects.” 

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A solid night’s sleep before hitting the gym

Your body recovers best (and fastest) while asleep, which CBD oil can help with too. Looking at the biology of it, CBD oil engages CB2 receptors in the limbic and paralimbic regions of the brain. These serve as the “control centers” of the endocannabinoid system (the system that’s responsible for regulating sleep and mood).

CBD has been found to aid regular REM sleep (the deep, dreamy kind of sleep), which is exactly when optimum recovery time takes place.

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Up your stamina with a rush of anandamide

Ever heard of runner’s high? If you’ve not been lucky enough to experience this euphoric feeling while working out, allow us to fill you in. Some think that it’s nothing more than a myth. But actually, there’s plenty of research out there that proves the existence of this phenomenon.

Runner’s high can be experienced after any long, hard workout that gets the adrenaline pumping. For decades, it was thought that the release of endorphins was responsible for the effect, but more recently a study has shown that it is the endocannabinoid system that is behind runner’s high or, more specifically, a flood of anandamide, which is an endocannabinoid compound. And guess what naturally regulates this compound? Yeah, that would be CBD oil.

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Up your stamina x2 with regulated blood sugar levels

Last (but by no means least) we need to talk about blood sugar levels. Get these wrong with an imbalanced diet, and you’re going to be grappling with energy dips as you attempt to put in a reasonable gym performance.

Now, here’s something interesting: While a carefully considered diet is absolutely essential to your blood sugar levels, chronic inflammation (which many athletes struggle with) can be a cause of insulin resistance (the hormone that regulates blood sugar).

Three years ago, research into this area found something staggering—that CBD could potentially be used to treat diabetes. This study reported findings that the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabidiol not only aided chronic inflammation but also improved the body’s metabolism. This ranks among one of the most impressive benefits of CBD yet. And research into this natural resource is really only in its infancy.

So, CBD. It’s believed to aid stamina, regulate cortisol and blood sugars, and support you as you work your way to runner’s high.

As an athlete, CBD oil is almost as essential to pack into your gym bag as your sweatpants and sneakers.

Anxiety vs Paranoia

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Hallo, there, sweethearts. Today I want to share an article contribution from Sunday Scaries. Sunday Scaries is a company that sells high-quality CBD. But, more than that, they are a company that advocates for the use of CBD to help you, in their words, “chill the f*** out.” I love it. Sunday Scaries shares information about the uses of CBD to help with stress, anxiety, and more. As a CBD user myself, I’m happy to share any content on the subject that might help others.

So, without further ado and with a hearty thanks to Sunday Scaries, here’s Anxiety vs Paranoia.

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This article by Madeleine first appeared on Sunday Scaries.

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As we work toward destigmatizing mental illness, many people are now learning basic psychological terms for the first time. Where once it might have been challenging to find words to describe your mental health experiences, terms such as anxiety, depression, and paranoia are becoming fairly commonplace. But what do these words actually mean and how they can affect your life?

If you suffer from anxiety, there is a good chance that you may also suffer from paranoia. If you suffer from paranoia, there is a good chance that you may also suffer from anxiety. However, just because you have one does not necessarily mean that you have the other. While they can go hand-in-hand, it is not always the case. Before you can understand in which ways paranoia and anxiety are similar, you must first understand why they are also quite different.

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What Is Paranoia?

Paranoia is characterized by intense, fearful feelings and is often related to thoughts of conspiracy, persecution, and threats. While often occurring in many different mental disorders, paranoia is often not present in several psychotic disorders. With paranoia, irrational beliefs and paranoid thoughts are made out to be real and absolutely nothing—not even factual evidence disproving the belief—is able to convince you that you are wrong. When you have delusions or paranoia without other symptoms, you may have something known as a delusional disorder which could ultimately lead to a nervous breakdown. As only your thoughts would be impacted by a delusional disorder, you would still be able to function and work in your everyday life. Outside of work, however, your life could be isolated and extremely limited.

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Signs of Paranoia

Some of the symptoms you can expect to see if you are suffering from paranoia include an intense and even irrational lack of trust or suspicion about something or someone. This lack of trust or suspicion has the potential to bring you a sense of betrayal, fear, and anger. In fact, if you suffer from paranoia, you may show such symptoms as:

  • Mistrust
  • Difficulty forgiving
  • Fear of being taken advantage of
  • Hypervigilance
  • Defensiveness toward imagined criticism
  • Thoughts that everyone is out to get you
  • The inability to relax
  • Argumentative
  • Preoccupation

Paranoia is caused by a breakdown of different emotional and mental functions. Those functions involve both assigned meanings and reasoning. While there is no real reason known for the breakdowns, they are extremely varied and uncertain. At the same time, there are also several symptoms of paranoia that are related to denied, projected, or repressed feelings. What is known about the cause of paranoia, however, is that it is often feelings and thoughts related to relationships or certain events in your life that cause the problem. Since these events are typically more personal, this is often the reason why those who suffer from paranoia prefer to be isolated and have increasing difficulty when it comes to getting help.

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What Is Anxiety?

For most of us, anxiety is considered more of a general term that covers multiple disorders that cause fear, worry, nervousness, and apprehension. All of these anxiety-related disorders affect how we behave, think, and feel and can eventually lead to physical symptoms as well. While a mild case of anxiety can be unsettling and vague, a more severe case of anxiety can be so serious as to affect your everyday life.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), the exact definition of anxiety is “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.”

That being said, of the varying degrees of anxiety, it is important to identify the differences between the feelings of normal anxiety compared to a full-on anxiety disorder that requires some type of medical attention.

When you are faced with a potentially worrying or harmful trigger, feelings of anxiety manifest. They are not just normal but are actually required for your survival. You see, ever since the beginning of humanity, certain situations have set off alarms within the human brain letting us know that we need to carry out evasive action. These alarms come in the form of sweating, a heightened awareness of surroundings, and an increased heart rate. This is known as the “fight or flight response.”

In today’s day and age, this same fight or flight response doesn’t come from dangerous predators, but rather money, work, health, family life, and myriad other issues that demand your attention.

For example, the nervous feeling we have all experienced at some point in our lives is essentially brought on by a difficult situation, such as a first date or other important event. This nervous feeling could emerge right before giving a speech in front of 1,500 peers, the day of your wedding, or even crossing a busy road getting the feeling that you are going to be hit by a car.

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Anxiety Disorders

An anxiety disorder is essentially when the symptoms, duration, and severity of your anxious feelings are blown out of proportion. An anxiety disorder can actually lead to several physical symptoms, such as nausea and high blood pressure. If these physical symptoms are observed, it is no longer considered anxiety but an anxiety disorder. An anxiety disorder occurs when you have a reaction that is out of proportion to what is considered normal within a certain situation.

There are several different types of anxiety disorders that include:

  • Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
  • Panic disorder
  • Phobia
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • Social anxiety disorder
  • Separation anxiety disorder
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Some common eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa, are also linked to anxiety. It is also possible to have one or more anxiety disorders at the same time. While anxiety and paranoia are two separate conditions, certain anxiety symptoms can include and may lead to paranoia. If you have paranoia, chances are that you got to that point in your life by having more severe degrees of anxiety.

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Other Causes of Anxiety

Although many mental illnesses can cause anxiety, one does not have to be mentally ill to experience it. Mental health is more than just being “sick” or “healthy,” and there are many complex factors that can cause otherwise unafflicted people to experience certain symptoms without warranting an official diagnosis. Here are some reasons—other than mental illness—as to why one may experience anxiety:

  • Substance use
  • Extreme stress at work, school, or in personal relationships
  • Financial hardships
  • Physical health conditions, such as thyroid disorders
  • Lack of oxygen to the brain due to health circumstances, including blood clots and high-altitude sickness
  • Side effects of certain medications

It is important to understand that your mental health is always important. It is not “just” stress from a busy schedule or a workplace conflict. If anxiety from personal circumstances is interfering with your life, you should reach out for help and talk to your doctor about getting the help that you need.

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Who Experiences Anxiety and Paranoia?

The short answer is that anyone could be experiencing anxiety, paranoia, or both. These conditions do not discriminate based on physical health, income, age, or any other factors. That being said, there are certain people who are particularly vulnerable. Here are some groups of people who are most at risk for anxiety:

  • Adults under 35
  • Those with chronic diseases
  • Immigrants
  • Low-income individuals
  • Racial minorities
  • Drug users
  • Women are nearly twice as likely to develop anxiety than men
  • North Americans are more likely to develop anxiety than other populations

Many of these groups, such as drug users, are also generally more vulnerable to paranoia. Given the fact that paranoia is rarer than anxiety, it is important also to look at one’s genetic history and whether there are past instances of paranoia and psychosis in the family tree.

Please note that this list is far from extensive. If you do not match any of the descriptions above, it does not mean that you are not in need of help.

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Similarities Between Anxiety and Paranoia

As you can see, the two conditions are not totally similar, but they are not totally different either. Anxiety is much more prevalent in modern society, with a predicted 40 million Americans suffering every year. However, both conditions can have overlapping signs and symptoms.

Both conditions can leave you feeling hopeless, restless, a reluctance to trust and reach out to others, and a sense of low self-worth. They also both have symptoms that can manifest in physical ways, such as with trouble breathing, a poor sleeping pattern, and even digestive health issues in more serious cases.

Regardless of which condition (or both) that you are struggling with, it is critical that you see a doctor right away. Just like with physical ailments, early detection and diagnosis can help improve outcomes and make the treatment process easier and faster.

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Getting Help

If any of the above symptoms ring a bell, you might be overwhelmed with questions. Do you have anxiety or paranoia or both? Which diagnosis, if any, fits your situation? What treatment options are available? Can you take medication? Should you be going to a therapist?

There are lots of questions needing to be answered, but fortunately, you have someone in your life who can help you know how to start treating your health issues: your doctor.

Book an appointment with your family doctor and discuss the symptoms you have been experiencing. It is important to be honest about your situation and not downplay any of your symptoms. This is especially true if you believe that you might have a delusional disorder or feel that you might be at risk of hurting yourself or others.

Your doctor might refer you to a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a social worker, or another trained mental health professional. They might also recommend blood work and other physical tests. They should be able to speak with you about the next steps to take care of your health and discuss the possibility of using medication or therapy to help you recover.

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Strategies to Cope with Paranoia and Anxiety

Medical treatments like anti-anxiety medications or counseling can help you get a handle on your condition, but there are also everyday things you can do to make your life easier. From spending a bit more time focusing on self-care to addressing any workplace issues that might arise from your symptoms, it is important to take actions to address your condition head-on. Here are just a few of the strategies that could help you cope on a day-to-day basis:

  • Reach out to loved ones when you feel you need it
  • Be forthcoming with employers and teachers when your mental health is affecting your performance. They can work with you to make the necessary accommodations
  • Consider taking sick days or time off work if you feel unable to handle it without making your condition worse
  • Get enough sleep at night
  • Stay hydrated and eat a healthy diet
  • Leave yourself time every day to unwind and relax away from the stresses of school and/or work
  • Consider dropping unnecessary or stressful commitments
  • Treat any physical health problems that may be contributing to your paranoia or anxiety
  • If possible, get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily
  • Speak to your doctor about CBD, which has been shown to help with anxiety

Remember, if you ever feel at risk of seriously hurting yourself or those around you, this is a medical emergency. You should call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room to get help immediately.

While the causes and symptoms of both anxiety and paranoia are different, having one may increase your chances of having the other. It is true that you can be paranoid and not have any signs of anxiety; it is also true that you can have anxiety with no signs of paranoia. No matter what the situation of your symptoms may be, if you ever feel like you are overly anxious or that you may be paranoid, the best thing you can do for yourself is to seek out medical help before your conditions become too severe.

The Doctor Is In

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Hallo there, sweethearts. If you feel like I may have ghosted you for a bit, I place the blame solely on Dave. He’s getting out of hand. You know how it goes. But I’m back now, and I have a special guest. No, Dave, it isn’t you. I swear. Right! Before we dive in—I don’t want you to get any ideas, I know how you are—here’s a friendly disclaimer:

The below represents the opinions of psychologist Jerry Vanzant Walker, III, Ph.D., and not the opinions or beliefs of the United States Air Force or the entire field of professional psychology.

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As you might have guessed by now, the special guest is Dr. Jerry Walker! You might remember months ago when I released a two-part series on mood and anxiety disorders (part I—part II). Well, this is a bit of a follow-up to that. We’ve focused on the science and on the individuals suffering these types of disorders, so now we’re getting another POV.

Now, if you’ve dealt with any chronic or recurring disease/disorder, I’d be willing to bet that going through the gauntlet of finding a doctor has been a fucking nightmare. That’s just the way it is, sadly. Trying to find medical help—whether mental or physical—can be extremely frustrating. There’s a disconnect somewhere. Whether we like doctors or not, we subconsciously place them on a pedestal. We expect them to know everything about anything that could be wrong with us because, I mean, doctor. You know? Well, surprise! That’s not how it works. Something we need to remember when seeking medical help is that medical professionals are people too. Calm your tits, Dave, I know it’s a revelation.

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Meet the Psychologist

Dr. Walker is a licensed psychologist who’s been working (both active duty and as a contractor) for the USAF for the past six years. He earned his BA in Psychology and BS in Communication Studies from the University of Texas—where he was also a male cheerleader—and earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology & Human Systems from Florida State University. Dr. Walker always had a desire to serve the military. He started talking to recruiters while in high school, but his parents were adamant that he go to college first. The study of psychology always fascinated him, but in undergrad it became his passion. In grad school, his program’s Director of Clinical Training (a former Navy psychologist) asked if Dr. Walker had ever considered working for the VA or military.

After entering the Air Force for his psychology residency in San Antonio, Dr. Walker spent the remainder of his career at Langley Air Force Base in southeast Virginia. He works as an embedded psychologist and behavioral/human factors consultant for a large intelligence organization on the Langley Air Force Base. As if that weren’t enough, he also has a local part-time private practice. The work ethic is strong with this one.

Throughout his military career, Dr. Walker has run an outpatient substance abuse program, a 25-person multidisciplinary outpatient mental health clinic, a suicide prevention program for 11,000 personnel at a military installation, and a disaster mental health team which responded to eight crises. He has also served as the sole psychologist for 9,000+ American, British, Canadian, and Australian military personnel in a deployed location. Dr. Walker’s graduate research and personal proclivity toward resilience and performance enhancement—vs treatment or remediation of deficits—led him to pursue opportunities within the military to work with special operations forces and other communities which might benefit from having an in-house psychological consultant.

When he isn’t working, Dr. Walker spends time with his wife and son. He’s a bit of an outdoorsy guy who enjoys kickboxing, playing racquetball and guitar, and reading fantasy. I mean, he’s legit a real person. Not a cyborg or robot or Pleadian. Damn Pleadians.

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Diagnosis from a new POV

I’ve heard a good deal of horror stories when it comes to getting a diagnosis and finding the right treatment. I’d make a joke about one of the side effects of trying to get a correct diagnosis being a sharp pain in the ass, but I’m realizing it’s becoming my own personal cliché. Which you’d know if you read Rise and Run. So never mind. Joke aborted, shameless plug ended. In any case, I wanted to provide a new POV on the diagnosis process so that we can get a better understanding of, you know, the whole process.

According to Dr. Walker, diagnostics is a continual process that involves listening to what the patient says—or doesn’t say—and knowing the right questions to ask and how to ask them. “Most mental health professionals use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-5) as a guide when making a diagnosis,” says Dr. Walker. “Mental health disorders are described generally in terms of clusters of symptoms, so in order for a patient to meet diagnostic criteria, they generally have to endorse a sufficient number of symptoms from various clusters or categories.”

Dr. Walker usually utilizes the first session to try to get a general sense of what the patient is experiencing and the timeline/progression of symptoms. “It may be several sessions before we are able to trace [an individual’s] presenting concerns to their etiology,” says Dr. Walker. When this happens, he will sometimes provide a general (e.g. Unspecified Anxiety Disorder) or tentative diagnosis until there is enough information to either rule in or rule out a diagnosis with more certainty. “Sometimes a patient won’t reveal certain symptoms or experiences they’ve had or are having until much later on in treatment, because they didn’t believe them to be relevant to their presenting concern,” Dr. Walker explains. “Additionally, we have to determine the extent and severity of functional impact of these symptoms, as this is a core component of mental health diagnoses.”

Dr. Walker notes that empathic listening is critical to both fostering a collaborative, working relationship with a patient and determining accurate diagnoses. “It also helps to have general working knowledge of the DSM-5, though I do keep a pocket reference book nearby in case I need to refer to the diagnostic criteria for some of the rarer disorders.”

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    You can see the empathy, right?

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Trick or Treatment

So, we’ve gone through the diagnosis process and now we get to the fun part. Treatment! Or, rather, a whole host of attempted treatments that are less than stellar, followed by a winner. At least, that’s generally the patient’s experience. I asked Dr. Walker about the path to treatment and whether the original diagnosis could change depending on what worked and what didn’t. “Contemporary psychological practice emphasizes the use of evidence-based practices (i.e. psychological treatment procedures that are widely supported by a series of sound research studies) for the treatment of specific mental health conditions,” Dr. Walker says. “Depending on the complexity, acuity, coping resources, insight, etc. of the patient and their mental health condition(s), treatment can vary widely in terms of scope and longevity.  I’ve helped folks ameliorate chronic PTSD in as little as four one-hour sessions. I’ve also worked with an individual with childhood-related PTSD and Borderline Personality Disorder on a weekly basis for nearly two years (with relatively minor ultimate progress).” There’s also an aspect of patient commitment and patient-therapist relationship impacting the efficacy of treatment: “The stronger these are, generally the better the outcome.”

I want you to pay close attention to this next bit. There’s an important message there. “Psychologists do not prescribe medication [usually] but they do advocate for their patients and refer them to prescribing mental health providers when appropriate,” Dr. Walker says. Advocate. That’s fantastic. It’s great if you can find a healthcare pro who will advocate for you, but I want to stress that it is even more important for you to advocate for yourself. The more proactive you are when dealing with health problems and the more you advocate for yourself, the more likely you’ll be able to find a healthcare pro or team that will be willing to advocate for you. What’s that, Dave? Oh, yes. Got distracted. Back to the path … of treatment! “Typically, a general class of medication will be selected for treatment of specific mental health conditions. There does seem to be some evidence that specific drugs within a class are more indicated for a specific condition than others,” Dr. Walker says. “They also may have different effects/side effects (e.g., Zoloft, an SSRI, has been deemed safe for use to treat depression during pregnancy, though Prozac, also an SSRI, is not).”

And, as it turns out, the original diagnoses can change based on medication responses/non-response. “There are some cases I’ve seen where a prescriber gives a medication that reveals the diagnosis was entirely different. An SSRI prescribed for depression set off a manic episode, wherein it was discovered the patient did not have unilateral depression but actually a bipolar disorder.”

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    Pictured: What happens when you don’t advocate for yourself.

Mental Health and Violence

One mental health conversation that pops up periodically (mostly sensationalized in the media) is mental health in relation to extreme acts of violence—after mass shootings or spree killings, for instance. “Believe it or not, acts of violence are rarely related to mental health disorders such as depression, PTSD, or schizophrenia as the popular media might have you believe,” says Dr. Walker. “In actuality, substance abuse has a far higher contribution to self-harm, domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault.” I can’t say that’s surprising. The way the media presents most mental health discussions is a detriment to both the understanding and perception of mental health issues. Come, plebes, let us take a journey in the Way Way Back machine because I want to reference a particular mass shooting. If we look at the case of Charles Whitman, he obviously knew something was wrong. He sought help. It was only after his death that an autopsy (requested in his suicide note) revealed a tumor that “conceivably could have contributed to his inability to control his emotions and actions,” according to the Connally Commission. So, I guess my question is: At what point during the diagnosis/treatment phase is it determined that a patient’s symptoms are from, say, chemical imbalance issues vs something like a tumor or brain injury? Well good news, kids, because that’s a question Dr. Walker and his ilk are trained to consider.

“In most of the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5, there is a line that asks whether the presenting symptoms could be better explained by a medical condition or the effects of a medication,” explains Dr. Walker. “This requires the psychologist to have a basic working knowledge of neuroanatomy, psychopharmacology, and neuropsychology, which allows us to ask appropriate questions to rule out the possible influence of these variables on the [individual’s] presenting condition.” If the psychologist deems it appropriate, they will refer the individual to another provider for additional assessment/testing to clarify the root cause of the presenting symptoms. “This has happened several times in my career. I once referred a patient to his primary care physician to request an MRI based on the patient’s reported onset of severe headaches and display of pseudobulbar affect—random, uncontrollable laughing and crying. A patient with a mild traumatic brain injury from an automobile accident six years prior developed OCD. One time I had a patient present with hypomanic symptoms (super happy, talkative, goal-directed, restless, etc.) who, it turned out, was abusing Adderall he got from his roommate.” Dr. Walker doesn’t have admitting privileges or the ability to refer patients for certain medical tests, so in cases like those mentioned above, he consults with other medical providers and encourages them to investigate further.

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  • sadness-3434515_640
    ‘Member that scene from Infinity War? You’re welcome.

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Things, they are A-Changin’

Over the past few years, more people have joined the campaign to be open about mental health. “I get the feeling that there are a lot of misconceptions about mental health disorders, though I’ve seen mental health stigma gradually decrease in the general population over the last decade,” Dr. Walker says. “Mental health disorders are, by definition, abnormal. This has a negative connotation, but in truth all this means is that mental health disorders are not the predominant function of our brains or behavior.  As with any minority condition or trait, this makes understanding the experiences of someone with a mental health condition difficult for the majority who do not have this personal experience or exposure.”

As we talk about mental health issues more frequently and in a more open-minded and educated manner, we gradually begin to lessen the stigma. “The millennial generation seems to be more prone to talking about mental health issues and advocating for disenfranchised/minority members, including those who suffer from relatively rare mental health conditions like OCD, schizophrenia, and Bipolar Disorder,” says Dr. Walker.

If you or someone you know is struggling with any type of mental health issues, reach out, talk about it, and seek help. You are not alone.

Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Part Two (the People)

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Hallo, hallo, and happy Monday. Or just normal Monday. Dave says, “Melancholy Monday,” but we don’t really want to entertain anything Dave says. He’ll start to think he’s people. Welcome to part two of Mood and Anxiety Disorders. We’re past the science dump and onto the human side of these disorders. Three volunteers agreed to be interviewed. The questions for each interviewee were essentially the same in order to get a scope of how differently these disorders affect individuals.

From the top, I want to give a huge thank you to the participants—whose names I will be changing for privacy purposes.

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Internal Struggles

The first task I asked of my participants was to try to describe what their depressive and anxiety episodes felt like and whether they differed from day to day. The participants included one male (based in Alabama), and two females (one based in California, and one in Florida). So, going forward, the participants will be called Alabama, California, and Florida. It’s nice when I don’t have to be creative and make up actual names.

Both Alabama and Florida suffer from depression and anxiety. If you remember from the previous post, anxiety and depression tend to show up together—first one, then the other. The symptoms of these disorders also overlap quite a bit. While California suffers from anxiety, her chances of battling depression in the next few years are statistically higher than average.

So, what do depression and anxiety feel like, day to day, for our participants?

Alabama: The depression feels like you’re all alone, no one cares, and you’d be better off not being here. The anxiety makes me feel like I can’t breathe, like I’m going to cave in on myself. I don’t want to be around anyone. It’s different from day to day. Some days I don’t want to leave the house and others I’m just fine and seem normal to everyone, but inside I’m screaming.

Florida: My anxiety feels like someone is sucking the life out of me. Having anxiety and anxiety attacks are very scary. Recently I had three very bad attacks where I thought I was having a heart attack and needed to go to the hospital. I ate tums, drank cold water, laid down, and focused on my breathing. It lasted roughly 15 minutes, then the next one came on and the same thing happened. I had to take my prescribed medication. I eventually fell asleep and slept for several hours. I was okay after that.

My depression is a feeling of just being in a funk and not wanting to do anything or go anywhere. After my dad passed in December 2017, I became really depressed and was diagnosed with severe depression. If I was talking to someone, I would just burst into tears for no reason. I would sleep a lot and didn’t want to take a shower—it didn’t even cross my mind until my husband asked me if I took one that day. The depression and anxiety differ from day to day. Some days/weeks I do not leave my house, I don’t talk to anyone (I used to be a social butterfly and talk to a lot of people, now I don’t). I am withdrawn from life. I don’t sleep well and can fall asleep anywhere from 11 pm to 3 am. At night my mind races and I can’t get it to slow down (even with meds) enough to relax and fall asleep.

California: Anxiety has different types of feelings or levels. Some days it’s no big deal. When I’m dealing with a lot of stress at work, with the kids, etc., it’s harder to sleep. I find my mind can’t stop thinking about whatever the problem is. Sometimes, even if nothing is going wrong, I have anxiety about what could potentially go wrong.

Insomnia and losing the will to do anything are common symptoms of depression and anxiety. These two symptoms feed a cycle that exacerbates depressive episodes especially. You can see this in cases of insomniacs suffering depressive episodes, though they might not be clinically depressed. In the most basic of terms: Lack of sleep can fuck you up. The lack of will to do the things you normally love is crippling. At a certain point, it turns into a lack of will to do anything and the less you do, the worse the depressive episode can become.

Florida: Depression is every day, really. It is just learning to focus on you and say, “Today is going to be a good day,” and accomplish one task. Just doing one task a day helps me a lot and I end up doing more sometimes.

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External Struggles

Individuals suffering from depression and anxiety aren’t just battling internally. Getting medical help, getting understanding, the pressure of trying to hide the illness is sometimes brutal. I asked our participants when they first realized something was wrong, when they sought help, and what frustrations they encountered while seeking treatment.

Alabama: I was about 12 [when I realized something was wrong]. I was 15 when I started receiving help. Then I stopped, thinking I’d be fine. It wasn’t until ’09 that I received the proper help I really needed. It was a slow, tedious process to find out what would work best for me [in terms of medication]. The first med was Lexapro. It is evil. I became meaner and angrier and gained a shit-ton of weight on it. I was then put on Wellbutrin, and it has been the best thing for me.

California: I want to say in my early 20s I noticed an issue with [anxiety]. Shortly after having kids. I still haven’t sought professional help. I’ve just realized in the past year that I need to do so. I plan to next week. Since I haven’t been “clinically diagnosed,” I’ve self-medicated for years without even knowing. I always drink before bed so that my mind doesn’t keep me awake. I’ve smoked pot before, but all it does is make me paranoid, which makes the anxiety worse.

Florida: I initially had my first bout with depression when I was 16, after my grandmother committed suicide. I lost weight, was tired all the time, slept a lot, cried a lot. We were out of town for a week and all I did was cry and yell to “go home.” The next week I didn’t go to school because I was physically sick. The next time it happened I was in my early 20s and I just felt low and disconnected. I went back to the doctor right away and went back on meds. I have been on and off [medication] throughout my life. This stint has been the longest, since I had my back surgery in July 2014. I really don’t know what happened, but I just don’t feel like the same person after the surgery.

The frustrations of being diagnosed are always being asked, “Do you want to end your life? Do you want to hurt yourself or other(s)?” In my opinion, I wouldn’t be seeking help if I was suicidal. I have already been through it, and I know the devastation it causes for a family/others left behind. The thought has never crossed my mind—I never wanted my parents to have to endure the hurt of losing a child.

Throughout the process of getting diagnosed and finding the right medication, many individuals must fight certain perceptions of depression and anxiety. This added external pressure sometimes keeps sufferers from seeking help in the first place. Sometimes that turns out okay … And other times, not so much. Suicide is often associated with depression and there are plenty of clinical studies to back that up, but it’s different for every individual. For some individuals, suicide is never a conscious thought—it’s a snap decision (and I hesitate to really even call it a decision). For other individuals, it’s just not an option. And, for some individuals, it’s a plague of a thought. Regardless, it’s not comfortable when you seek help and the first question is, “Are you suicidal?” It is a question that needs to be asked, but it’s also a stigma associated with depression.

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Clearing up Misconceptions

Friends and family can be some of the biggest tools in an individual’s arsenal while going through depressive or anxious episodes. Tools … in the toolbox. Weapons in the arsenal. Mixing metaphors again. The point is, it’s very helpful when the people you surround yourself with understand what depression is, what anxiety is, and are able to be supportive. I asked our participants how their friends and families treat them and what the biggest hurdle is when dealing with these disorders

Alabama: My family treated me like I was angry all the time. Well, I was. Friends are more understanding—they know why and what has conspired in my life to cause [the depression] to be worse as I’ve gotten older. I have a few friends that can tell when a really bad episode will take place. My biggest hurdle dealing with these [disorders] are people not understanding why I feel the way I do. It’s like, “You can get over it and be fine.” Okay, that’s not the case. People call you crazy or a nutcase—which may be true, but they don’t know what causes it.

Florida: My mom suffers from both depression and anxiety also, my sister has been diagnosed with depression since my dad became ill, my dad was on depression and anxiety meds, my grandfather is on depression meds since my dad has passed. It is hereditary on both sides of my family, unfortunately. My husband has suffered from both also, so he is understanding. [My biggest hurdle is] trying to overcome it, trying to have a “normal” life again. I don’t like taking pills and having to keep track of when I need more and of doctor appointments. I just want things to be okay again. I hate being like this. It makes my brain run slower. I can’t think of the answers to questions as quickly, especially when someone asks what I want to do—I don’t really want to do anything. I isolate myself, so I don’t have to be forced into a situation where I have to respond because it’s exhausting. Also eating maybe 1.5 meals a day, having no appetite. Trying to smile or laugh daily. I can’t remember the last time I laughed, seriously. My depression has gotten a lot worse since I lost my dad, too.

California: [Friends and family] treat me normal, I guess. I talk to my mom about it more than anyone, and she sympathizes more than anyone. I think she has the same issue. [My biggest hurdle] is trying not to think something is wrong. Every time things are going right, I get scared because it’s too good.

Well, it’s about time to wrap this up, folks. The final question I asked our participants is what they want people to understand about depression and anxiety. I think it’s a fitting place to leave off with this question since it offers a neatly-packaged take-away to the series. You’re welcome.

Alabama: I want people to understand that we do suffer from an illness and have no control over it except with medication. This isn’t something that can be turned on and off like a light switch. Those who have loved ones who do suffer, try to be understanding—we don’t mean to be harsh or reclusive or angry. It’s the chemical imbalance we were born with, or perhaps a traumatic experience. Whatever the case, educate yourselves on our behalf so you’ll get a better understanding of why we act the way we do.

Florida: It is a real illness; it is not fake. Anyone who suffers from depression and/or anxiety didn’t ask for either one of these illnesses. They can be debilitating for some people and life-consuming. I would like them to answer these questions:

  1. Do you enjoy getting up and going to a job every day and socializing with people?
  2. Do you like making money? Could you survive on $500-1,200 a month?
  3. Do you like going to the doctor and being reminded to get medications and when to take them?
  4. Do you enjoy going anywhere and not having a breakdown? Being able to breathe and not gasping for air, or not crying at the drop of a hat?
  5. Do you like to be reminded to shower daily, to accomplish one task a day?

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    So… It’s nap-time, now, right?

Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Part One (the Science)

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Hallo, darlings. I feel like we had so much fun in our previous discussion on depression that we should do it again! My last post came from a personal place and was definitely one-sided. Well, I’ve decided we need to split the difference between the science behind depression and speaking with sufferers. And not just depression, but anxiety disorders as well. Mood and anxiety disorders have numerous overlapping symptoms and often having one will lead to eventually suffering from the other.

I mentioned last time that depression isn’t an emotion—it’s a state being. So now, I’ll back that up with the—drumroll, please, Dave—science around depression and anxiety. As with any kind of neuroscience, nothing is completely concrete here. Every day we are learning more about the brain. That said, the clinical studies included in this post reflect the most in-depth researched and medically accepted causes for depression and anxiety.

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Serotonergic and Noradrenergic Systems

The prevailing science behind depression and anxiety disorders centers around serotonin and norepinephrine dysfunction. When you first get on an antidepressant, chances are it’s an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) or SNRI (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor), which is usually prescribed before MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitor) or atypical antidepressants. Depending on who you talk to, SSRIs—though having the least side effects—are probably the least viable option long term. In an overview in Depression and Anxiety, Charles B. Nemeroff, M.D., Ph.D., states: “There has been increasing evidence […] that antidepressants that inhibit both norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake (SNRI) are more effective in severe and refractory depression than those that inhibit uptake of a single monoamine neurotransmitter. In addition, patients with major depression treated with dual reuptake inhibitors may achieve remission more frequently than those treated with single monoamine reuptake inhibitors.” Conversely, depressive episodes for patients on SSRIs often hit harder. In the event you think you have depression and are about to look for treatment, be ready for a whirlwind of ups and downs before you get the right meds.

Of course, there’s more to it than just serotonin and norepinephrine dysfunction. In Role of Serotonergic and Noradrenergic Systems in the Pathophysiology of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, Nemeroff and Kerry J. Ressler explain: “There is abundant evidence for abnormalities of the norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5HT) neurotransmitter systems in depression and anxiety disorders. […] The underlying causes of these disorders, however, are less likely to be found within the NE and 5HT systems, per se. Rather their dysfunction is likely due to their role in modulating, and being modulated by, other neurobiologic systems that together mediate the symptoms of affective illness.”

It’s important not to think of depression and anxiety as something you can throw pills at and be done with. These illnesses are more complicated than that, and their origins are not singular. Continues Nemeroff and Ressler: “Disrupted cortical regulation may mediate impaired concentration and memory, together with uncontrollable worry. Hypothalamic abnormalities likely contribute to altered appetite, libido, and autonomic symptoms. Thalamic and brainstem dysregulation contributes to altered sleep and arousal states. Finally, abnormal modulation of cortical-hippocampal-amygdala pathways may contribute to chronically hypersensitive stress and fear responses, possibly mediating features of anxiety, anhedonia, aggression, and affective dyscontrol.” When dealing with depression and anxiety, it is important to rule out symptoms that are caused by a secondary problem.

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It’s in Your Genes … And Environment

I’m assuming we all know the nature vs nurture argument, especially pertaining to mental illnesses. And, as with most cases to which this argument can be applied, the likelihood of suffering depression or anxiety are both attributed to nature and nurture. Nemeroff and Elizabeth B. Binder, M.D., Ph.D, explain: “Susceptibility to depressive or anxiety disorders is now well established to be due to the combined effect of genes and the environment, with heritability estimates for these disorders ranging from about 30% to 40%. The CRF system, being highly responsive to the environment, has been posited to serve as a key interface between environmental stressors and the development of depression.”

Research based on Hopelessness Theory (HT) and Beck’s Theory (BT) further backs up this claim. The team behind Cognitive Vulnerability-Stress Theories of Depression: Examining Affective Specificity in the Prediction of Depression Versus Anxiety in Three Prospective Studies posits that: “The cognitive vulnerability-stress component of HT, a depressogenic cognitive style is hypothesized to interact with negative life events to contribute to increases in depressive symptoms. In HT cognitive vulnerability is conceptualized as a tendency to make negative inferences about the cause […] consequences, and meaning for one’s self-concept, of a negative life event. Similarly, BT posits a vulnerability-stress component in which dysfunctional attitudes are hypothesized to interact with negative events to contribute to elevations of depressive symptoms. In BT, cognitive vulnerability is conceptualized as depressive self-schemas containing dysfunctional attitudes, such as one’s worth derived from being perfect or needing approval from others.”

For non-sufferers, it is important to realize that depression and anxiety are not normal emotional responses. They are abnormal and out of the sufferer’s control. Saying something like, “Relax,” or, “You’re overreacting,” to someone who suffers from depression or anxiety only serves to alienate the sufferer more.

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Complex Illnesses

I wanted part one of this series to really show that depression and anxiety are not personality defects, not cries for attention, not someone being overly dramatic or sensitive. Although, sure, there are some of those types of people scattered about. Depression and anxiety stem from the very genetic level of the sufferer. And from there, it’s a cycle. You’re genetically predisposed to negativity and so you find it everywhere, which doubles down on depressive or anxious episodes.

Part two of this post is going to balance out the science with the human aspect. We’ll be getting a peek into the lives and struggles of individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, or both.

Be on the lookout for part two next Monday!

Italian Inspired Cabbage Rolls

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Cabbage Rolls

Servings: 4
Per serving:
370 calories
27g (46%) Protein
13g (22%) Fat
19g (32%) Carbs

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Ingredients:

  • 16 oz Ground Beef (the leaner the better)
  • 2 ½ cups Broccoli Florets
  • ¼ tsp Minced Garlic
  • ½ medium Purple Onion (diced)
  • 12 oz Pasta Sauce (of your choice)
  • Olive Oil
  • 8 large Cabbage Leaves
  • Salt and Pepper (to taste)
  • Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Hallo again, little kitchen dwellers. I chose today’s recipe because… well, honestly, I’d already written most of it out for a friend and so it was the quickest and Mondays are my busiest days, so here we are. These cabbage rolls are easy and pretty quick to make. Also, quite good. And, you know, healthy. But let’s cut the chatting and get right to it. Are you ready?

  1. Grab a skillet and set in on a burner, then turn that burner to about medium to medium-high. When the skillet gets all nice and toasty, throw your ground beef on it. While the beef is cooking, go ahead and blanch the broccoli florets. After the great blanching, chop the florets up. You want pretty small chunks, so maybe dice instead of chop. Once the meat is about 95 percent done, drain it, throw it back into the skillet, and add the broccoli.
  2. If your purple onion isn’t already diced, then make that shit happen. Grab a new skillet and heat about ½ tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic. Sweat the garlic for about 30 seconds. Add your onions (which at this point should definitely be diced). Sauté onions for about three minutes, then add them to your beef and broccoli mix.
  3. Pour pasta sauce into the mix until heated throughout. Add salt and pepper to taste.

(Side note: If you want to fancy it up a bit because the sauce you chose just isn’t giving you the flavor profile you want, then feel free to add your preferred herbs/spices.)

  1. Cool, so, set your meat mix aside and grab a large pot so you can start boiling some water. You should have eight large cabbage leaves that have been thoroughly rinsed so you don’t die of dirt and pesticides and such. Boil each leaf for about 3 minutes (or until leaf is soft). Depending on the size of your pot, you can boil several leaves at once. This is your show, do it how you want. As long as it’s right. I mean, I’m going to assume you know enough to make educated decisions. Are your leaves done yet? Jesus, finally!
  2. Add about ½ cup of the meat mixture to each cabbage leaf. You want them full, but not exploding. As you roll the cabbage leaf, remember to tuck in the ends. If you don’t know how to roll a cabbage leaf, check out this 20 second video.
  3. Since technically these are already fully cooked and ready to eat, the finishing cook is really for texture. Mine, pictured above, were finished off in my air fryer, which gave a crispy texture to the rolls. You can also finish them for about five minutes on medium-high in a skillet with a little olive oil (suggested). Or, you could finish them in the oven on 325˚ for about seven minutes. Totally your call here.
  4. Top cabbage rolls with parmesan cheese (optional).