Anxiety is a common mental health condition that affects individuals of all ages and backgrounds. It can be characterized by excessive worry, fear, and uneasiness, often accompanied by physical symptoms such as restlessness, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. Unfortunately, if left untreated, anxiety can have significant impacts on an individual's daily functioning and overall well-being. Therefore, it is crucial to consider treatment options for individuals experiencing anxiety symptoms. For individuals with anxiety symptoms, there are various treatment options available to help manage and alleviate their symptoms. When examining treatment options for anxiety disorder, you should explore which treatment options you might find to be most beneficial.

What are treatment options for anxiety?

One of the first-line treatment options recommended by clinical practice guidelines is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT includes combining cognitive therapies and behavioral therapy. Through cognitive therapy, you learn about cognitive restructuring and identify the thoughts that can cause anxiety. You'll learn to change your negative thoughts to more positive and inspiring thoughts. This helps to prevent anxiety and stress. Behavioral therapy offers techniques to help control anxiety disorders. These techniques may include relaxation exercises, exposure therapy, and problem-solving skills training.

DBT or Dialectical Behavior Therapy is primarily modeled on cognitive-behavioral therapy but emphasizes accepting unpleasant thoughts or feelings and avoiding trying to control them. Using this method clients can help them deal with the negative feelings or behaviors. DBT teaches how emotional skills should be applied to the life of everyday life. It aims at managing the emotions associated with stress and anger. DBT also helps to increase one's capacity for controlling emotions.

Mindfulness-based interventions have also shown promise in the treatment of anxiety. Mindfulness-based interventions, such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and Acceptance Commitment Therapy, focus on cultivating awareness and acceptance of the present moment, without judgment. These interventions help individuals develop the skills to respond to anxiety-provoking thoughts and emotions more adaptively.

EMDR is another treatment option that has shown promise in reducing anxiety symptoms. EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a therapy technique that targets traumatic memories or experiences. By using bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or taps, EMDR aims to facilitate the processing and integration of these traumatic memories, leading to a reduction in anxiety symptoms. In addition to the above-mentioned treatment options, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing has shown promise in reducing anxiety symptoms by targeting the underlying traumatic experiences. Another treatment option for anxiety is medication therapy.

Pharmacotherapy or medication therapy is a treatment option for anxiety. Some commonly prescribed medications for anxiety include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines, and beta-blockers. However, it is important to note that medication should be used in conjunction with therapy and under the supervision of a healthcare professional.

What are holistic treatment options?

In addition to psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy, there are also holistic treatment options available for individuals with anxiety. These holistic treatment options include exercise, relaxation techniques, and dietary changes. These can be used in conjunction with therapy and medication to further enhance the management of anxiety symptoms. At Joie de Vivre we offer holistic integrative services such as, Biofeedback, Mindfulness and Hynotherapy are used to compliment your treatment and promote emotional regulation and a healthier lifestyle. One of the key advantages of holistic treatment options, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based interventions, is that they do not have the potential for adverse side effects that may come with medication therapy.

How long does therapy take to help anxiety?

It is hard to predict the exact length of time it will take for you to meet your goals. While brief treatment may be appropriate for some issues, others may require more extensive treatment. Individual concerns are improved or resolved at different rates. During your initial appointment we will work to understand your needs and concerns, discuss recommendations regarding the frequency of sessions and appropriate approach for your situation.

What is the success rate of therapy for anxiety?

It's good to know that anxiety can be easily managed. A recent survey found more that the majority of patients who receive psychotherapy for anxiety and other mental conditions experience improvement.

- Monica Manuel, MS, LPC

You already know that exercise is good for your body. But did you know it can also boost your mood, improve your sleep, and help you deal with depression, anxiety, stress, and more?

Exercise can improve brain function and protect memory and thinking skills. To begin with, it increases your heart rate, which promotes the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. It can also stimulate the production of hormones that enhance the growth of brain cells.

Exercise is not just about aerobic capacity and muscle size. Sure, exercise can improve your physical health and your physique, trim your waistline, improve your sex life, and even add years to your life. But that’s not what motivates most people to stay active.

People who exercise regularly tend to do so because it gives them an enormous sense of well-being. They feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives. And it’s also a powerful medicine for many common mental health challenges.

Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, and ADHD. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood. And you don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits. Research indicates that modest amounts of exercise can make a real difference. No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to deal with mental health problems, improve your energy and outlook, and get more out of life.

What are some ways to started with exercise?

Many of us find it hard enough to motivate ourselves to exercise at the best of times. But when you feel depressed, anxious, stressed or have another mental health problem, it can seem doubly difficult. You know exercise will make you feel better, but depression has robbed you of the energy and motivation you need to work out, or your social anxiety means you can’t bear the thought of being seen at an exercise class or running through the park.

1. Start small. When you’re under the cloud of anxiety or depression and haven’t exercised for a long time, setting extravagant goals like completing a marathon or working out for an hour every morning will only leave you more despondent if you fall short. Better to set achievable goals and build up from there.

2. Schedule workouts when your energy is highest. Perhaps you have most energy first thing in the morning before work or school or at lunchtime before the mid-afternoon lull hits? Or maybe you do better exercise for longer at the weekends. If depression or anxiety, has you feeling tired and unmotivated all day long, try dancing to some music or simply going for a walk. Even a short, 15-minute walk can help clear your mind, improve your mood, and boost your energy level. As you move and start to feel a little better, you’ll often boost your energy enough to exercise more vigorously—by walking further, breaking into a run, or adding a bike ride, for example.

3. Focus on activities you enjoy. Any activity that gets you moving counts. That could include throwing a Frisbee with a dog or friend, walking laps of a mall window shopping, or cycling to the grocery store. If you’ve never exercised before or don’t know what you might enjoy, try a few different things. Activities such as gardening or tackling a home improvement project can be great ways to start moving more when you have a mood disorder—as well as helping you become more active, they can also leave you with a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

4. Be comfortable. Wear clothing that’s comfortable and choose a setting that you find calming or energizing. That may be a quiet corner of your home, a scenic path, or your favorite city park.

5. Make exercise a social activity. Exercising with a friend or loved one, or even your kids, will not only make exercising more fun and enjoyable, it can also help motivate you to stick to a workout routine. You’ll also feel better than if you were exercising alone. In fact, when you’re suffering from a mood disorder such as depression, the companionship can be just as important as the exercise.

You don’t have to spend hours in a gym or force yourself into long, monotonous workouts to experience the many benefits of exercise. These tips can help you find activities you enjoy and start to feel better, look better, and get more out of life.

~ Jade Asuncion

Suicide is a topic filled with unresolved issues, unanswered questions, voided homes and hearts, and an overwhelming sense of guilt from our actions or lack thereof.

Personally, I have dealt with my fair share losing people in my life due to suicide, however it’s the aftershocks that are usually not dealt with and are often swept under the rug. Let’s note the word “swept”. It’s important to notice the privilege many of us have to set our emotions aside with ease, and we should recognize this when supporting people who no longer can or are on the brink of exhaustion.

Suicide is no longer the taboo topic it once was several years ago as prevention methods, awareness and de-stigmatization is spread rampantly across the globe in efforts to protect and lend a listening ear to those suffering in silence. Yet, it's still a silent killer and leading cause of death in youth and the top tenth cause of death across all ages in the United States.

The real question that should be asked is how do we aid in the prevention of suicide? What are the signs? How do I empathize and effectively prevent someone who is contemplating a suicide attempt? The answers are never simple, but with proper attention and care is the difference between life and death.

Warning Signs
There are no clear cut signs to know if someone is considering suicide, which allows for this fly under the radar for many individuals. In case of the lack of clear sign, surviving loved ones often mull over what they might have missed. Either way, a combination of factors may be instrumental to the ultimate decision. Some of the most common risk factor and warning signs include:

• Mental Illness

• Substance Use

• Chronic Pain/Illness

• Social Isolation

• History of trauma or abuse

• Recklessness

• Displaying extreme mood swings

Preventative Measures
By first realizing the typical signs of someone who is considering suicide, its best to take immediate action by asking directly,

“Are you thinking of killing yourself?”

Asking this heavy loaded question causes a bit of discomfort because it's something we’d usually never talk about with someone we’d care about. However, beating around the bush in a crisis is not conducive for life-saving. Unhelpful styles of this question can vary from, “You’re not thinking of killing yourself, right?” or “Don’t kill yourself, just shake it off’. These types of approaches aren’t accommodating, and often allude to the entire situation being an inconvenience for the querent, making them less likely to seek help and sink deeper into isolation.

Other protective measures that prove to be very helpful for those in crisis include contacting providers, strong connections with family, community and social institutions and remarkable conflict resolution skills. Among many other protective measures, these core actions increase the likelihood of survival immensely. Through helping others connect with various resources, staying connected to ensure their health is improving and keeping them safe through removal of lethal objects, we all are able to save lives and prevent our loved ones from attempting suicide.

Without reference to the limitless trials and tribulations we all face on a regular basis, suicide should never be the answer. If you believe that you or a loved one is experiencing or contemplating a suicide attempt, help is available. By being alert and compassionate, we can all lessen the threat of this major public health crisis.

Resources:

• Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network

• 1-800-273-TALK (8255) (Veterans, press 1)

• Crisis Text Line - Text TALK to 741-741 to text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free 24/7 help.

• The Trevor Project (1-866) 488-738

~ Eryka Warren

What happens when you’re surrounded by the people who are unable to understand and empathize others, and who only focus on themselves? Narcissism is a self-centered personality style characterized as having an excessive interest in one's physical appearance and an excessive pre-occupation with one's own needs, often at the expense of others. They might think they’re entitled to go where they want, snoop through your personal things, or tell you how you should feel. Maybe they give you unsolicited advice and take credit for things you’ve done.

A narcissistic personality disorder causes problems in many areas of life, such as relationships, work, school or financial affairs. People with narcissistic personality disorder may be generally unhappy and disappointed when they're not given the special favors or admiration, they believe they deserve.

Is it possible to live happily with a narcissist? Can narcissists be good family member? How do you cope when you’re seeing them over the holidays?

Combining a narcissist with the already heightened drama and expectations of the holiday season, can feel like a recipe for disaster. The narcissist in your family tree might be a parent, an adult child, even an in-law. But whoever it is, getting together with them in celebration can mean putting up with their criticism, self-aggrandizement, and demand for attention.

If someone in your family possess this behavior, you're probably not super excited to be spending time with them over the holidays. Here are the tactics that can make get-togethers easier:

• Expect no sympathy or emotional support. If you open up about events like a job loss or health problems— you expect family members to express sympathy and support. A narcissist isn't capable of giving that to you. This can catch you off guard and leave you feeling hurt and discouraged. Remember that the narcissist does not see the world as you do. Look for comfort and support from others instead.

• Don't get defensive. When a narcissist monopolizes holiday dinner conversation or shows no interest in the other people, you may feel defensive. Their behavior is a way to compensate for how they really feel. Understanding this can help you feel empathy for them and not get so angry when they behave as they will.

• Set firm boundaries. Narcissists often feel they are being mistreated or that others are the source of problems and not them, and tend to adopt a manipulative, persuasive, and dominant attitude to get their way with family members or friends. If you can't get out of the holiday event, limit your time there. You have the choice to limit your presence and interaction with such individuals for your own sanity, whether they like it or not.

• Look after your mental health. It's holiday time, and just because there's a narcissist in the house doesn't mean you can't enjoy all the good things the season brings. It's important to take care of your own mental health, as people who are abused by narcissists often end up blaming themselves for the dysfunctional relationship and may develop symptoms of anxiety or depression. Be good to yourself, and before you know it, the gathering will be over, and you can plan not to have to see them again next year.

Knowledge is power. Becoming aware of the shortcomings of narcissistic people can leave you with a sense of freedom and power. Addressing your issues in therapy may allow you to free yourself from negative core beliefs that you may have developed as a result of the parenting that constantly made you feel inferior or inadequate and develop the sense of value and respect that we all deserve.

~ Jade Asuncion

Achieving a work-life balance is something we all dream of. It seems impossible as if it’s nearly out of reach, but it is a goal that’s possible to accomplish. What does this phrase, “work-life balance” really mean? In short, it is just making sure you are dividing your time in a way where you spend a healthy amount of time being concerned with work-related things and the rest of the time, doing things that you enjoy. If you wanted to take that kick boxing class at your local gym or teach yourself a new artistic medium, but assumed you wouldn’t have time to because of your work schedule, this blog may help you create and maintain a beneficial work-life balance.

Remember when you were younger and you enjoyed what felt like an eternity off from school in order to celebrate the holidays? Well, those days are long gone. Now, as a working professional, you need to balance all of your gift shopping, baking, wrapping, and family time with your normal work schedule. And, finding time for it all can definitely be a challenge.

The most wonderful time of the year is also the most stressful for lots of people struggling to fit in increased end-of-the-year workloads, holiday parties, shopping, guest hosting, travel, and seeing friends and relatives who you’d otherwise avoid. Luckily, the same coping mechanisms that can help relieve stress and find better balance during the year also work for the holidays.

If you want to achieve successful work-life balance especially around the holidays, then you need to make an effort to be intentional with your time. You don’t take personal phone calls or do online holiday shopping while you’re at work. So, apply this same rule to your personal life.

Here are four tips to finding work-life balance during the holidays.

• Plan Ahead. Having these future tasks and assignments physically written down will keep you focused on your long-term goals—and not just the things that need to get done tomorrow. Plus, getting these things started early will free up at least a little bit of your time when the holidays are here.

• Schedule Everything. Your planner will help to hold you accountable for not only your professional duties, but your personal relaxation time as well. The key is just to stick to it.

• Explore a Flexible Schedule. Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in a day and when you’re trying to make it to your child’s holiday concert in the middle of the workday, sticking to your standard work schedule can be difficult. So, if you think it would be helpful to you, consider talking to your boss about a flexible schedule or remote working opportunities around the holidays.

• Say No. Speaking of saying “no”, it’s an important thing for you to do every now and then. Oftentimes we end up working too much, simply because we have too much to do. While it feels great to be that go-to person that people can count on in a pinch, it just might not be realistic with your schedule.

• Be Intentional. When the day is done, leave your work in the office. Actually, having adequate time to enjoy the holidays with your family is sure to help you feel more balanced.

• Spread Holiday Cheer. Let’s face it, there’s no way around it, you still need to work during the holidays. So, although heading into work when you feel like you should be throwing snowballs or drinking hot cocoa can be a little demoralizing, there’s no rule stating that you can’t incorporate some holiday cheer into your normal work day. Put in some earbuds and listen to festive music while you’re working. Enjoy an afternoon mug of hot chocolate or head out on your lunch hour for a quick walk through the snow.

People report feeling less stressed about the holidays when they stop expecting so much from themselves, because nobody puts so much expectation on us as we do to ourselves. If we stop focusing on what we feel like we’re obligated to do, and start focusing on what we want and need to do, the load gets lighter and the holidays get a lot merrier.

Maintaining an adequate balance between your personal and professional lives is always a challenge. But it can become extra difficult during the holiday season, when you feel an increased desire for more personal and family time. Try out these tips to stick to all of your work deadlines, while still being able to enjoy the holidays!

~ Divine Ikpe

Presentation Anxiety (also known as Speech Anxiety or Public Speaking anxiety) is a type of Social Anxiety Disorder in which someone may feel nervousness ranging from manageable to debilitating in regards to speaking or performing in front of a group of people according to  Arlin Cuncic’s article “How to Manage Public Speaking Anxiety.” It is one of the most common social anxiety disorders. You may experience a general anxious feeling or you could experience various physiological reactions such as sweaty palms, dry throat and difficulty breathing, to name a few.

Why does it happen?

Humans have an evolutionary response that we acquired to protect us from predators and in modern times, those fight or flight responses get activated in anxiety producing scenarios. When stressed or anxious the chemicals adrenaline and cortisol get released and lead to shaking, a pounding heart, dizziness and more in a public speaking setting.

So how do you manage performance anxiety? Some more extensive and long term things you could do to help manage are systematic desensitization and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Systematic Desensitization is a type of classical conditioning where you imagine yourself in various fear-inducing situations and use relaxation techniques to calm yourself down. Once you’re able to calm yourself down in those fictional scenarios, you can use those same techniques in real life anxiety-triggering situations. Some relaxation techniques include deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and, as suggested by Nancy Duarte in her article “Overcome Presentation Anxiety Easily with These Steps,” visualization. In addition to therapy, if your anxiety is severe enough where it inhibits your ability to function, medication could help. Always talk to your therapist first before deciding to get medicated as it is generally the last resort.

Shorter term solutions to help with presentation anxiety in the meantime, suggested by The University of Iowa’s Counseling Services, include being extra prepared for the public speaking or performance on the day of your presentation. Choosing a topic that genuinely interests you will increase your chance of remembering the material you are presenting.

Try to choose a topic that genuinely interests you (if you can) because you’ll be more likely to remember the information. Which leads to the next tip, if you’re in a general public speaking scenario, don’t script your speech. Instead, you should just write down some key points that you want to cover if you need help jogging your memory. Reading straight from a script would not be enjoyable for you or the audience. Get adequate sleep the night before, know your audience, become familiar with the venue and request accommodations if you can. Don’t eat too close in time to your presentation, dress comfortably, go to the restroom before you go on stage and bring a glass of water with you. Use humor and slow down your speech if need be. The Last step to help you prepare for public speaking or a performance is practice. Practice makes a more prepared and better you!

~ Divine Ikpe

College students all around America have become accustomed to online lectures for the past year and a half due to the pandemic. But as vaccine dispersal has become more widespread in this country, venues, restaurants and universities have all tried to return back to “normal” with not much hesitation. Some people have been excited to return to participating in packed indoor spaces while some are anxious about it. For people that already had anxiety prior to the pandemic, it has only added new triggers associated with the fear of getting COVID-19.

There are always a few online options for a few courses at a university, but the majority of them are generally being held in-person. So how can a person who is triggered by in-person school manage their anxiety during another surge in cases in the pandemic?

One thing to consider is your Locus of Control. Locus of Control refers to how in control you feel about various aspects in your life. Some people have a more internal locus of control (“everything is my fault”) while others have a more external locus of control (“It’s out of my hands’). In order to analyze your thoughts on your locus of control, utilize a “Circle of Control” worksheet like this worksheet or this worksheet.

Most worksheets have 3 circles: the smallest inner circle says, “most control,” the middle circle says, “some control” and the outer circle says, “least control.” The goal of the worksheet is to think about things that stress you out and rank them from most control to least control.

When I completed this worksheet I found that COVID-19 was in the “least control” ring but “whether or not I get COVID-19” was in the “some control” ring. It’s important to understand that there is not much you can do about COVID-19 other than taking measures to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Other tools to help manage both general and COVID-19 related anxiety include the “art of de-catastrophizing”. Catastrophizing is a type of cognitive distortion where the worst case scenario is thought to be true and or a problem is given more importance than it should.

De-catastrophizing is the act of analyzing those cognitive distortions and calming yourself by realizing that the problem is not as severe as you thought. That could be difficult to do in regards to COVID-19, but again if you are taking measures to protect yourself and others, the worst case scenario is unlikely to happen to you. Likewise, you can apply the same thoughts to what could happen versus what will happen.

Lastly, if you have found things in the past that helped you manage your anxiety, you can try to slowly incorporate them into your life again. For example, yoga, guided meditation, and journaling are helpful outlets for many people working to manage their anxiety.

In conclusion, go through the above tools and think about some tools from your past and figure out what works for you. Remember, COVID-19 is out of your hands so just do what you can to protect yourself and your loved one and others. Your best is good enough.

~Divine Ikpe

Achieving our goals for a lot of us is its own reward because we know of the amount of work we put into making it happen. In the process of completing a goal, many of us may feel the pressure of making sure it is done without making mistakes along the way. This could be magnified by criticisms beginning to feel like personal attacks and feelings of being overwhelmed. This can create setbacks that cause you to procrastinate more than you normally would. When putting our mind to a task, we have to keep focus and remember the positive aspects of our achievements because not accepting anything less than perfect could cause the situation to become stressful and lead you to believe it’s not worth the effort.

There are many ways to make sure you achieve your goals without adding that extra pressure to be perfect on yourself. According to an article by Elizabeth Scott in her book, “How to Overcome Perfectionism”, setting smaller goals for yourself in order to achieve your larger goal, creates more room for you to feel you are accomplishing what you have set out to do. Now not only do you have that rewarding feeling when you complete your short-term goals, but that fear of failing is minimized.

Take for example if your goal is to run your first 5K. Without listening to what your body can endure, running the 5k right off could lead to a disappointing outcome. The idea is not to start off on the day of the race. Begin with running 1K or even walking the sense of completion begins to appear as your practice ends. As you become stronger and are able to endure longer runs the 5k goal inches closer into becoming a reality. The day of the race, you’re as fast as you’ve ever been and that 5K goal that was so distant at one point is now at arm’s length.

Here are a few more important things to remember when trying to overcome perfectionism. Your aspirations are worth the effort, but that does not mean you have to endure a struggle to make sure it’s perfect. We are born with a right to be valued and respected. Talk with family or friends so they are aware of what you are going through and can help. The good thing is our lives are wonderful unique journeys and we never have to travel alone.

1. Remember you have achieved so much just to get where you are today. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves to be thankful for what we have already achieved. Repeat out loud or write down positive things that came from attempting to achieve your goals. This could be directly related to that goal or just something great that happened that day like meeting new friends. Mold a negative situation into a positive one. If you initially viewed something as a mistake, take that same situation and know you learned something new that day.

2. Mistakes happen and all we can do is move on and make the best of the situation. It can be hard to grasp that literally everyone in the world makes mistakes every day. Some mistakes can be bigger than others but if billions of people can come back from those mistakes so can you. Focusing on what could have been done takes away from what you can do. A setback or a mistake does not mean you are starting again at zero. What you gain each time is experience and if we didn’t make mistakes, we probably wouldn’t learn a thing.

3. Criticism can help us become the best version of ourselves. Sometimes criticisms can come from unwanted places or when we are at our lowest points, but criticism could also be filled with love, concern, and helpful advice. The line between helpful criticism and a personal attack could sometimes be difficult to pinpoint, but recall the relationship you have with this person, tone, and words used. Again, if you may be in an overwhelming situation another person’s opinion may be stressing but keeping an open mind for alternative options could be the solution you are looking for.

4. Starting something is the hardest thing to do and many of us have given into procrastination. Give yourself time to accomplish your tasks to avoid stress. Creating an outline or getting an idea written down is the starting point for a lot of what the world has accomplished today. Keep a calendar or a to-do list to keep you on track. Large projects may seem daunting but avoiding the situation won’t accomplish anything. If we break it down into more manageable pieces we can overcome.

5. We are human and sometimes we need guidance to help us organize. Therapy is a tool used to help you create balance in your life. It is healthy to ask for help and to want to talk about your feelings if they become uncomfortable. When noticing certain signs such as feelings of being inadequate or depression a therapist may be able to help you get through the disruptive thoughts. Staying silent and dealing with these thoughts by yourself will make it increasingly difficult to complete goals because they can make you stall or give in to pressure. Believe you can take control and take a step in the right direction to a healthy mind. You are worth all the effort.

~ Karla Morales

I grew up in the Philippines and would describe my childhood as a humble, simple and happy. I was eleven years old when my mother passed which cast a dim cloud over my colorful future. After that, my father had to work far away from our home and would send my siblings and I money. Since then, I learned to become independent and to decide for my own, no guidance from a caregiver or guardian. When I turned seventeen I decided to move to a different location to find a job, and by God’s grace, hard work and perseverance, I was able to support myself and help my family. Soon I was able to take care of myself, but this was not the life I dreamed about. I was lonely and just working on a daily basis to survive.

I took advantage of pandemic to help my siblings and decided to bring my family especially my nieces & nephews under my wing. I know I was happy but kept asking myself if I made the right decision of transitioning from a single transwoman life to motherhood. I secretly struggled a lot mentally and physically for a very long time. I had an occasional headaches, unfocused-mind and disturbed sleep.

I was battling in a “separation anxiety disorder” a mental health problem. A therapist helped and advised me to take good care of my pets; Chin (Husky), Gucci (Black Cat), and Akira (Leopard Cat). I had to wake up to feed, bath and play with them everyday. Unconsciously, they provided me a sense of responsibility and gave me reasons to enjoy life again.

• Would animal-assisted therapy be helpful as a part of anxiety and depression management in my case?

• Would such treatment be a helpful approach?

Pet therapy is a broad term that includes animal-assisted therapy and other animal-assisted activities. Animal-assisted therapy is a growing field that uses dogs or other animals to help people recover from or better cope with health problems, such as heart disease, cancer and mental health disorders. The purpose of pet therapy is to help someone recover from or cope with a health problem or mental disorder. Dogs and cats are most commonly used in pet therapy. However, fish, guinea pigs, horses, and other animals that meet screening criteria can also be used.

Studies around pets and mental health show that petting and playing with animals reduces stress-related hormones. And these benefits can occur after just five minutes of interacting with a pet. Therefore, pets are very helpful for anxiety sufferers. Playing with a dog or cat raises our levels of serotonin and dopamine.

The animal's handler has to go through a training course, plus the animal itself must pass a health screening among other criteria. - must be reliably house-trained.

In general, the interaction with a pet decreases distress and improves mood. The effects of the pet therapy are measurable, as seen by an increase in the release of endorphins in the person interacting with the animal. Endorphins are brain chemicals that are released and make you feel good.

Animal-Assisted Therapy can help those experiencing:

• Anxiety & Depression

• Asperger's Syndrome.

• Autism Spectrum Disorder.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Benefits:

• Increased trust.

• Reduced anxiety.

• Less feeling of depression and isolation.

• Increased self-esteem, self-acceptance, and social skills.

• Better impulse control.

• Increased problem-solving skills.

• Improved communication skills, including non-verbal.

These programs have been implemented worldwide. A therapist can work with you to get the most out of your work with a pet and can assist you in using techniques that will help you.

— By Jade Asuncion

The novel coronavirus has now made it to every continent except Antarctica. As it continues to spread, we are constantly inundated with updates on the virus and the latest death tolls. Understandably, this can be overwhelming. Here are some things you can do if you are feeling anxious about this public health crisis. Here are some ways to minimize your anxiety:

1. Put it in perspective. It’s scary to think that we are dealing with a new virus, primarily because we don’t know what to expect. But we do have some initial data on the novel coronavirus that can help us put it into perspective. Compare it to the influenza, which the CDC estimates has affected 34 to 49 million people and resulted in 20 to 52 thousand deaths in the United States since October 2019. It is also important to note that reported death rates are typically artificially elevated early in an epidemic, as mild and asymptomatic cases go undetected.

2. Do what you can to prepare. According to the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO), there are some steps you can take to reduce the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus. Most are common-sense measures, like washing your hands thoroughly, disinfecting commonly used household surfaces (such as doorknobs and light switches), keeping hands away from your face, and steering clear of others who are coughing or sneezing. In addition, try to keep yourself in good health so that your immune system functions at its best. Simple practices like eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, and keeping up with regular preventative care can go a long way. Make sure that you are up to date with recommended immunizations, especially those that protect against flu and pneumonia as these illnesses can make you more susceptible to the novel coronavirus. Influenza and pneumonia can also cause additional serious complications if you contract them along with or as a complication of coronavirus. Talk with your doctor to determine if you require additional immunizations.

3. Limit exposure to the news. There are an incredible number of news outlets and an even more endless supply of information available on social media. If you are anxious about COVID-19, you may find yourself spending a lot of time searching for updates and reassurance. This is usually counterproductive, as many outlets and social media networks draw on catastrophic or sensational stories to get views. Limit yourself to checking news stories once a day. Turn off automatic news notifications on your smartphone. Trust that if there is an important development, you will hear about it quickly.

4. Practice mindfulness and positive thinking techniques. Our minds are made to protect us. As such, we are biased toward attending to potential threats. When you find yourself swept up in thinking about the scary things that could happen, it’s important to remember this tendency to overestimate the likelihood of a bad outcome. Yes, it is possible that something bad could happen. Acknowledge these worries, but practice refocusing your mind on the present. Starting a daily mindfulness routine can help you develop the skills to do this.

5. Take care of your mental health. For people with existing conditions like depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, news of COVID-19 may increase symptoms. Feelings of helplessness, panic, contamination fears, health-related anxiety, and generalized anxiety can all be worsened by epidemics and other similar disasters. It is important to make sure that your underlying mental illness is adequately treated. If you notice that your mental health is suffering lately, make an appointment with your therapist to discuss treatment strategies.

6. Engage with your Pets. Pets, especially dogs and cats, can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and playfulness, and even improve your cardiovascular health. Caring for an animal can help children grow up more secure and active. Pets also provide valuable companionship for older adults. Perhaps most importantly, though, a pet can add real joy and unconditional love to your life.

Having a perfectionist personality comes with its own share of problems. The main one being that inner critic that does not see the hard work but rather the imperfections. It points out minuscule opinions that can negatively impact mental health. Taking steps that will make the inner critic a friend rather than an annoyance can change the pattern of growth. The voice of the inner critic relies on insecurities to bring you down rather than build you up. In many ways our inner critic is also what ignites the fire to pursue ambitions so by making a path where the inner critic does not stand in the way of making progress, there is a greater scope of creating boundaries that can impact mental health in a positive way. One of the ways you can rewire your inner critic is to think of it as a playlist where there are many options to change the song or the artist. Giving the inner critic a set of characteristics that clearly define the boundaries between a critic that is unhelpful and does not promote self-growth and a critic that improves qualities that can let you grow in a positive manner. Self-criticism can also be managed by increasing a way for more self-compassion. Often times we neglect giving ourselves the same care that we give to others. This hurts our emotional self and can set us back in the pattern of growth that is necessary to be successful. The characteristic of self-compassion can give us the start we need to get up after a failure and make our way back on the path. Finding the balance between positive and negative self-criticism is a delicate one but once it is figured out, there is more scope for being the best version that allows for the most success.

~Angela Jetty

Differentiating between anxiousness and an anxiety disorder may be challenging. Learning how to recognize and manage key contributors of anxiety may be even harder. Let’s dive deeper into the difference, contributors and management of anxiety.

The Difference: When you are constantly anxious, or your anxiety interferes with your day-to-day life is a direct indicator that you may be experiencing an anxiety disorder as opposed to common anxiousness. Psychologists define an anxiety disorder as a mental health disorder characterized by feelings of worry, anxiety, or fear that are strong enough to interfere with one's daily activities.

The Contributors: Many things can cause anxiety such as stress, genetics, medical conditions and substance withdrawal. Stress from a relationship, job, school, or financial predicament can contribute greatly to an anxiety disorder. Genetics also plays a role in anxiety. People who have family members with an anxiety disorder are more likely to have one themselves. Other medical conditions can lead to an anxiety disorder, such as the side effects of medication, symptoms of a disease, or stress from a serious underlying medical condition. Chemicals in drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, hallucinogens, prescription anti-seizure, pain-relieving medications, alcohol and even substances as common as caffeine can affect the way the brain functions and cause anxiety symptoms. These symptoms can occur while using drugs, but they may also last for weeks after the drug use has stopped. The stress of day-to-day living combined with any of the above might serve as key contributors to an anxiety disorder.

The Management: Anxiety can be managed through self-care, therapies, medications, and specialties. Self-care such as avoiding alcohol, reducing caffeine intake, physical exercise, stress management, quitting smoking, relaxation techniques, and a healthy diet can reduce anxiety greatly. Therapy offices for example, Joie de Vivre, can equip you with the necessary tools to help manage your anxiety. Lastly, medications and specialties can also be very useful if further assistance than self-care and therapy is needed.

Over 40 million adults in the United States suffer from an anxiety related disorder.  There are numerous prescription medications on the market dedicated to treating the symptoms of anxiety.  Yet, many who suffer from anxiety are seeking healthier and alternative ways to manage their anxiety.  If you suffer from anxiety and are seeking additional means to wellness, consider incorporating one or more of the following practices into your daily routine.

1.   Practice Daily Deep Breathing Exercises: Deep breathing promotes mental clarity and relaxation. The key is to place yourself in a distraction free environment. Some prefer to lie down while others sit in an upward position. Inhale deeply through the nose and allow your stomach to expand. Engage the chest muscles and feel the fullness in your lungs. Then, exhale in a controlled manner. Perhaps even silently counting to four as you breathe out. Practice this a few times while concentrating on your breathing. By bringing full attention to your breaths, you are able to block out the anxieties surrounding you. 

2. Journal for Stress Management: Documenting your thoughts, experiences, and emotions through journaling can have a large impact on your ability to manage stress. Writing, in general, challenges the mind to create content that expresses an emotion. When managing anxiety, writing down possible fears, gratitude lists, and honest emotions will assist with conquering negative thoughts. You will approach obstacles in an organized manner without feeling overwhelmed. In addition, writing can assist with self-exploration. Often times, anxiety is a result of feeling distant from the inner self. Such prompts will help to analyze yourself in order to reach understanding. Some include:

•    Three mantra’s I would like to live by are…
•    What are my three biggest fears and how can I overcome them?
•    What methods did I previously use to conquer a past challenge?

3. Creating Vision Boards: Vision boards are excellent ways to visually display goals, feelings, and affirmations. By doing so, you are able to organize your thoughts in a way that reduces anxiety of the future. In fact, a recent study found that, “Our brains prefer invented visual information to the real thing.” This statement solidifies the fact that creating a visual representation of your emotions can help to manage stress and lessen anxiety. In fact, the process behind making a vision board is relaxing in itself. By focusing your attention on creating something of value, you are redirecting that stress in a positive manner.

Incorporating practices such as these into your daily life can help reduce the effects of anxiety while forcing you to acknowledge your troubles head on. By doing so, you will reach an optimal level of wellness that makes the symptoms of anxiety manageable.

~ Monica Manuel, MS, LPC