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Counseling Overview
Frequently Asked Questions
Need Information on:
·Anxiety
·Depression
·Stress
Family Services' highly
trained and licensed counselors help people with a variety of needs.
Listed below are just a few of the topics most commonly asked about.
Please contact an Intake Specialist at (336) 722-8173 for more information
about our counseling services.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. It helps you deal with a tense situation in the office, study harder for an exam, keep focused on an important speech. In general, it helps one cope. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has become a disabling disorder.
Anxiety Disorders are the most common mental disorder in the USA affecting 4 million people a year.
Resources:
Anxiety Disorders of America -
www.ADAA.org
National Mental Health Association - www.NMHA.org
Depression
Depression is a very common but a serious
medical disorder. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates
1.8 million adults in the USA struggle with depression a year.
It is more than just feeling "blue" for a few days.
It is feeling "down" and "low" and "hopeless"
for weeks at a time.
Common Signs and Symptoms include:
 |
Persistent sad, anxious or "empty" mood |
|
Changes in sleep habit (too much or not enough) |
|
Feeling of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness |
|
Loss of interest or pleasure in what you used to enjoy |
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Changes in eating habit (too much or too little appetite |
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Difficulty concentrating |
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Fatigue and loss of energy |
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Irritability |
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Thoughts of suicide |
Getting Help:
Help is just a phone call away. If you have been experiencing many of the symptoms every day for more than 2 weeks and your daily functions or relationships with people close to you are impaired, you need to call your doctor or community mental health provider. If you are experiencing serious suicidal thoughts, seek immediate emergency care.
Depression in Children and Adolescents
It is only in the recent years "depression
in children" has been taken very seriously. The depressed
child may refuse to go to school, pretend to be sick, cling to
the parent or worry that he will lose the parent. Older child
may get into trouble at school or with the law, irritable and
feel misunderstood.
It can be difficult for the parent to tell whether
a child is just going through a temporary "stage" or
is suffering from depression. If the parent or a teacher is concerned
about the child, the parent first addresses the concern directly
with the child. If the concern persists, and if a visit to the
pediatrician rules out physical causes, the doctor will probably
recommend evaluation by a mental health professional.
Resources:
www.NDMHA.org
www.depression.org
Symptoms of Stress or Anxiety
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