Author Archives: dr. paris

Stress Reduction: Living a Balanced Life

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In these difficult times, life poses so many challenges and many people are finding themselves overwhelmed and “stressed out.” Well, how does this happen? How does a person get “stressed out?”

Stress happens when the resources needed to handle life’s challenges exceed that of the individual experiencing them. Basically, we experience stress when we are presented with situations that we don’t have adequate coping skills to deal with. Sometimes this stress is the result of one event and sometimes it is the result of multiple challenges. As we continue to experience more and more things and/or avoid dealing with them, we become more and more stressed and subsequently “stressed out.

Living a balanced life is the key to reducing stress in one’s life. Often times the demands of taking care of our families, business and life circumstances are huge and we spend very little time in the areas of self-care and personal pleasure. We use all of our available resources on life’s demands and don’t replenish and/or balance by doing things we like that serve as an outlet for frustration and negative feelings. Thus, the scales of our lives are tipped towards overwhelm and we feel depleted and ineffective. Simple steps to create balance in our lives can help us ward off these feelings.

So how do we create balance? How can we replenish our resources? What things can we do to reduce stress in our lives? Well, creating balance starts with taking personal inventory of how you experience stress. What do I mean by this? Well, some examples are: Do you experience stress in your body? Does it show through your attitude? Does it cause you to worry? Do you develop bad habits? Once, you have an idea of how you experience stress you can look at ways to be proactive in combating these stress reactions. For example, popular ways to manage stress in the body are the various forms of physical activity (walking, aerobics, yoga, etc.). Meditation, prayer, reading, etc. are ways to clear your mind of negative thoughts. Relaxation techniques, massages, and yoga are ways to deal with worry and anxiety and the list goes on and on. How you balance your stress will be related to your personal interests and particular stress responses.

Creating balance frees up and replenishes our resources, making us better able to deal with challenging events and circumstances. It also keeps us centered and provides a counteractive effect to life’s negativity. Creating balance affords us a healthier life, with far more pleasurable experiences resulting in a healthier way of relating to others and a positive outlook on life overall. What steps can you take to create balance in your life and reduce stress today?

In circumstances where the level of stress and anxiety exceed a level in which it can be managed by the simple steps described above, one may need to seek the professional help of a therapist.

Dr. Gandy-Walker treats stress, anxiety, depression, and can help individuals create life balance.

Facing Fears

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Let’s face it. Most people have been apprehensive at one time or another about taking a step or making a decision based on fear; fear of the failure; fear of success; fear of the unknown. People become complacent and comfortable in their current positions despite how dysfunctional they may be because they know what to expect and there are few surprises. However, this can lead one to feel unfulfilled and possibly to feelings of depression and/or anxiety. Additionally, staying in hazardous situations has little potential for fulfillment and will more than likely will lead to even more hazardous conditions.

How many times have you heard someone say, “You have to face your fears to move ahead”? Countless, I’m sure. While there is truth to that statement, it is generally easier said than done. Facing fear can be extremely challenging. There is general fear, paralyzing fear, and phobias (debilitating fears). Paralyzing fear and phobias generally require professional help. However, for general fear there are steps that can be taken to face and actually move through it.

First, a person must be willing to acknowledge that they are fearful and determine what they are actually fearful of. People are often stagnant but haven’t taken the time to explore what is standing in the way of their forward movement.

Second, a person must determine how realistic their fear is. Some fears are very realistic and quite probable. No one will be great at all things and everything that a person tries is not going to work. People have to ask themselves if the possibility of greatness is worth the possibility of failure. However, there is something to gain from all experiences including those that are negative. We learn from our mistakes, which gives us information for how to succeed the next time around. So in that sense failure isn’t really failure at all.

Third, a person must think through and develop a plan to handle possible challenges on their journey. Planning ahead can be very empowering. If one has already looked at the possible stumbling blocks they may encounter and has developed a plan of action they will be less likely to panic, will experience less stress, and are more likely to succeed.

Fear has the potential to paralyze but it can also be a motivator. What are you fearful of? Are you ready to move past it?

If you or your loved one is paralyzed by fear and you feel that it cannot be resolved without professional help, seek consultation with a mental health provider as soon as possible.

Dr. Gandy-Walker provides cognitive behavioral treatment for paralyzing fear and phobias.

 

 

Seasonal Affective Disorder

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Do you find that you experience a shift in mood every fall/winter or summer? Do you experience difficulty concentrating, a lack of energy or motivation, and feelings of depression during these times? Many people suffer from summer or winter depression, which is often called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. People diagnosed with SAD are typically characterized by having normal moods during most of the year and experiencing depression during the winter or summer months. However, I should note that some people with Bipolar Disorder also experience seasonal depression.

Symptoms of SAD are pretty much the same as other types of depression and include decreased energy and motivation levels, feelings of hopelessness, lack of concentration, decreased desire to  engage in activity, increases in sleep, increase in appetite causing weight gain, irritability, and social withdrawal.

SAD is related to deficiencies in light and is particularly common in places that have long winters. Studies also indicate SAD may be associated with changes in the circadian rhythms (sleep-wake cycles) related to the change in seasons and the hormone, melatonin.

Traditional treatments for winter SAD include light therapy,  cognitive-behavioral therapy, antidepressant medication, and the hormone, melatonin. Light therapy involves having the patient increase exposure to light either in their natural environment or with a prescribed lamp or light box. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is talk therapy treatment, which has been proven successful with most forms of depression. Antidepressants and melatonin can be prescribed by a psychiatrist or healthcare provider and have also shown effectiveness.

If you think you or a loved one may be suffering from SAD, seek a consultation with a mental health provider immediately.

Dr. Gandy-Walker provides cognitive-behavioral therapy and treats all forms of depression.