How Low Self-Esteem Ties To Depression By Amanda Young, LCSW

There is not much research out there to identify the correlation between low self esteem and depression but there is a link. The way we think and see ourselves impact our mood as well as our outlook on life. Low self-esteem is characterized by a lack of confidence and feeling badly about oneself. People with low self-esteem often feel unlovable, awkward, unworthy or incompetent. Self esteem is also a core belief about how we view ourselves. Individuals who suffer low self esteem are more prone to negative thoughts, feeling rejected, over-thinkers, hypersensitive, hyper-alert and hyper-vigilant. Low self esteem has us looking for something that is not there and can affect our mood based on our own thoughts about ourselves or what we think others are thinking about us. 

How we view ourselves and the way we feel can impact our mood. If we think negatively about ourselves, not being accepted by others, constantly feeling rejected,  feeling worthless can put us in a bad headspace. Overthinking, making poor decisions that reinforces how we are feeling, listening to our  inner critic and believing things that are not true affects how we feel.  Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Depression affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. This too is the same for self esteem.

Cognitive distortions about self and others can make you feel bad and lead to a warp sense of identity which can keep you in a low place and mood. These negative thoughts become a cycle which play over and over in your head further reducing your worth and your confidence about yourself. And feeling that others find you no good or the world is too hard can make you feel lonely and overwhelmed, both of which also can contribute to depression. However, with help you can gain tools to overcome negative thoughts, talk about your feelings, stabilize your mood and increase your self esteem.

Below are a few things that you can do to increase self esteem which in turn will reduce depression and increase your mood. 

• Recognize and challenge negative thoughts-Analyze the evidence to confirm or deny your thoughts.

• Practice having grace and self compassion for yourself-everyone is entitled to have some shortcomings but do not allow those things to define you. Learn from them, to be better the next time around,

• Surround yourself with positive people-people who can speak life to you and build on your strengths.

• Avoid comparing yourself to others-when you compare, you are robbed of your happiness. Celebrating your individuality is key to embracing everything you have to offer and more.

• Talk to a professional-Sometimes we don’t or can’t figure out how to pick ourselves back up and that o.k. By talking with a professional who is not judgmental and provides a safe spot is powerful.

• Self care-Taking a break and catering to yourself can start helping you increase your esteem.

Again, the above list is not an exhaustive list. The key is understand why you feel the way you do, your triggers and how to change these thoughts. I believe that once your self esteem increases, then your depression will decrease which will help elevate your mood. At Niyyah Counseling, we have a diverse group of therapists who can meet with you for a 15 min consultation to gain an idea about the issues you are dealing with. Please call us today if you need assistance and one of our therapists will be willing to talk to you, https://www.niyyahcounselingpllc.com/our-team.

Is It Okay to Reevaluate Your Values? By Kathleen Chandler LMSW PMH-C

You can absolutely reevaluate your values, about anything, any time in your life! I recommend you do so regularly. It will help you to assess if you are living your life aligned within your integrity.

In fact, many people have shifted their perspective on values over the past two years. Scores of folks have quit their jobs to find ones that are more flexible and enable them to continue working from home. Others took the time to start new careers, or move to new cities that hold their ideological beliefs. 

Covid-19 highlighted that everyone has their own inner value system! Take the value of Conservation for example. Some people value conserving commitment to tradition and social expectations (remaining to have in-person school, proms, weddings, and work) while others value conserving security, safety, and health ( isolate to protect the community) more. 

Figuring out your values and reevaluating them will help you live your best life. 

So, how do you do that? You start with defining your values.

1) When were you the happiest, proud, satisfied and fulfilled in your life? (What about those times and experiences gave you meaning and purpose?

2) Try to identify 5-10 values.

 3) Rank your values! Ask yourself if you could only be true to one value which one would it be. That one will be your number one value. Continue onward until you have ranked your top 5-10.

4) Reassess. Ask yourself if your current life is in alignment with your values.

 5) Problem Solve: Values can feel too large to grasp and overwhelming. If you identify values that are not in alignment with your life, use SMART goals to develop a plan and get your life on track:

What are SMART goals? Here is an example of how SMART goals can help you create a plan.

S: Specific

Be specific with your goal.

I want to be more compassionate (Identified Value) and understanding as a person.

M: Measurable

Make sure you can measure the achievement of your goal.

I will take The Compassion Scale (CS) to see where I score.

A: Achievable

List how you will achieve the goal. ie what will you do?

I will work on three areas of the test that I score lowest in daily for one month.

1) I will practice deep listening when others talk to me about their troubles.

2) When others feel sad, I will acknowledge their feelings and offer comfort.

3)I will remind myself that despite my differences with others, we all feel the same pain and emotions. 

R: Relevant

How will what you are going to work on help you achieve your goal?

Practicing these three things will help me to be a more compassionate person and make sure I am living my life in alignment with the value of Compassion. 

T: Time-bound

State a time/date when you will have it done.

I will retake The Compassion Scale (CS) in one month to assess my growth.

Remember, you can absolutely reevaluate your values, about anything, any time in your life! If you feel overwhelmed and unsure if you are living life according to your values a therapist at Niyyah can help you. Reach out today for a free 15-minute consultation!

Why Are More Couples Interested In Open Relationships? By Connor Cohen, LMSW

What makes a relationship? Is it someone to come home to at the end of the day? Is it someone we confide in and to trust? Is it someone to spend this grand adventure we call life with? Is it emotional? Is it purely physical? Is it none of these things or is it all of these things? Relationships and our ideas of what a relationship is have changed over the years. In our parents and grandparents generation,  relationships were strictly between those of the opposite sex. A relationship meant marriage between man and woman and it most likely meant the man works while the woman stays home and cooks and cleans and takes care of the home. Today those relational roles have shifted.  We have stay at home dads,  breadwinning wives,  homes with two dads,  homes with two moms.  Some even with a dad, an uncle Joey and an uncle Jesse. Full House references aside, our concept of relationships and family have changed over the years.  This change has become more open and inclusive as it allows us to celebrate more than just one type of relationship.  Open relationships aren't really that new.  While it may be becoming more trendy,  they've existed for quite some time. Marriage was already an established practice by the time civilization was founded in ancient Mesopotamia. But even Hammurabi’s code (a document dating back to around 1760 B.C.E) set forth a strict set of laws in the society, allowed for polygamy or open relationships. 

So what makes them so popular nowadays? Well, there are a few reasons why a couple might choose to explore an open relationship.  First and foremost,  an open relationship allows for the couple to pursue new experiences and interests. It also allows for exciting and different experiences in terms of partners. Some feel as though this gives them the freedom to express different sides of themselves. Some state that an important aspect for many of those in open relationships is the idea that it relieves the pressure of one person to fulfill all of their partner's emotional and physical needs. Another reason that open relationships may be becoming more popular is the fact that not all open relationships have to be the same. One open relationship may look vastly different from another. For example, an open relationship can look like casual dating outside the confines of the primary relationship, for another couple it could look like pursuing romantic relationships outside of their primary relationship, and for a third couple, the openness of the relationship could strictly be based on a physical level. 

Overall, there are many reasons a couple may look to explore an open relationship but it is not something to be done lightly and without caution. It is important that there is a strong line of communication and understanding before opening up a relationship so that it can be successful. If you and your loved one are considering an open relationship and aren't sure where to start. Our therapists can help facilitate that conversation in a healthy and open way. 

The Role of Anxiety in Eating Disorders By Kara N Bradford, BS, LCDC, LMSW

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The same can be said for anxiety and eating disorders (ED). Numerous studies have shown that in most cases of ED, people developed an anxiety disorder in childhood before onset; additionally, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reported that as many as 65% of ED cases also met criteria for an anxiety disorder. The most common anxiety disorder that co-exists with ED is obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which can create unhealthy and compulsive rituals around eating habits. 

Anxiety may exist with most ED, but may manifest itself differently based on specific behaviors exhibited by different types of ED. Let’s explore this…

Anorexia nervosa (AN) can be described as a pattern of disordered eating that revolves around distorted body image that influences excessive restrictive behaviors that lead to excessive weight loss and inability to gain weight. Recent studies have shown that co-occurring anxiety disorders are highest among the AN population than the general population. Anxiety typically derives from the excessive need to count calories or being hyper-focused on only consuming a certain food or certain type of food. Additionally, AN is often the only known ED by the general population due to the visible signs of excessive weight loss, which can generate anxiety due to feeling more noticed and unable to hide the fact that they are struggling.

Bulimia nervosa (BN) can be described as a cycle of binge eating and purging that revolves around over-evaluation of body weight and shape that is fueled by shame and guilt and breeds in secrecy. Most experts believe that anxiety and BN “go hand-in-hand” due to the excessive need to correct their binges by participating in compensatory behaviors; which include self-induced vomiting, abusing laxatives, excessively exercising, or restricting for two weeks or more after the binge episode. Typically, anxiety is present before a binge episode when someone is hyper-focused on certain parts of their body; then, anxiety typically dissipates and positive emotions emerge during a binge episode (which can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days) due to increased serotonin and dopamine levels from consuming food; finally, anxiety typically returns after a binge episode when the guilt and shame from binging behaviors return, fueling compensatory behaviors, starting the cycle over.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) can be described as frequent episodes of consuming large amounts of food past the point of satiation due to heightened anxiety being present and using food as a coping mechanism. It is common for people who frequently binge to have almost immediate relief from anxiety symptoms, like BN, due to increased serotonin and dopamine levels from food consumption. Unfortunately, shortly after a binge, people who struggle with BED may experience embarrassment from feeling out of control during their binge, which can fuel shame and guilt, creating increased anxiety, and starting the cycle of their ED all over again.

In general, anxiety disorders can exacerbate symptoms of ED, making treatment more difficult. Due to this fact, it is important to treat the co-occurring disorders at the same time. Persistent monitoring of symptoms for both disorders is important for each clinician to consider as well as keeping themselves informed on updated evidence-based treatment to address symptoms. Our therapists at Niyyah are equipped to address these symptoms and walk with you through managing your presenting symptoms with the ultimate goal of eliminating them. Recovery from your ED is possible, you are not your ED, it does not define you. Reach out today! 

What is Existential Depression? By Kara N Bradford, BS, LCDC, LMSW

When you break down each word within ‘existential depression’, you get: philosophy about the meaning of human existence (existential) and a mental health condition whose symptoms can cause distress in many areas of your life (depression). That is a very broad and basic definition, so let’s break it down further. Have you ever heard of someone going through an existential crisis? This typically happens when someone experiences something that either changes the course of their lives or brings them close to death, which you can imagine, could cause someone to question their purpose or the meaning of life. It is normal as humans to question our existence due to the desire that we have to feel like we have purpose, especially as we move along in the stages of development. Pondering existence and purpose become problematic when the thoughts begin negatively impacting our relationships, our jobs, or our will to continue living.

You may be wondering what could trigger an existential crisis that leads to depression. There is a common misconception that the majority of people who experience existential crisis or existential depression are those in middle adulthood or maturity (age 40+), commonly referred to as “midlife crisis.” Sure, at that point in life, there may be an increased amount of people who become concerned about their purpose in life, what kind of mark they feel they have made on the world, or what the meaning of their life or life in general is; however, existential thoughts can occur at many other important points in development such as high school graduation, choosing a college major, career path, chronic illness, divorce, or loss. At these points in life, we have the freedom to choose, but making those decisions can sometimes seem difficult when the ultimate decision feels life-altering. Experiencing existential thoughts while making these decisions can cause you to feel a great deal of distress, which can lead to developing symptoms of depression. 

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V), does not include existential depression as a condition or as a specifier; however, this does not mean that what you may be feeling is not real. There are many subtypes of depression listed in the DSM-V that exist due to severity and variations in symptoms. While you may experience uncontrollable tearful spells, sadness, lack of motivation, and other common depression symptoms, if you are struggling with existential depression, you may also experience distinct thought patterns surrounding questions about your identity, life, and death. There have been research questions that have eluded to whether or not existential depression is only a part of the grieving process. We know that depression is a stage of grief that typically everyone will experience; however, the depression symptoms usually subside by the end of the grieving process. Researchers tend to agree that if the symptoms are experienced for longer than two weeks, that it is possible you could be suffering from clinical depression. 

Research suggests that existential depression can be treated using the same treatment methods used to treat other common forms of depression. Common treatment usually consists of antidepressant medications in combination with talk therapy such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), or Solution Focused Therapy (SFT). The therapists at Niyyah Counseling PLLC are trained in these treatment modalities and are experienced in working within interdisciplinary teams (primary care physicians, psychiatrists, etc.) to offer holistic and individualized treatment. We desire to guide you through your road to recovery. Reach out today to schedule an appointment, we have several therapists with immediate availability! 

Identifying and Coping with Birth Trauma By Nabiha Hasan, LMSW

Becoming a mother is potentially the most life changing thing that a woman can go through, and becoming a father serves a similar feeling. From the start of finding out that one is pregnant to Googling every single symptom there is in the books, to experiencing childbirth, motherhood is something many women look forward to and can be very exciting. Birth trauma, however, is not something that anyone can anticipate or prepare for - and can leave a lasting impact on parents. Identifying and coping with birth trauma will be the focus in this article, as well as how to do your best in moving on from the trauma going forward. 

The past does not define the future. This is possibly one of the most powerful things you can tell yourself. What your previous birth trauma was, whether that was an emergency c-section, shoulder dystocia, stillborn, miscarriage, brain damage, infertility, hearing of someone else who experienced a child having a physical/intellectual disability, or any other birth trauma not mentioned, you have valid and justifiable reasons to be traumatized and worry for your next birth, should you decide to have any more children. Yes, it was scary, and you are fearful of it happening again, but just because it did happen in the past doesn’t mean that it will happen again.

Meditate. Utilize a combination of birth affirmations, journaling exercises, and coach yourself into positive self-talk to prepare for the upcoming birth. You can search the web for endless resources and recordings of birth affirmations, for example, which when replayed, will leave a lasting impact on your mind and body. Your body was made for this, and although you did experience an occurrence of birth trauma, you are working toward helping yourself overcome it to work on moving forward.

Stay in the present moment. Acknowledge that in the here and now, you are alright, you made it this far, and you will continue to work on staying in the present while preparing for the future the best you can. Dwelling in the past will exacerbate your trauma, and as difficult as it sounds, it is crucial to help your mind and body move past whatever happened. It is easier said than done, yes, but it is not impossible.

Dads. Fathers and males don’t get as much attention with issues related to birth trauma, but dads are very worthy of validation. Yes, the birth trauma is different for fathers as they aren’t the main carriers, but can still leave a lasting impact on their emotions and fear for the future. Dads may feel powerless, invalidated, or try to focus more on the trauma of their partner.

Talk it out. Talk through your emotions, feelings, and fears. At Niyyah Counseling, we have a wide range of therapists who specialize in various forms of trauma, and are happy to pair you up with someone who will be a good match. You are welcome to reach out and schedule an appointment or consult with a therapist to get a feel for the process and ask any questions you may have. Additionally, you can check out our other blogs to read about topics related to birth trauma, infertility, and parenting. Your mental health and past experiences deserve to be validated, treated, and healed - help is just moments away.

Coping with Fear Caused By Threats Against Roe v. Wade. By: Amanda Young, LCSW

On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in Roe v. Wade, a challenge to a Texas statute that made it a crime to perform an abortion unless a woman’s life was at stake. The case had been filed by “Jane Roe,” an unmarried woman who wanted to safely and legally end her pregnancy. Siding with Roe, the court struck down the Texas law. In its ruling, the court recognized for the first time that the constitutional right to privacy “is broad enough to encompass a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy” (Roe vs Wade).

It has been forty years since Roe vs Wade was first put in place to protect women's right to choose.. Since the law was passed, it has been challenged and restricted by individuals who should not have the right to do so. The past few years women have had a front seat by watching the news, men making decisions who are incapable of understanding the conception of life and women who are beside the men who are allowing this to happen. It is a very sad but yet scary thing to be living to witness the limitations that are being placed upon women’s rights. You might  feel scared, mad, sad, let down, powerless and anxious about women rights being infringed on. You might have thoughts about what you can do or where you start to ensure that women rights are being protected.  So many emotions and thoughts are not easy to manage but what can you do? 

Changes in the makeup of the Supreme Court have contributed to the threat against Roe vs Wade. Men who cannot begin to understand the woman anatomy down to conception are making decisions based on what they think to be true but do not understand what women are faced with or challenges they have encountered. While we are waiting on the unknown,  we can  do a few things to cope with fear of Roe vs Wade to be overturned.  Below are some tips,

1. Get involved with a local organization that is interested in Roe vs Wade.-getting involved will help you feel a part of like minded people who are also passionate and have the same common goal.

2. Support groups-Offer support and can be around people who provide a safe, relatable, environment to speak openly about your feelings. 

3. Practice mindfulness-helps you to become centered, aware and refocus. 

4. Limiting yourself from the news-putting limits in place will allow you time to breathe from the noise.

5. Continue to eat a  well balanced meal-keeps your body and mind energize

6. Continue your exercise regime-will help to reduce stress and increase your mood.

7. Talk to a professional to help you cope with your fears- will help you reflect, explore and give you tools to take care of yourself mentally while going through this tough time

Niyyah Counseling has therapists who specialize in various areas and treatment modalities that are willing to help. Please give us a call today for a free consultation https://www.niyyahcounselingpllc.com/.

Signs of Workplace Anxiety by Connor Cohen, LMSW

Anxiety doesn't really stop at the front door. And that goes for either side of the door. Anxiety doesn't necessarily stop when we get home from a long day, nor does it necessarily stop when we start our day by walking out that door. Anxiety can be at home, at school and even at work. Workplace anxiety can make work a really uncomfortable place to be. Given the state of the world in the global pandemic,  workplace anxiety  can even create home anxiety because many of us work from home.  Workplace anxiety can make life difficult as we tend to spend a lot of time at work. So what is workplace anxiety?

Well, workplace anxiety can look like irritability at work, constant worry about workplace tasks, or losing interest in your work.  This anxiety can even impact your physical health.  Workplace anxiety can lead to trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating or remembering things, or even over eating or under eating.  Workplace anxiety can lead to what I call  Sunday sadness.  It's that feeling you get when you know that you have to get up for work tomorrow. That feeling that the weekend is over and that tomorrow is an early day with meetings or calls or spreadsheets. Sunday sadness is that feeling you get when dread kicks in.  It's that feeling that you would do anything for there to be another day in the weekend and one less during the week.  It's that feeling of disappointment.  That sad realization of "well here we go again".

So what do we do about workplace anxiety? Well,  there are several different avenues to attack this.  For some, that means finding a different job.  Something that fills up your cup rather than drains it.  For others,  It may be an adjustment that is needed.  This can look like adjusting your schedule to better fit your lifestyle and work life balance.  It could also look like making sure we make time for ourselves outside of work.  This could look like exercising, eating well,  enjoying a hobby,  or really anything that just brings a smile to your face. Workplace anxiety tends to strike most when work becomes life.  So by creating a distinction between working and home life we can begin to address workplace anxiety.  Another route to address workplace anxiety is to speak with your employer.  Kind of like that old saying goes oh, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.  No one is going to know there's a problem in this we make it known that there's a problem.   Perhaps there is a facet of your job that you enjoy more than another. Maybe you feel energized working on one task whereas other areas of your work make you feel drained.  By bringing this to the attention of your employer,  there is a possibility that workplace responsibilities can be adjusted.

Overall, working is difficult. We spend a lot of time at work, we put a lot of pressure on our work and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves. Work is such a big part of our lives it's no wonder we can feel anxious about it. But if you are a loved one or struggling with workplace anxiety and are not sure what to do,  reach out to our team here at Niyyah and we will gladly help guide you through your workplace anxiety.

Signs of Toxic Parenting by Kathleen Chandler LMSW PMH-C

There is no such thing as perfect parenting; we all make mistakes! Some parents are trying their very best to be empathetic and nurturing. Other parents are not aware they are actively harming their children (some are aware).  A lot of people parent their children how they were parented without giving much thought to patterns and cycles of abuse.

It is important that we are reflective about how we were parented (what we liked and what we didn’t) and how we are currently parenting (what we feel we are doing well and what we could be working on).

Below are some common parenting traits we should all try to avoid:

Physical Abuse: Physically harming your child out of anger or frustration. You cannot control your emotional response to hit, pinch, slap, spank, kick (or any other form of physical discipline) when your child frustrates or angers you.

Overreacting: You fly off the handle easily and are emotionally out-of-control. Something small might be blown out of proportion and then you become overly frustrated, angry, and/or verbally abusive.

Controlling: You are incredibly controlling with unreasonable demands and expectations. You might find yourself getting into power struggles with your children and micromanaging them.

Critical: You rarely have a positive thing to say about, or to, your child. You offer more “feedback” than praise or neutral statements. You criticize things like clothing, choice of friends, sports performance, physical appearance.

Bullying: You mock your child and/or make fun of them for their likes, dislikes, fears, dreams, accomplishments, failures, and who they are as a person.

Self-Centered: Always putting the needs of self, over the needs of the child. Cannot be the “bigger person” in a disagreement and “must win” because “you are the parent”.          

Gaslighting: Even when you know your child is right, you tell them they are wrong, or say it never happened the way they recall it.

Dismissive: You tend to dismiss your child’s negative emotions. You tell them to stop crying and or that their feelings do not matter.

Emotionally unavailable: You rarely exhibit warmth and kindness to your child. You do not provide them with loving emotional support. You’re all about “business”.

If you find yourself struggling with any of the above, don’t beat yourself up! In fact, read this article: https://www.niyyahcounselingpllc.com/blog/how-to-make-peace-with-parenting-mistakes-by-nabiha-hasan-lmsw. There! Did you read it? Now try to give yourself some grace and then get to work!

Click here https://www.niyyahcounselingpllc.com/our-team to read the bios of our therapists. Pick out a couple of therapists who may be a good fit for you and schedule a free 15-minute consultation. Every parent could use a little guidance and support; parenting is hard. Reach out today!

Coping with Depression Following a Heart Attack or Other Medical Emergency By Kara N Bradford, BS, LCDC, LMSW

If you have recently had a heart attack or other medical emergency, it is likely that you may be flooded by emotions. Think about it–you have survived a catastrophic medical event that some people survive but that many also do not. That’s a big deal. Experiencing feelings of depression are common after having a heart attack–the American Heart Association refers to it as ‘the cardiac blues’– and symptoms usually subside in a couple of weeks, but that does not mean that these feelings and emotions do not cause distress. There may not be a ‘the ______ blues’ for your lived medical emergency experience, but that does not minimize the impact it may have on your mental health. Though there is no evidence that directly links depression to heart disease or any other disease, it is interesting that many of the symptoms of depression are risk factors for these diseases; for example, isolation can fuel a sedentary lifestyle which can increase the risk of poor diet, overeating, and increased risk of substance abuse. All in all, it is difficult to say that a specific medical emergency–such as a heart attack–causes depression, but it is fair to say that it could exacerbate what may have already been present. 

So, you’re home from the hospital with specific orders of what can and cannot be done for a certain amount of time, you may have physical therapy beginning soon, you probably will not be released to drive or go back to work for a few weeks, and you are wondering…what now?

If you’re feeling alone, reach out to family and friends for support. Even if they are not nearby, just engaging in conversation over the phone or video chat can help with those feelings. If you don’t have family or friends that you feel like you can reach out to for support, there may be community groups that share your lived experience that may understand what you’re going through and be able to provide support. If there is not a group available in your community, there are so many online support groups that facilitate group meetings over numerous video chat softwares.

If you’re feeling depressed, there are self-coping strategies that can help with these feelings. Studies have shown that participating in things that decrease stress can also help decrease symptoms of depression; things such as exercise, a balanced diet and consistent eating patterns, and getting a good quality sleep. If some of those things seem impossible to focus on right now, think about some things that you have enjoyed in the past that relieve stress. Maybe reading is a place of comfort for you; go to your local library or purchase an ebook that sounds interesting to you. Have you thought about picking up a coloring book and some crayons, colored pencils, or markers, and spending some time coloring? There are studies that support the idea that coloring helps reduce stress. If the symptoms of depression linger on for more than 2 weeks and are causing significant distress to any areas of your life, reach out to your physician or a mental health professional for help. There are many ways to treat depression and you deserve to make the choice that is best for you. 

If you’re feeling anxious, know that this feeling is normal. Again, you have just experienced a catastrophic medical event that can leave you feeling vulnerable and fearful. You may have fear that you will experience the emergency again, which can cause anxiety and present with physical symptoms such as high pulse rate, hyperventilation, feeling ill, or feeling very hot or very cold, which can cause more anxiety. Feelings of anxiety can be triggered by feelings of stress or worry, so try things that are going to help you focus on what you’re feeling in the moment–not what could potentially happen. Practice grounding techniques that use your senses to keep you in the present moment to formulate a plan of action as far as coping. Again, if these feelings persist, there are multiple options available to treat them. Reach out to your physician or mental health professional for help. 

The therapists at Niyyah Counseling PLLCare prepared to help you navigate this time of feeling overwhelmed and uncomfortable. Our desire is to walk alongside you on your journey to recovery and support you in whatever that looks like for you. Many, if not all of us, are eclectic in our approach to therapy and believe it should be individualized to fit your needs.Reach out today!