Do you feel “on edge” or “on guard” all the time? Are your emotions in a constant state of flux, and your fight-or-flight responses seem a bit out of control? If so, you may be suffering from a severe anxiety disorder. Don’t brush these off as normal responses to every day stress, because when these emotions affect your daily function there is cause for concern. Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder in the U.S., but there is hope because it is treatable. However, of the 40 million people in the United States who suffer from anxiety, about 30% will never seek help for their condition.
Below you will find a list of some of the common symptoms of anxiety:
1. Lack of concentration
2. Sleep loss
3. Increased irritability
4. Feelings of paranoia
5. Elevated heart rate
6. Nausea
If left untreated, you could find yourself with the onset of a major depressive disorder on top of your anxiety. Understanding your treatment options is the first step in addressing your anxiety. First-line treatments include medications, psychotherapy, and holistic coping techniques, such as reiki or acupuncture. Ketamine infusions are another powerful way to treat anxiety, especially when traditional treatments fail. Ketamine has been around since the 1960s. Believed by some to be a “party drug,”, ketamine has also shown promising results for treating depression and anxiety. Ketamine infusions repair damaged neural connections in the brain, leading to increased serotonin levels. Serotonin allows the brain to regulate emotion, which ultimately leads to decreased feelings of anxiety. We have personally seen the positive results of ketamine infusions change the lives of our patients and improve their daily function.
However, knowing what to avoid is as important as knowing what your treatment options are. We believe it’s important to understand a few things to avoid when your suffer from anxiety, as these things may increase the severity of your symptoms, or lead to additional complications.
1. Sleep Loss – When you experience sleep deprivation, your brain’s ability to regulate emotions is degraded, making you more susceptible to both anxiety and depression. With increased emotional irregularity, you may find yourself less and less able to perform daily tasks. Your personal and professional life will suffer.
2. Avoidance & Self-Berating – Our instinct may be to stay away from situations that cause us to enter a state of severe anxiety, but as with any problem, avoidance is not the answer. Although you may find temporary relief, this action only increases the severity of your negative reaction when facing your trigger in the future. Also, avoid getting upset with yourself when you experience anxiety; instead, aim to identify the problem and seek ways to cope.
3. Excess Alcohol Consumption – Are you one of those people who uses a nightly cocktail to relax from your busy day? Be aware of the possibility that alcohol consumption may become a crutch, and only provides temporary relief from your anxiety.
4. Overuse of Caffeine – Having your daily cup of joe is not necessarily an issue, but for those who suffer from anxiety, caffeine only increases the exact same negative emotional responses in the brain. Caffeine is a stimulant that naturally makes us more jittery, so why increase your already high heart rate and adrenaline levels if you don’t have to?
5. Online Web Surfing – Social media is a staple of today’s society, but there is a lot of exaggerated information out there, so do not believe everything you see or read. If you have an anxiety disorder, be careful of how much time you spend surfing the internet, because all of the bad news coupled with the perfect pictures of your friends’ happy lives may cause you to wonder what happened with yours. Overall, social media consumption increased your chances of developing depression, negative self-talk, and decreased confidence.
Contact Ketamine Greater Boston
If you are suffering from anxiety and ready to get some help, complete the brief form below to request a free consultation. Our compassionate and experienced clinical staff is here to help. We can answer your questions and address any concerns you may have about ketamine infusions. We want to see you not only succeed in life, but enjoy it, too!
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