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Do You Know Someone Suffering from Bipolar Disorder?

By | Depression | No Comments

Whether we are aware of it or not, we all may know someone suffering from Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar disorder is a mental health disorder that can cause dramatic changes in mood and energy levels. Symptoms can affect daily life severely with major ups-and-downs. Importantly, spotting the signs of bipolar disorder can help a person to get the proper treatment, as real dangers do exist.

A person who has Bipolar disorder will encounter a range in mood from feelings of elation and high energy to intense depression. There can also be disruption in sleep and thinking patterns and other behavioral symptoms.

The extremes of mood are known as manic episodes and depressive episodes. Hypomania has symptoms of a manic episode that are less severe.

Typically, in most cases, people suffering from Bipolar disorder do not experience symptoms usually until the age of 25 on average. Symptoms can appear during the teenage years, and less commonly, during childhood.

The Signs and Symptoms?

Bipolar disorder is a condition with mood swings that can range from euphoria to depression.However, for a diagnosis of “bipolar I” disorder, a person only needs to have one manic episode.

What is Mania?

When someone has mania, they do not just feel very happy. They feel euphoric.

A person with mania may:

  • Possess a lot of energy
  • Feel able to do and achieve anything
  • Find sleeping to be difficult
  • Spend money excessively and impulsively
  • Use rapid speech that jumps between topics and ideas
  • Feel agitated, jumpy, or even slightly “wired”
  • Engage in risky and impulsive behaviors
  • Use unwise consumption of alcohol and other substances
  • Believe that they are more important than others or have important connections
  • Show anger or aggression if others challenge their views or behavior

Severe mania can involve psychosis, with hallucinations or delusions. Hallucinations can cause a person to see, hear, or feel things that are not there.People may have delusions and distorted thinking that cause them to believe that certain things are true when they are not.

A person in a manic state may not realize that their behavior is unusual, but others may notice a change in behavior. Some may see the person’s outlook as sociable and fun-loving, while others may find it unusual or bizarre.

The individual may not realize that they are acting inappropriately or be aware of the potential consequences of their behavior.

They may need help in getting help and staying safe, which is where family and friends should step in to seek professional therapists.

What is Hypomania?

Not everyone will have a severe manic episode. Less severe mania is known as hypomania. Symptoms are similar to those of mania, but the behaviors are less extreme, people can often function well in their daily life, and it typically only lasts 3-4 days.

If a person does not address the signs of hypomania, it can progress into a more severe form of the condition at a later time.

Bipolar Depression Symptoms

Signs of a depressive episode are the same as the symptoms of a major depressive episode.These may include:

  • eeling down or sad
  • >having very little energy
  • having trouble sleeping or sleeping a lot more than usual
  • thinking of death or suicide
  • forgetting things or feeling distracted
  • feeling tired on a constant basis
  • losing enjoyment in daily activities
  • lack of emotion or joy in facial expressions

In severe cases, a person may experience psychosis or a catatonic depression, in which they are unable to move, talk, or take any action. Although rare, bipolar disorder could occur in young children and teenagers.

What are the Causes?

Doctors do not know exactly what causes bipolar disorder. In general, there are theories that may be triggers, as follows:

  1. Genetic factors: A person with bipolar disorder may have a parent with the condition. However, having a parent or even a twin with bipolar disorder does not mean a person will have it.
  1. Stress: Someone who has a genetic predisposition may experience their first episode of depression or mania during or after a time of severe stress, for example, the loss of a job or a loved one.

When to See a Therapist?

People with symptoms of Bipolar should seek professional help as soon as possible and as a precaution, at the very least. It is always a good idea to speak with a therapist when there is concern about severe mood swings that seem to come and go or make it difficult to work.

The best person to start with may be a primary care physician or family doctor. They will likely refer someone with these symptoms to a therapist, or a specialist who cares for people with mental health disorders.

Someone who notices these symptoms in a friend or loved one can also speak with atherapist about their concerns.

If you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or believe that you may be suffering from bipolar disorder, please pick up the phone today and call our team at Foundations Counseling.

How To Deal With Anxiety Disorder

By | Anxiety | No Comments

There are many things that can put us into a state of anxiety such as possible break-ups, work stress, home life, even horror movies can trigger this state. However, it is common that the source of our anxiety is something that we can’t change. We all know that threats aren’t the only things that can give us an anxiety disorder, but also a possible upcoming crisis. Everything can become a potential crisis if you think about it too much and eliminate possible outcomes.

What Does Anxiety Do To You?

Anxiety will definitely take its toll on your body. Some of the symptoms that you may feel are trouble sleeping, eating, and concentrating. You may also get headaches and an upset stomach. Panic attacks are also symptoms of anxiety; this is the feeling where your heart is pounding at a rapid rate making you feel lightheaded. A panic attack can actually feel like a heart attack. Anxiety may also feel like depression if it gets too overwhelming. That feeling may start interfering with your daily activities and may make you want to be alone.

When anxiety gets too overwhelming, most people may not make effective choices. They tend to avoid things rather than face them and they often procrastinate because they can’t concentrate well. In this case, people suffering from the disorder may need to seek professional help for anxiety treatment.

How Can You Cope With Anxiety?

Coping with anxiety will take a lot of effort and mental readiness to maintain your focus. Set aside real risky problems that may be difficult to decide on, and focus on simpler problems with low risks. Try removing from your imagination all the negative possibilities of handling the situation and just face it. Challenge your negative thoughts rather than being paralyzed by anxiety. Always keep in mind that it will be better that you have done something than nothing at all. This will help you move forward and address the next problems at hand.

You may not notice this but when you are anxious, you may have shallow breathing or you are possibly holding your breath. Learning to relax is part of your fight against depression and anxiety and enables you to achieve that focus. Take deep breaths and then think of the solution to your problem. In most cases, the type of anxiety that you will be facing will vary on the situation that happened to you. The more shocking or surprising the situation is, the more difficult it will be for you to get past it.

Some doctors may provide you with anxiety medications, but don’t think that this will get rid of your anxiety. These medications are just there to support you and keep it under control. Fully removing your anxiety disorder will always be done by you. Anxiety counselors will also be able to help your fight because they are capable of giving you tools on how you can face your problems.

Foundations Counseling Texas Welcomes Elina Kharmats, LPC

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Foundations Counseling Texas Welcomes Elina Kharmats, LPC

Elina Kharmats is a Licensed Professional Counselor who understands that your perception is your reality. We all experience feelings of guilt, anger, anxiety, and self–blame and wonder how we end up in the same place again and again. Every person can make a choice to make their reality a better and a safer place.

As a licensed professional counselor, Elina works to see everyone’s situation from their own perspective. “I believe healing can begin, when we have a professional partner. We all need someone to meet us where we are emotionally and walk with us at our own pace toward wellness, happiness, and fulfillment.”

Elina Kharmats is a licensed professional counselor with eight years of clinical experience. She works with adult individuals, couples, and families using a variety of therapeutic techniques. Elina also has experience in working with trauma, substance abuse, stress management, depression, anxiety, and grief. There are no magic words, or cookie cutter approaches. As your counselor, Elina is here to help you find the right tools so you can begin to see your world more positively.

Everyone deserves an opportunity to improve their life….why not start that journey today? Please contact Elina today to learn more.