October is National Depression & Mental Health Screening Month

“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.” — Fred Rogers

October is National Depression an Oid Mental Health Screening Month, a time when clinicians and their communities come together to spread awareness and combat mental illness. By working together, we can all promote the importance of mental health screenings while reducing the stigma associated with mental health illnesses.

Common Symptoms of Depression The following are some of the most common symptoms of depression. If you or someone you love has been experiencing one or more of these nearly every day for at least two weeks, it’s a sign you or they may be suffering from depression:

• Persistent sadness or anxiety

• Feeling hopeless

• Irritability

• Loss of interest in hobbies

• Decreased energy or fatigue

• Becoming more and more isolated

• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions

• Difficulty sleeping

• Loss of appetite

• Thoughts of death or suicide

What Clinicians are Doing

It’s common for people battling depression to feel worse during the holidays. That’s one reason why the month of October was chosen as the awareness month; because it gives people plenty of lead time to get help before the festivities hit. During this time, many clinicians, hospitals, and mental health facilities will either reduce or completely waive the fees for mental health screenings. This makes it far easier for those individuals who believe they may be suffering from depression to receive an affordable and accurate diagnosis. What Can You Do?

If you or someone you love is suffering from depression, it’s important to get screened. After your screening, a qualified practitioner will discuss a treatment plan with you that may include talk therapy, medication, or a combination of the two. If you are someone who has recovered from depression, it’s a wonderful idea to share your journey with others if you feel comfortable doing so. Often when people are struggling with their own darkness, knowing someone has walked through to the other side and is living once again in the light can offer hope and encouragement. If you or someone you love is interested in speaking with a trained therapist, please reach out to us today. We would be happy to discuss how we might help.

SOURCES:

• https://www.naccho.org/blog/articles/national-depression-and-mental-health-screening-month-provides-

• https://www.rtor.org/2020/10/08/national-depression-and-mental-health-screening-month/

• https://www.chconline.org/october-is-national-depression-and-mental-health-screening-month/
  

How To Find And Keep Inner Peace

In the modern-day world that we live in, peace has become the most valuable commodity. From the looks of it, it has become scarcer than the scarcest of resources as we have seemingly accepted that stress and anxiety are natural consequences of our lifestyle. This is unfortunate by any measure, as life is not meant to be so... devoid of peace!

Regardless, this is our reality, and we need to figure out ways to survive and thrive in it. Because the fact remains, no matter who you are, there will come the point where constant stress and anxiety will start taking a toll on your body. This will not only affect your physical and mental health, but it will also adversely affect the pursuit of your goals. To that end, let's take a look at some ways you can find and keep your inner peace.

1. Spend Time In Nature: Perhaps, our modern lifestyle's biggest drawback is that we simply don't get enough time to spend in nature. However, anyone who has ever spent some time in a forest, mountain, beach knows the healing and calming effect that doing so can have. It's like nature has this fantastic ability to recharge your mind, body, and spirit. So, make it a habit to spend more time in nature: exercise outside instead of going to the gym, having lunch outdoors, and spending as much of your weekends as you can out in nature. At the very least, get a plant for your office.

2. Focus On What You Can Control: It's a human tendency to want to control as many variables in life as possible. This tendency has probably been hardwired in all of us as it increases the chances of survival. However, as we are all aware, we can only truly control only a handful of things. So, when you find yourself worrying, take a minute to examine the things you have control over. You can't prevent a storm from coming, but you can prepare for it. You can't control how someone else behaves, but you can control how you react. It's much more peaceful that way!

3. Make Meditation A Way of Life: Meditation and peace are almost synonymous. There is something about sitting quietly and going inwards that just resets all your mental activity and psychological drama. Maybe that's why people have looked up to this practice since ancient times. Even scientific studies have shown that meditating regularly can have a plethora of positive effects on your physical, mental, and emotional health. Therefore, you should waste no time in making it a way of life.

4. Practice Gratitude: It's in our nature to always be in pursuit of something or the other. No matter how much we achieve, we are always looking for something else. In this race of life, it is only evident that you might forget about all the things you already have. All the blessings in your life might become a blur when all you can see in the future. This can keep you in a perpetual state of "not having." And that can be a significant source of stress. But if you can change your perception and start being grateful for all the great things, people, and situations in your life, you will be in a perpetual state of "having." This can be a source of peace and contentment. So, start making gratitude lists a habit!

Netsanet Tegegn, LCSW, is a Psychotherapist in Virginia Beach who provides individualized counseling services for those who wish to create long-lasting and positive changes in their lives...

Self-love: A Foundation For A Life-long Romance.

Self-love, at its core, is a state of conscious awareness for our well-being that grows from daily actions that support our physical, psychological, and spiritual growth.

February is the month of LOVE, celebrating, and recognizing the importance of love and relationships in our lives ... So, are you ready for the greatest love affair you can have? How? By falling in love with YOU

What is Self-love?

Self-love, at its core, is a state of conscious awareness for your well-being that grows from daily actions that support and nourish your physical, psychological, and spiritual growth... When we create a habit of self-love practice, we begin to feel more comfortable spending time with ourselves, understand our needs, work on ourselves—our insecurities, strengths, flaws, and have clarity of our valuable contributions to offer ourselves and others.

Self-love also means learning to accept that we’re enough as we are, recognizing that our value goes beyond our attributes, accomplishments, and actions, giving us the courage to show up in the world as authentic vulnerable and imperfect.

When we learn to love and accept ourselves genuinely, we’ll be able to show up with others as a secure being, loving from a place of feeling fulfilled rather than from neediness, insecurity, and desperation for external validation. When we become solely dependent on others to make us feel whole and loved, we can put unwanted pressure on others that ultimately compromise our relationship with others and ourselves. On the other hand, when we are secure, confident, and loving towards ourselves, we radiate positive energy and move through the world with more profound love and compassion for others.

So, How would you go about falling in love with yourself? A daily practice of affirmations meditation is one of the practical ways to get you started.

Affirmation Meditation is a mindfulness practice of self-empowerment in the form of intentional thoughts, phrases, words, images, or mantras used to overcome negative thoughts and reprogram our mindset, tap into our inner strengths, manifest goals or create a more positive reality.

Below you will find a selection of meditation affirmations to help you shift any negative thoughts about yourself back to love and feel more at ease, content, and at peace.

• Self-love means accepting who I am.

• Beneath my exterior is a soul that deserves to be honored. It forms the essence of my being and is meant to be treated with respect. Self-love means accepting who I am on the inside. The perspective of the outside world is irrelevant.

• I genuinely love the person I am inside, and positive self-talk occurs naturally. Building self-love happens from the inside out.

• Becoming worthy of love starts with having a character of integrity. I ensure that my interactions with others are handled openly and honestly. I am trustworthy and proud to be a person who speaks from the heart.

• My honesty inspires others to put their trust in me. Knowing that I am a safe place for others gives me a good feeling about myself.

• I approach others with kindness, regardless of the relationship we share. Leading with empathy makes room for a peaceful resolution and effective collaboration. I promote positivity.

• Although I have flaws, my positive traits surpass anything that I sometimes feel insecure about. I celebrate my strengths and embrace my imperfections. There is so much about me that is lovable.

• Today, I am exactly the person I am supposed to be, and I love every ounce of my being. There is power in genuinely accepting myself just the way I am. I go through each day with confidence conquering significant challenges and feeling proud of my victories.

How you integrate these affirmations into your life is up to you. However, I recommend that you start with one that feels authentic and focus on the first phrase, memorize the entire thought, modify one to make it your own, and pay attention to its effect on your mind and outlook!

For long-lasting results, settle in for a daily five-minute practice either in the morning or before you go to bed as part of your daily routine. You also can write your affirmation on the margins of notebooks, daily journal entries, or sticky notes. You can even say your favorite affirmation when you’re in a difficult spot or deeply upset or if you want to break out of a self-destructive pattern.

Remember: Self-love is s key to living a happy and healthy life that takes time, practice, and devotion to master. Be gentle with yourself around this process, as you are incredibly worthy of love and support from others and, more importantly, from yourself!

Netsanet Tegegn, LCSW, is a Psychotherapist in Virginia Beach who provides individualized counseling services for those who wish to create long-lasting and positive changes in their lives...