Though we continue to adapt to new situations and daily changes in routine during COVID-19,  anxiety and depression have increased for so many.  Since everyone is in the same boat, how do you know if you are suffering with normal symptoms or a treatable condition?  Should you ask for medication, and if so, when?

Dr. Karen Cassiday addresses concerns about medication and seeking professional help in an article from Fatherly.com:

“In this moment, severity trumps duration.  Having panic attacks several days in a row may warrant medication, and self-harm or suicidal thoughts require immediate treatment.  But don’t wait until your mental health declines to that point, Cassiday says.  Though sleep issues, elevated anxiety, and tiredness are normal, extreme versions of these symptoms are not.  “If you’re finding that your mood is out of control, and you’re crying unexpectedly, or when you do cry you can’t stop, or you feel flat and don’t have any feelings… you really should be getting help,” Cassiday says.”

 

This post is for educational purposes only and not intended to diagnose mental health issues or serve as a treatment plan.  It is for the general public and not directed at any one person.