Mental Health support At encompass

Anxiety involves feelings of worry, fear, and anxiousness. For some people it feels like random, intense spikes of panic. For others, it can feel like an all-consuming, underlying sense of dread that never goes away. Other symptoms include excess fatigue, poor concentration, difficulty sleeping, irritability, and overthinking that impacts a persons quality of life.

Depression can make it difficult to enjoy life and engage in activities you once loved.  It can cause feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities, changes in energy levels, appetite, sleep patterns, concentration, and self-worth. 

What is considered to be a traumatic experience can be very different for each individual. For some, post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, can develop after a life altering, unexpected,  or frightening event.  PTSD can result in bad dreams or flashbacks related to the event, avoidance of places or things that remind you of the event, mood changes, and feeling tense or on edge. 

 Anger is a natural emotion that can be harmful or helpful depending on how it is managed  and expressed. Anger can range from a slight irritation to full rage.  If you don’t express your anger, it can affect your thinking and behavior patterns and create (or make worse) a number of physical problems.  Learning to express anger in a healthy manner includes shifting  your perspective, restructuring your response, improving your communication, and incorporating techniques to control impulsivity and remain calm in the moment.

Relationships are an important part of our lives, but they can also be challenging. A healthy, nurturing relationship can promote overall well-being and boost health. But a stressful or toxic connection can create negative environment and harmful behaviors. Learning to incorporate a variety of qualities into important relationships including open communication, the ability to resolve conflict, healthy boundaries, acceptance, and adaptability can help you create meaningful bonds that improve your quality of life and feelings of fulfillment.

There is a strong link between excess stress and substance abuse. Alcohol and drugs are often used to self-medicate and  to calm the feelings of stress temporarily. Stress can also cause impulsive responses in which substances are used without evaluating the risk and possible consequences. Then substance abuse can cause even more stress depending on the life challenges it causes a person. Learning to balance acute stress, minimize or eliminate chronic stress, and develop skills to manage distress can help a person lead a more fulfilling and peace oriented life.

Experiencing a significant loss and the following state and process of grieving is a very difficult journey.  Many forms of loss can cause grief including separation/divorce, illness or injury, financial loss which causes lifestyle changes or hardship, moving from a familiar place where you have a strong social network, or the death of a loved one. Accepting the reality of the loss,  processing the pain, readjusting to a life with the absence of what was once present, and learning to enjoy life again are just some of the steps needed to work through grief 

and regain a fulfilling life.

Human beings are designed to have strong social interactions and connections with other humans. The human bonding experience is vital for healthy emotional well-being, a sense of community, and an atmosphere of support that helps us thrive and grow. Sadly, there is an epidemic of loneliness in our world, with 30% of adults reporting loneliness in a recent poll by the American Psychiatric Association.  The effects loneliness has on physical and mental health are profound per the Surgeon General's Office.  Multiple studies have linked loneliness to increased risk of heart disease and dementia, sleep disturbances, a weakened immune system, depression, strokes, and premature death.