Anxiety

If you are suffering from any of the following symptoms, we can help

 Anxiety becomes a disorder when the symptoms become chronic and interfere with our daily lives and ability to function. People suffering from chronic, generalized anxiety often report the following symptoms:

• Constant worry

• Poor memory

• Poor concentration

• Fear or confusion

• Inability to relax

• Shortness of breath

• Palpitations

• Upset stomach

• Physical weakness

• Muscle tension

• Sweaty hands

Depression (major depressive disorder or clinical depression) is a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. To be diagnosed with depression, the symptoms must be present for at least two weeks.

Signs and Symptoms

If you have been experiencing some of the following signs and symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, you may be suffering from depression:

• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood

• Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism

• Irritability

• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness

• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities

• Decreased energy or fatigue

• Moving or talking more slowly

• Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still

• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions

• Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping

• Appetite and/or weight changes

• Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

• Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and/or that do not ease even with treatment

Not everyone who is depressed experiences every symptom. Some people experience only a few symptoms while others may experience many. Several persistent symptoms in addition to low mood are required for a diagnosis of major depression, but people with only a few – but distressing – symptoms may benefit from treatment of their “sub-syndrome” depression. The severity and frequency of symptoms and how long they last will vary depending on the individual and his or her particular illness. Symptoms may also vary depending on the stage of the illness.

If you have been experiencing some of the following symptoms, we can help

Obsessive compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterised by having either obsessions or compulsions (though most individuals with the disorder have both) that are time-consuming:

Obsessions as defined by presenting both (1) and (2):

1. Recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and unwanted, and that in most individuals causes marked anxiety or distress (they are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems)

2. The individual attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, urges, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action (i.e., by performing a compulsion).

Compulsions as defined by exhibiting both (1) and (2):

1. Repetitive behaviours (e.g., hand washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly.

2. The behaviours or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing anxiety or distress, or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviours or mental acts are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent, or are clearly excessive.

Note: Young children may not be able to articulate what their aims are in performing these behaviours or mental acts.

— AND —

1. The obsessions or compulsions cause significant distress or interfere with the person’s normal routine, occupational (or academic) functioning, or usual social activities or relationships.

2. Importantly, obsessive-compulsive actions are time-consuming (take more than 1 hour a day). This criterion helps to distinguish the disorder from the occasional intrusive thoughts or repetitive behaviours that are common in the general population (e.g., double-checking that a door is locked). The frequency and severity of obsessions and compulsions vary across individuals with OCD (e.g., some have mild to moderate symptoms, spending 1–3 hours per day obsessing or doing compulsions, whereas others have nearly constant intrusive thoughts or compulsions that can be incapacitating).