Mental Health Crisis

Addressing the root causes of mental and behavioral health crises will require taking into account a wide array of health factors. 

Almost a third of U.S. adults are reporting symptoms of either depression or anxiety, roughly three times as many as in 2019, and about one in 25 adults has a severe mental illness like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. 

As of late 2022, just 31% of U.S. adults considered their mental health “excellent,” down from 43% two decades earlier.

In the United States, depression is a common mental health disorder. Adults with depression with moderate or severe cases have a higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, according to a 2023 study published in JAMA Network Open. 

The latest federal estimates show that about one in eight U.S. adults now takes an antidepressant, and one in five has recently received some mental health care, an increase of almost 15 million people in treatment since 2002. Even in the recent past, from 2019 to 2022, the use of mental health services jumped by nearly 40% among millions of U.S. adults with commercial insurance, according to a recent study in the JAMA Health Forum.

Research is showing that antidepressants are not the cure-all. Medication might help with symptoms, but it can’t overcome the basic facts of someone’s life, whether they’re grieving a loved one going through a divorce, being bullied at school, dealing with discrimination, or struggling with loneliness. 

Taking a Total Wellness approach to mental health is better as the body and mind are connected. Getting beneficial functional medicine labs done will show you where your imbalances are, adding in healthy lifestyle factors like mindfulness, meditation, eating healthy balanced meals, staying adequately hydrated, working on a resilience mindset and exercise, some movement, getting outdoors in nature, staying unplugged for awhile, working on the inside of one’s mind, body, and soul, can make a positive impact. Yes, it’s work, but aren’t you worth it?

Many people need to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle since they are not taught it in school, and doctors do not usually practice it for themselves. I created the Nine Steps to Healthy Living: Look & Feel Great Method, based on 21+ years of clinical research outlining how to incorporate one step at a time to implement it quickly. To solidify the nine steps, you can complete the corresponding action worksheets, making them easier to implement.

Do you think you have Anxiety and Depression at the same time?
Indeed, many people will experience co-existing depression and anxiety. According to a World Health Organization Mental Health Survey, 41 percent of people with a year-long depressive disorder also experienced one or more anxiety disorders over the same 12-month period.

Let’s explore the differences, signs, and symptoms between anxiety and depressive disorders.

Depressive Disorder Symptoms:
Guilt
Intense feelings of sadness
Tearfulness
Suicidal thoughts
Worthlessness or hopelessness

Anxiety symptoms:
Fearful, paranoid, and tense
Sense of worry, dread, or apprehension
Extreme stress
Shortness of breath
Tightness in your chest
Feeling trapped

Overlapping symptoms:
With anxiety and depression, you may experience different symptoms than someone else. Many symptoms are similar in both anxiety and depression.

Here’s a list that can overlap with anxiety or depression:
General sense of irritability or anger
Fatigue
Decrease in your energy levels
Changes to sleeping patterns
Lack of sleep or oversleeping
Unexplained aches and pains
Unable to relax, focus, or concentrate
Decrease in your mood

Anxiety is commonly one of the symptoms of depression.

Nine tips to improve your symptoms:
Be active; get outdoors and exercise, even for a brisk walk.
Eat balanced, healthy meals.
Stay connected socially with positive-minded people and meet in person; reduce social media usage.
Get to bed early to gain quality, uninterrupted sleep.
Meditate
Deep breathing exercises are great to add to your daily routine.
Write in a gratitude journal.
Register for the Nine Steps to Healthy Living Program
Get tested with the most beneficial functional medicine lab tests to gain insight into how your body functions and what needs nutraceutical support.

Yes, you can reach total wellness of mind and body. You are here for a reason, and to fulfill your dreams and goals, you’ve got to feel your best. 

Do not wait any longer; make yourself a priority today.

P.S. Can you commit to reading one page a day to help you reach Total Wellness of Mind and Body? If so, treat yourself to this book, Healthy Living Every Day: Total Wellness For Mind & Body.

Healthy Living Everyday is your wellness blueprint offering an array of alternative healing and preventive therapies, with more than 365 pages of reflective questions, empowering truth, and simple steps covering many alternative factors to wellness.Many of us have a hard time figuring everything out. Just conquering one’s mindset is integral in healthy living, and that’s why mindset is intertwined throughout the wellness blueprint. One may wonder what to eat, how to stay fit, and improve overall well-being. The wellness blueprint covers guidelines that can help fight off brain fog, dementia, depression, anxiety, weight gain, degenerative diseases, and much more. With natural healing insights, fascinating science, tried-and-true remedies to treat a variety of common ailments, this book is a straightforward guide to achieving optimal wellness, health, and weight. Don’t wait for a devastating diagnosis to force you into living healthy.Proper nutrition is the basis of living a healthy lifestyle. Your food choices can direct your total wellbeing from how you feel now and in the future. The goal is awareness, mindfulness with truth avoiding deception, false advertising, and quick fixes. It’s just healthy living facts to help you reflect, be empowered, and take action by owning your life. To overcome overwhelm, take it one day at a time, baby steps are better than no steps. Each day, you will have the power to work on your mind and body. Follow the step-by-step healthy living blueprints and answer the reflective questions to achieve more awareness and self-growth. The more you know what you want in life for your health, then you will be able to set attainable goals. Your mindset is everything. You must remember that your health is worth it because YOU are worth it. The book explores the many factors for optimizing health and well-being. Boost your energy, balance your gut, support your immune system, eat healthily, get restorative sleep, get fit, and be happy and healthy. The goal is for you to reach and stay in optimal wellness.

Tags: anxiety, depression, Functional medicine lab, mental health, mental health crisis, Nancy Guberti, neurotransmitter test, total wellness, Total Wellness Empowerment Institute, total wellness empowerment membership