Month: October 2016

Do You Have Chronic Insomnia?

shutterstock_231519856Do you have trouble falling asleep or difficulty sleeping through the night? If so, you may suffer from insomnia. According to SleepEducation.org, upwards of 35% of adults have brief symptoms of insomnia, with 10% of the population suffering from chronic insomnia disorder.

Chronic insomnia can be caused by other conditions, such as anxiety, depression, chronic stress, chronic pain, sleep apnea, or restless leg syndrome. Sleep is crucial to your health, and sleep deprivation can hinder your overall quality of life. While chronic insomnia is often an underlying cause of another medical condition, those experiencing sleep deprivation may exhibit the following symptoms:

  • Difficulty falling/staying asleep
  • Waking up frequently during the night and having difficulty falling back asleep
  • Waking up too early in the morning
  • Daytime sleepiness or fatigue
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Mood disturbance
  • Tension headaches
  • Low energy and motivation
  • Increased errors or accidents

Sleep deprivation can negatively impact your daily life. If you’re not getting a good night’s sleep, you may feel sluggish, unmotivated, and unable to concentrate at work. Additionally, as insomnia can impede your focus and cause sleepiness, sufferers are at risk for causing an accident. Research shows 20% of non-alcohol related car crash injuries are caused by tired drivers.

If you suffer from chronic insomnia, it’s important to seek treatment. Stuart MacFarlane, a Jungian analyst, has found psychotherapy to be an effective treatment for insomnia. With psychotherapy, you can determine the underlying reason for your insomnia and address it head on. In fact, the American College of Physicians recommends psychotherapy before taking sleeping pills. Talk to your doctor about how psychotherapy can help improve your sleep.

What Is Social Anxiety Disorder?

sad young woman with worried stressed face expression and brain melting into linesDo you feel overwhelmed, nervous, and overly self-conscious around others? Do you avoid places where other people are and have difficulty making friends? If so, you may be suffering from social anxiety disorder.

Also known as social phobia, social anxiety disorder is a mental condition characterized by an excessive and unreasonable fear of social situations.  People with social anxiety have a fear of embarrassing themselves and being judged, ridiculed, and criticized by others. For some people, their intense anxiety in social situations can result in a panic attack— a sudden surge of overwhelming fear and anxiety that can make you feel like you’re dying or going crazy.

Social anxiety can cause you to feel great distress, such that you may choose to avoid social situations altogether. While people with social anxiety often realize their anxiety is unreasonable, it is still extremely difficult, and may feel seemingly impossible, to overcome. Without treatment, social anxiety can interfere with your relationships and daily routine, such as school or work, and impede your overall quality of life.

Those with the condition may feel anxious when interacting with others, eating and drinking in front of others, speaking in front of people, asking questions, talking on the phone, or being the center of attention. It is sometimes connected to other mental problems such as panic disorder, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder.

In addition to feeling anxious in social situations, social anxiety disorder can cause physical symptoms, such as a pounding heart, sweating, blushing, shaking, upset stomach, muscle tension, and confusion. Children with social anxiety might also exhibit crying, tantrums, and clinging to a parent.

Fortunately, there are a variety of treatment options that can help you manage or even overcome your social anxiety, such as medication and/or therapy. Stuart MacFarlane, a Jungian analyst, is a big proponent of psychotherapy, as it helps patients discover the root of their anxiety and develop coping mechanisms to control their symptoms.   Talk to your doctor about your symptoms and the best way to treat your anxiety.