Depression & Anxiety Therapy in Little Rock, AR

mental health services little rock depression anxiety

Everyone experiences feelings of sadness from time to time, especially following major life transitions, like relationship changes or a job loss. But when these feelings are severe, accompanied by additional symptoms such as weight changes or sleep difficulties, and impact your ability to function day-to-day—it’s possible you could be dealing with anxiety and/or depression.


At BHSA, we use several forms of psychotherapy that are effective for treating these diagnoses. We frequently use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), addressing past trauma, and working to replace negative and unproductive thought patterns with more realistic and useful ones.


There is hope and BHSA is here to help you find it. Remember, if anxiety interferes with your daily life—whatever that might look like to you—that's reason enough to see a mental health professional.

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It’s normal to need a little help. Getting help is a sign of strength and resilience, and when we take care of our mental health, we can remain strong and resilient even through the toughest challenges.

Depression | What You Need to Know

  • Depression Symptoms

    Symptoms must interfere with daily life and occur nearly every day in order to meet the diagnostic criteria. These symptoms include:


    • Depressed mood
    • Anhedonia, or losing pleasure or interest in activities you previously loved
    • Significant fluctuations in weight and/or appetite
    • Sleep disruptions, such as insomnia or hypersomnia, which is intense sleepiness during the day, or sleeping too much at night
    • Fatigue or loss of energy
    • Psychomotor agitation or retardation, significant enough to be observed by others
    • Feelings of worthlessness
    • Cognitive difficulties, such as trouble focusing or making decisions
    • Persistent thoughts of death and/or suidice, with or without a plan to follow through

  • Types of Depression

    • Persistent depressive disorder: With this type, depressive symptoms are less intense, though they persist for at least two years.
    • Perinatal depression: This condition occurs in pregnancy (prenatal) or after (postpartum).
    • Seasonal affective disorder: For many individuals, this depression type intensifies in fall and winter, though a portion of the population experiences seasonal depression during summer.
    • Depression with symptoms of psychosis: Individuals with this severe type experience both depressive and psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, which are false beliefs that cannot be swayed by refuting evidence or logic.

  • Causes of Depression

    • Genetics: How genetics impacts depression is unclear. Individuals with a parent or sibling who have the condition may have a two to three times greater risk of experiencing depression than those without a genetic link. But there are also many people with a family history of depression who never experience symptoms—and many others who develop the condition without genetic cause.
    • Trauma/Environment: Experiencing stressors such as violence, neglect, abuse, poverty, substance abuse, the death of a loved one, financial stress or a physical illness such as cancer may increase the likelihood of developing depression.

  • Counseling for Depression

    Psychotherapy


    Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Interpersonal Therapy are evidence-based psychotherapies that have been found to be effective in the treatment of depression.


    Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)


    CBT is a structured, and didactic form of therapy that focuses on helping individuals identify and modify maladaptive thinking and behavior patterns (16 to 20 sessions). It is based on the premise that patients who are depressed exhibit the “cognitive triad” of depression, which includes a negative view of themselves, the world, and the future. Patients with depression also exhibit cognitive distortions that help to maintain their negative beliefs. CBT for depression typically includes behavioral strategies (i.e., activity scheduling), as well as cognitive restructuring to change negative automatic thoughts and addressing maladaptive schemas.


    There is evidence supporting the use of CBT with individuals of all ages. It is also considered being efficacious for the prevention of relapse. It is particularly valuable for elderly patients, who may be more prone to problems or side effects with medications.  


    Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)


    Interpersonal therapy (IPT) is a time-limited (typically 16 sessions) treatment for major depressive disorder. IPT draws from attachment theory and emphasize the role of interpersonal relationships, focusing on current interpersonal difficulties. Specific areas of emphasis include grief, interpersonal disputes, role transitions, and interpersonal deficits.


    Medication


    Medication such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are common pharmacological treatments for depression. The effectiveness of medication can vary among individuals, and it may take time to find the most suitable medication and dosage.


    Lifestyle Changes


    In addition to therapy and medications, your provider may suggest a number of lifestyle changes to further ease your symptoms, by doing things like limiting sugar intake and eating more colorful foods, excersising moderately and regularly, spending time outside in sunlight and fresh air, planting a garden, etc. 


Anxiety | What You Need to Know

  • Anxiety Symptoms

    People with generalized anxiety disorder may experience the following symptoms, according to the American Psychiatric Association:


    • Restlessness
    • Feeling on edge
    • Fatigue
    • Difficulty concentrating
    • Muscle tension
    • Problems sleeping

    Clinically, the DSM-5 reports that symptoms of an Anxiety Disorder may look like: 


    • Excessive anxiety and worry for at least six months
    • Difficulty controlling the worrying.
    • The anxiety is associated with three or more of the below symptoms for at least 6 months:
    • Restlessness, feeling keyed up or on edge
    • Being easily fatigued
    • Difficulty in concentrating or mind going blank, irritability
    • Muscle tension
    • Sleep disturbance
    • Irritability
    • The anxiety results in significant distress or impairment in social and occupational areas
    • The anxiety is not attributable to any physical cause

    Meanwhile, the hallmark symptom of panic disorders is recurrent panic attacks in which you may experience a pounding heart, sweating, shaking, feelings of shortness of breath, chest pain and dizziness, among other symptoms. 


    If you have a severe phobia, you may typically experience an extreme avoidance of objects or specific situations.

  • What is an Anxiety Disorder?

    An anxiety disorder is different from occasional anxiety. 


    An anxiety disorder is an emotional state during which anxiety, fear, tension and worry become so severe that they get in the way of a person living their life, including the following conditions:


    • Generalized anxiety disorder
    • Panic disorder.
    • Social anxiety disorder
    • Phobias

  • Causes of Anxiety

    Doctors and researchers aren’t certain about what causes the conditions that make up an anxiety disorder, but studies have shown the following factors may be involved:


    • A family history of mental health problems
    • Being widowed, separated or divorced
    • Having a lower level of formal education and/or low income
    • Having a substance use disorder
    • Having a personality that reacts strongly to new things, people or experiences
    • Having an introverted, or shy, personality
    • Having a history of chronic health conditions

  • Counseling for Anxiety

    • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of counseling that effectively treats panic disorder and anxiety disorders. 
    • Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) is a method of treatment that involves remembering a painful or stressful event while a therapist directs the patient to focus their attention on a moving object, such as one of our therapist’s fingers or a pen or pencil. 
    • Physical activity is also an effective treatment for both panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
    • Medication may be recommended if one of our therapists think you would benefit from the additional help.

How is Anxiety Different from Depression?

Anxiety

Primary Emotion:

  • Anxiety is characterized by excessive worry, fear, or apprehension. It often involves a heightened state of alertness and anticipation of potential future threats.

Physical Symptoms:

  • Symptoms may include restlessness, muscle tension, increased heart rate, sweating, trembling, and difficulty concentrating.

Cognitive Patterns:

  • Individuals with anxiety may experience racing thoughts, overthinking, and a sense of impending danger or doom. They may also engage in catastrophic thinking, imagining the worst-case scenarios.

Triggers:

  • Anxiety can be triggered by various stressors, both real and perceived. Common triggers include major life changes, social situations, or specific phobias.

Behavioral Responses:

  • People with anxiety may engage in avoidance behaviors to escape perceived threats. Rituals or compulsions may develop as coping mechanisms.

Depression

Primary Emotion:

  • Depression is characterized by a pervasive and persistent low mood, feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a general disinterest in life.

Physical Symptoms:

  • Symptoms may include changes in appetite, weight loss or gain, fatigue, sleep disturbances (insomnia or hypersomnia), and a lack of energy.

Cognitive Patterns:

  • Individuals with depression often experience negative thought patterns, feelings of worthlessness, guilt, and difficulty concentrating. Suicidal thoughts may also be present in severe cases.

Triggers:

  • Depression can be triggered by various factors, including genetic predisposition, chemical imbalances in the brain, trauma, chronic stress, or a significant life event.

Behavioral Responses:

  • Individuals with depression may withdraw from social activities, experience a loss of interest or pleasure in once-enjoyable activities (anhedonia), and struggle with daily functioning.

Overlapping Features:

  • Both anxiety and depression can coexist in a condition known as comorbid anxiety and depression.
  • Sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, and irritability are symptoms common to both anxiety and depression.