What to Do About Seasonal Depression
Georgia winters can be beautiful — unless you have seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If the long, cold, gloomy days give you the blues, you’re not alone, but you’re in luck. SAD is treatable, and we can help.
Phobias: A Serious and Treatable Matter
Snakes, needles, and heights are just a few of the common fears many people have. Just the thought of your fear may be enough to make you cringe or make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. But if your fear is greater than this, and it’s started to affect your quality of life, you may be dealing with a phobia.
You don’t have to let your phobia control your life and well-being. Nexclin Medicine, located in Roswell, Georgia, helps patients overcome their phobias so they can live happy, healthy, and productive lives.
A look at phobias
A phobia is an intense and unreasonable fear of something — usually a place, object, or situation. Many people who have a phobia experience debilitating panic when they’re faced with it. Phobias have different degrees of intensity, and most people realize their phobia is unreasonable, but they’re not able to stop it voluntarily; it requires professional help.
19 million American adults live with a phobia. Phobias may stem from your childhood or a traumatic event or something completely unrelated. Some common phobias include:
- Agoraphobia: fear of open spaces or crowds
- Claustrophobia: fear of enclosed spaces
- Aviophobia: fear of flying
- Social phobia: fear of social situations
No one should have to live with the overwhelming fear and anxiety that phobias bring. Naima Cheema, MD can help alleviate your anxiety by developing a personalized treatment plan to overcome it.
Treatment
You may think you can manage your phobia by removing yourself from situations that make you face it. But this can cause you to lose out on many opportunities in life. The only way to truly overcome a phobia is by seeking professional help as soon as possible. Luckily, almost every kind of phobia can be successfully managed with a skilled professional.
Dr. Cheema brings a holistic approach to help address the surrounding anxiety of your phobia. This helps get to the root of the problem rather than relying solely on medications to cover the symptoms. She may suggest one or more of the following treatments for you:
Cognitive behavioral therapy
The most commonly used treatment for phobias, cognitive behavioral therapy involves facing your fear in a controlled setting. The goal is to change your existing thoughts about certain stimuli to help reduce anxiety. A related strategy is exposure and response prevention — you expose yourself to the fearful object/situation and train yourself not to respond negatively toward it.
Stress management
Stress-alleviating activities like yoga and meditation can help lower your anxiety so you feel better. Simple acts of self-care like these can make a lasting impression on your mood and well-being.
Managing nutritional deficiencies
Did you know consuming certain foods can trigger anxiety? Dr. Cheema evaluates your diet and educates you about which foods contribute to chemical changes in your body, ultimately making you feel more anxious. By eliminating these foods, your anxiety decreases. In the same way, if you’re deficient in important nutrients, you can improve your well-being by introducing them into your diet.
The bottom line
Living with a phobia constricts your health and wellness. You’ve probably missed out on many social get-togethers or events because of it. Regain control of your life by contacting Dr. Cheema today. Call 770-648-2959 to schedule your appointment or book online.
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