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Social Anxiety is hard to deal with anytime of year, but the holidays can add extra stress to the disorder.

Holiday parties increase the pressure to socialize….what will people think?

Overcrowded rooms, theaters, and malls can trigger panic…. what if something bad happens?

The list goes on and on. And, to those who suffer, social anxiety can build to more than just being shy or nervous. Social Anxiety Disorder affects more than 15 million adults in the US alone. Luckily, there are some ways you can get out this holiday season without letting your anxiety set in.

Find Support

Consider bringing a friend or loved one along for support. Large gatherings are a staple of the season. Ask a trusted person to join you who understands your difficulty in socializing. Their emotional support can help ease your anxiety by providing a buffer if things get difficult.

Pinpoint Your Anxiety

Think about what’s actually making you anxious. Is it a certain person? A place? A scenario? If you can pinpoint the source of your anxiety, you can create small, attainable goals. Don’t take on too much at once. Instead of committing to the entire party, make it a goal to stay for an hour.

Build Your Confidence

Often times, people with social anxiety worry a lot about what other people think. Are they judging me? …..What if I embarrass myself in front of everyone? Try erasing negative thoughts by building your self-confidence. Do something for YOU as an act of self-care. Remember to love yourself, first.

As with any disorder, there are so many levels of severity. Sometimes, social anxiety can lead to withdraw and other life-changing symptoms.

If you or a loved one struggles from social or any form of anxiety, Dr. Madaram is here to help you create a path to wellness. Don’t let another holiday season go by! Call Today

Is stress just a normal part of life? After all, doesn’t everyone experience it to some degree?

Stress in modern-day society seems to be just as common as the cup of morning coffee. Whether you chalk it up to a looming deadline at work or upcoming big event, stress can have an impact on your overall health in many ways.

What is Stress?

Stress is how the brain and body respond to demands. In life, there are demands we face daily. Work, physical activity, school, life events…even trauma. Stress grows and continues to build overtime.

You might notice that you are more on-edge….or sleeping less? How about your mood swings and rising anxiety levels?

It is important to pay attention to how you deal with minor (and major) stress events so that you know when to seek help. Many mental health disorders can lead to other chronic diseases. If you answer “Yes” to any of the questions below, it might be time to get help with managing your stress.

1. You develop new physical symptoms.

Different people may feel stress in different ways. For example, some people experience headaches while others can’t sleep. Digestive problems are also common for people with stress-related disorders. When you start to notice chronic, physical symptoms develop as a result of your stress…it’s time to get professional help.

2. You become obsessive and/or compulsive.

Stress can make some feel like they’ve lost control. In an effort to regain control of one’s thoughts, anxiety, and overall health, you might develop start to develop obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are involuntary thoughts, or impulses that occur repetitively in your mind. Compulsions are behaviors or routines that make you feel driven to act out again and again. This type of behavior is commonly known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. It can interfere with your daily quality of life.

3. You are scarred by a traumatic event.

PTSD and trauma can leave you with psychological injury that can be shattering… and prevent you from functioning… or living a rewarding life, even if there’s no injury that you can see. Traumatic experiences so terrible, so painful, so utterly shocking and terrifying…that thoughts of it and the memories come back and make you feel like it’s happening again. Over and over. And when that happens, it can drive you to do things you wouldn’t normally do. It can severely interfere with your life.

4. Your energy levels drop.

When you are stressed, many systems in your body are affected including your nervous system. Your body might shift its energy resources to fight off perceived threats developed by anxiety. You might experience an change in hormones or a spike in blood pressure. All of these factors can leave you feeling tired, exhausted, and overwhelmed.

5. You develop unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Abusing prescription medication, drinking in access, spending too much, or sleeping too much (or too little) are just a few red flags. Stress-related disorders can have a BIG impact on your overall health and wellness. This is why it’s imperative that you seek treatment at the earliest sign of a problem.

Dr. Madaram’s perspective is that everyone has the strength to overcome challenges. Sometimes he needs to help you find it. In fact, sometimes he believes his role is showing you the way to find it yourself.

Let’s Talk Today!

Have you ever experienced something traumatic? An event so incredibly frightening or distressing that its shaken you to your core?

Maybe you’ve served in military combat or survived cancer…or a car crash…

Whatever the cause, trauma is real.

Psychological (or emotional trauma) can change the way you think, the way you feel, and the way you react. Trauma can rewire your brain and present challenges in your daily life. It can leave you feeling broken and depressed. People are not impacted by trauma in the same way. However, there are a few things we know about changes in the brain from trauma.

The Wounds You Can’t See

In some cases, the physical scars of trauma are lifelong, visible reminders. On the other hand, emotional trauma is about what’s happening inside your brain. These scars aren’t always visible, but they are very real.

Trauma: Your Thoughts

Trauma can rewire the way a person thinks. One area associated with thinking is the prefrontal cortex (PFC). It contributes to our rational thought process, problem-solving abilities, and sense of empathy and compassion. It helps us think clearly, make decisions, and create awareness of ourselves and others.

Trauma: Your Emotions

The Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) is partly responsible for regulating our emotions. A non-traumatized brain is able to manage challenging thoughts without being overwhelmed or consumed by them. Trauma affects our emotional regulation abilities.

Trauma: Your Fears

Lastly, the amygdala is another very important part of the brain that’s often affected by trauma. It helps us detect threats and manage reactions. The amygdala in a traumatized brain is active often causing fear, stress, and panic in unwarranted situations.

Hope and Healing

Approximately 50 percent of the population will experience a traumatic event at some point in their lives. Remember, everyone experiences trauma differently. Trauma is not a competition. It is a very personal experience. For that reason, trauma can look completely different from one individual to another.

Everyone has different triggers and levels of stress caused by trauma. Some people will develop PTSD and some won’t. It’s important to remember, in a world full of comparison, that we should not compare our traumas. Feeling guilty because “it was nearly as bad as…” is not part of the healing process.

Your trauma is uniquely yours. It hurts YOU because it is real. Allow yourself to feel…to grieve.

What matters most is healing. Dr. Madaram’s perspective is that everyone has the strength to overcome challenges. Sometimes he needs to help you find it. In fact, sometimes he believes his role is showing you the way to find it yourself.

But, you don’t have to do it alone. Let’s Talk

Has anyone ever told you to “look at the big picture” in life?

Goodness, completion, and restoration are all part of the big picture. It’s the optimal state. Looking at the big picture is exactly what we do at Freedom Psychiatry.

Holistic Psychiatry is about looking at each person wholly. It’s about helping patients thrive by integrating their mind, body, and emotions. It’s about looking at the big picture instead of just one’s psychiatric symptoms.

How Does It Work?

When we address the whole person, we try to identify the obstacle(s) preventing them from thriving. It’s about finding the root cause of your psychiatric symptoms that might be effecting you physically and emotionally as well. We provide a warm and inviting environment for our patients. We care about finding solutions to get to the root of the problem.

It’s not just about covering it up as a short term solution. Holistic Psychiatry is much more! It’s about restoration in life. Restoring a patient’s thoughts, emotions, and body because they are all connected.

Mental vs. Emotional Health

Mental and emotional health are connected, but they are not interchangeable. Recognizing the difference between the two can help people better understand our holistic approach.

Scientifically speaking, mental health is often defined by a person’s behaviors related to the brain. Mental illnesses are actually caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. They can be hereditary or caused by other factors. Mental illnesses should be treated just as you’d treat any physical illness.

Our mental health is an essential part of our overall, holistic health.

On the other hand, emotions are an instinctive, natural state of mind. They’re a result of our circumstances, mood, and other factors that affect the way we feel. Many times negative emotions or feelings develop through trauma, difficult life situations, or unhealthy stress.

It’s hard to tell the differences between mental and emotional health issues which is why we’re here to help create mental and emotional freedom for your entire family.

Holistic Healing

If you or a loved one is suffering from unhealthy stress, trauma, anxiety, depression or any other mental or emotional health illness, we’re here for you. A more fulfilling and rewarding life awaits!

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