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How has the pandemic effected our collective emotional health, personal identity, and sense of meaning?

In this video, Dr. Amanda Ragland shares about navigating the unknowns and challenges that come with COVID-19 and the need to find grounding and meaning in changing times.

A Major Depressive Episode is identified by 5 or more of these symptoms:

1. Depressed mood or irritable most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful).
2. Decreased interest or pleasure in most activities, most of each day
3. Significant weight change (5%) or change in appetite (over the time the depression symptoms have been present).
4. Change in sleep: Insomnia or hypersomnia (difficulty sleeping either staying asleep or over sleeping).
5. Change in activity: Psychomotor agitation or retardation  (like nervous twitch, like twisting hair, shaking foot, or your body feels like lead and can’t move).
6.  Fatigue or loss of energy.
7. Guilt/worthlessness: Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt.
8. Concentration: diminished ability to think or concentrate, or more indecisiveness.
9. Suicidal: Thoughts of death or suicide, or has suicide plan.

(the above criteria from the DSM-V)

My symptoms came on quickly. I thought depression was gradual. Am I depressed?

Depression can come on gradually over time, and it can come on rapidly over the course of one day depending on the situation. Sometimes the tendency towards depression is inherited being more biological than caused by an experience. Depression can also be triggered by certain medical conditions. Regardless of the origin, what you should do is all the same.  Don’t wonder; reach out.

Depression occurs when a person encounters something in life that is larger than his/her ability to cope. This can be a single event or a series of events over time. The overall effect is so large that the body begins to shut down one system at a time. A Major Depressive Episode can require medical intervention because at a certain level of depression, it becomes physical.

I am sad sometimes, am I depressed?

Being depressed is more than just being down or sad. People who are depressed describe it like this: “I feel like I have fallen in a hole and cannot will myself to get out”; “I feel like I am caught is tar that is pulling me downward”; “darkness… just darkness”. It is common for people who are depressed to say that they cannot feel God’s presence at all.

Grace and peace to you. In this time of social distancing as many of us are working from home, I am aware that at the same time that we are “social creatures” we are also “private creatures”. While we are living in this time together with family 24-7, remember that our routines of work allowed us a good bit of private-time that we may have taken for granted.

I would encourage you to make sure you have private spaces for each person in your home and make it o.k. to spend time there. It doesn’t mean you don’t love your family if you want time alone. The way we structure our time is a foundation of our existence that keeps us steady. We are also “creatures of habit”. Making new routines that include individual time can help keep you healthy.

And last, while things are happening that make us question our most basic activities and securities, remember that our LORD is a WAY-MAKER. He is an able REDEEMER. He is with us, and He knows what we need. Blessings to you and yours.

The Vine has telephone and video conference sessions available. There was a time when I would not have chosen this venue for therapy, but it is working amazingly well. You can call our office to find out more. 256-270-7399

Rev. Dr. Amanda W. Ragland, LMFT

This website from Mayo Clinic describes it in detail and describes treatments:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/phobias/basics/tests-diagnosis/con-20023478

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Panic Attack” tab_id=”1598213608724-6dd48bea-38ef”][vc_single_image image=”1627″ img_size=”200X200″ alignment=”center”][vc_column_text scheme=”vine”]A panic attack is scary.  You feel out of control, and with the possible chest pains, sometimes people think that they are having a heart attack.   Don’t suffer a panic attack alone.  Reach out to someone and get help.  Human beings are not intended to be able to handle every situation on their own.  We need another person sometimes.  This is one of those times.  Consider the diagnostic criteria below.  When you reach out to someone, share this website with them.  It can explain a lot that you don’t have to explain and helps the person be able to relate to you. 

A panic attack involves four or more of the following:

1. Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
2. Sweating
3. Trembling or shaking
4. Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
5. Feelings of choking
6. Chest pain or discomfort
7. Nausea or abdominal distress
8. Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint
9. Chills or heat sensations
10. Paresthesias (numbness of tingling sensations).
11. Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself).
12. Fear of loosing control or “going crazy”.
13. Fear of dying.

(these criteria are from the DSM-V)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Agoraphobia” tab_id=”1598217971443-86a9eeb8-615d”][vc_column_text]Agoraphobia is the avoidance of public places where a person might have little avenues of escape. A person with agoraphobia can become afraid to leave his/her house.

Again, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America has good information.

https://www.adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/panic-disorder-agoraphobia

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Hoarding” tab_id=”1598218094621-bb84a7f5-3941″][vc_column_text]Hoarding is another disorder on the anxiety spectrum. It is the inability to throw things away regardless of their value. It can become extreme seriously impacting the person’s quality of life.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America is a good resource.

https://www.adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/hoarding-basics

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”OCD” tab_id=”1598218963563-9e5bf494-1e74″][vc_column_text]Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is commonly known by its acronym, OCD. OCD is a disorder on the anxiety spectrum. OCD involves unwanted and unreasonable fears that result in repetitive behaviors to control the fear. Examples are repetitive hand-washing, counting steps, checking locks, having to do a certain behavior a certain number of times to create a good outcome and the fear of a bad outcome if the compulsion is not followed. This disorder is treatable with the right help. The Mayo Clinic has some good information:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ocd/basics/definition/con-20027827

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Before you know it, the fear has grown to a very large proportion. As it gains momentum, the fear begins to direct us, it takes over and we are swayed along.

How do you intervene in the increasing fear cycle?

1) First be aware of the inner dialogue that is happening. Notice the thoughts and the effect of those thoughts.

2) Then, grab one thought and make a conscious decision to do thought replacement with a thought that is more positive. This is actually a basic principal in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Or another way to say it, if you will take that thought and run it by Christ. Let Christ examine the thought and substitute a thought of which he would approve. “….we take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5.

In this way, we exercise our faith. As we do this again and again, we change our inner space and can stop the fear cycle.

Rev. Dr. Amanda Ragland, LMFT[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]