Have you struggled with anxiety and/or depression or know someone who has? Considering the recent statistics, the answer is most likely YES.

In the last few years, the incidence of anxiety and depression has increased. It is reported that almost 20% of the US population has anxiety disorders, some of which include: generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post traumatic stress disorder and more. I can raise my hand for more than one of these……

Let’s be clear. Some of these behaviors can be helpful in certain situations. For example, in my former career as a dentist, OCD wasn’t a bad quality. It’s when it becomes overwhelming and uncontrolled that we feel real discomfort.

It is not uncommon to experience anxiety and depression together. We’re not referring here to major depressive disorders and/or bipolar disorders. If you have questions or struggle regarding these, please contact a health care professional: physician, therapist, etc.

STRESS vs. ANXIETY:

Let’s differentiate stress from anxiety. I’ve noticed that many of us talk of, and linger on the fact that we’re ‘stressed,’ but stress is not always a bad thing. Everyone experiences stress and anxiety at one time or another. Stress is a response to a threat in a situation. In the primitive past of humans, it helped us in recognizing danger, to be aware and beware. Anxiety is a reaction to the stress and often our genes and environmental influences (past and present) seem to play a role.

There seem to be genetic predispositions in some families, for different types of illness, mental and physical. When the external influences and challenges in your life are such that they overwhelm and over-challenge your ability to respond to them in a healthy manner, then illness or dis-ease set in.

In my life….it’s true that I may be predisposed to anxiety due to the fact that my ancestors often had to flee countries due to persecution. With the fascinating and fairly new field of epigenetics, we’re learning that genes do play a role in your health and so do your behaviors and environment (past and present). Did you experience Little T or Big T trauma? Are you eating well and physically active? Are you growing and expanding your mind, while strengthening your body?

EPIGENETICS:

Epigenetics is the study of how your environment and behaviors can cause changes that affect the way your genes work. Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and do not change your DNA sequence, but they can change how your body reads a DNA sequence. Epigenetic changes can therefore affect gene expression to turn genes ‘on’ and ‘off.’

Epigenetics may be one way of explaining the drastic increase in anxiety/depression numbers in the last few years. Perhaps, our increased stress is partially due to the increase in constant communication, ie: cell phones, emails, texts, social media, the 24-hour news cycle and the divisiveness caused by our ability to choose what news we listen to, often according to our political leanings. Due to this constant and consistent communication bombardment, we spend less time moving our bodies, being in nature, socializing and just ‘being,’ (as opposed to ‘doing’). We have become more socially isolated (and Covid doesn’t help) and prone to comparison and envy (due to social media posts, images and more; often exaggerated). In addition, many have daily life challenges: ie: earning enough income for food, a roof over our heads and good education for our children.

Another consideration is trauma, a subject we are learning more and more about. So many of us have, unknowingly, experienced Big T or Little T trauma. Big T trauma can be: casualties of war, PTSD, abuse, rape, an accident, head trauma, etc. Little T trauma includes things like: divorce, developmental traumas, neglect and even, unintentional slights, like being ignored or ‘invisible’, in your formative years (0-7yrs). Over time, these little traumas add up and can even be more harmful than a Big T trauma incident.

There is NO blame here. It’s, most often, no one’s fault (unless done intentionally). Let’s be honest. Most parents do not say, “Okay; I’m going to screw up my kids.” It may be that they have experienced trauma and unwittingly, have passed it on.

This is often what happens with anxiety. There may be trauma that’s passed on from generation to generation (intergenerational trauma), which is part of what I experienced. Anxiety often becomes the ‘automatic’ or ‘default’ response or rather, reaction to stress. You develop dysregulation of your nervous system. You may feel like you’re on constant alert, trapped in the ‘fight or flight’ mode (activation of your sympathetic nervous system). This tires your body, including your adrenal glands and can allow you to develop physical symptoms, sometimes leading to different types of illness and dis-ease.

When I was a kid, none of this science was available or known. In the present day, we know to ‘observe’ what’s occurring in our own minds and bodies and in this way, get ‘clues’ or ‘hints’ about what’s going on inside (our mind and brain). When there’s lots of anxiety, you tend to react, instead of respond. You get a release of stress hormones and a lack of calm and self-control. It may be that you’ve experienced trauma, of some sort. Or maybe anxiety is your ‘default’ habit and you need to change your underlying beliefs and thought patterns. Anxiety does leave clues….to your past, your present and your future. You can learn from it.

This is good to know, so that you can take action accordingly, whether this be Mindset Life Coaching, Hypnosis, therapy and/or other tools and techniques for healing and good health. You don’t have to live with the real discomfort of anxiety and depression. It is not your lot in life and does not have to be your destiny to feel stuck, sad and suffering. Medication may be needed at times. Whether they’re a part of your journey or not, you cannot ignore the inner work that must be done: to become aware of your thinking, anxiety and/or depression, accept yourself fully, flaws and all and then, take action, to work through the challenges and tough experiences and/or trauma. You can be healthy, joyful and have inner peace. It helps to get help to work through it. This work takes inner strength and courage and I know you’ve got it. We are all on this road called ‘life.’ You do not have to travel alone. You are not the only one and you are not alone. Know and remember this!

Those of us who have traveled this rocky road often develop increased awareness and inner strength, empathy and gratitude. Don’t forget joie de vivre (joy and zest for life)!

Some of us even get to create a new career and a new lifestyle we really, really love, from having done the work. That’s me and I’ve never been happier.

With Smiles and Love,

Dr Gigi

PS: Please contact me @ gigiarnaud.com if you want or need help or a guide/partner on your journey. I’m with you…and Bon Voyage!