Depression, Anxiety And Other Emotional Issues
Living a joyful, fulfilling life is the aspiration and hope of everyone. At certain points in life, one may face greater challenges in this process and struggle with staying mentally and emotionally healthy. This could be due to certain stressors at a particular point in time, or perhaps due to deeper issues related to one’s past experiences and/or relationships.
Among the more common mental health issues affecting one’s ability to live life more freely and joyfully are depression and anxiety. If you are experiencing depression, anxiety, or mental health issues that affect your well-being, you do not need to go through this alone.
At In Focus, we understand how debilitating the symptoms of depression and anxiety can be if they are not managed. It is our firm belief that, with the right professional counselling and therapy help, you will not only learn to manage the symptoms more effectively but also deepen your understanding of yourself and be on the path towards the life that you desire.
It is understandable that there may be reservations about opening up for help, but reaching out for professional counselling services can be one of the most valuable things you can do for yourself. If you are facing similar struggles, we want to help you.
At In Focus, we provide a safe space for you to share what you are experiencing with a counsellor or therapist who genuinely cares for your well-being. Your counsellor or therapist will journey with you through this challenging period of life and work with you towards living the life you want.
Contact us to find out how we can support you in this time.
Depression Issues
Feeling sad or down from time to time is a normal part of life. While it may be unpleasant to experience these emotions, they usually do not last long for most people. Yet, if feelings of sadness, low mood and negative thoughts persist for an extended period of time, it may spiral further and one may experience symptoms of depression and find that one’s quality of life, work, and relationships are affected.
Common Symptoms
Depression can manifest as symptoms such as:
Persistent feelings of helplessness
Crying uncontrollably or unexpectedly
Fatigue and difficulties sleeping
Anger or irritability
Changes in appetite
Difficulty experiencing pleasure or joy
Self-loathing
Reckless behaviour
Thoughts of self-harm
These symptoms vary from person to person. Some describe it as “living in a black hole” or being followed around by a “suffocating grey cloud.” Others feel lifeless, apathetic, or empty and find it difficult to engage socially or lose interest in their work or activities they used to enjoy. However, with help, it is possible to manage and even overcome these symptoms.
Depression Counselling
If the above describes what you may be experiencing, you do not have to go through it alone. You can get help through counselling and therapy. Speaking with a counsellor or a therapist at In Focus can help you better understand what is behind these feelings, and uncover related thoughts and behaviour. In addition, you will develop resources and skills to manage these feelings more effectively so as to live the life that you want.
Contact us or book an appointment to find out how we can support you in this time.
Anxiety Issues
Anxiety is the body’s natural response to stress or a threat of danger. It is a feeling of fear or apprehension about what is to come. It is common to feel anxious from time to time, especially in a fast-paced society like Singapore. There are also some situations that are new and challenging where it is normal to feel anxious or nervous, like a job interview, the first day at school or at a new workplace, taking a test, or making an important presentation. Feeling anxious can be uncomfortable, but it is not necessarily a bad thing. In some situations, it can help us stay focused and can motivate us to work towards our goals. Feelings of anxiety normally come and go and do not interfere much with our everyday life.
Anxiety can manifest as symptoms, including:
Irrational fears – Being constantly alert to potential danger, intensely fearful or anticipating the worst in various situations
Excessive guilt – A persistent belief that you may have done something wrong or will do something wrong
Sleep problems or insomnia – Waking at random hours and difficulties sleeping
Persistent worry – Intrusive worries and thoughts that continue over prolonged periods that interfere with your daily life.
Dread and apprehension: Having little or motivation in daily life
Poor concentration – A racing mind that affects your ability to concentrate on what is at hand
Physical discomfort and sensations: Heart palpitations, shortness of breath, headaches and dizziness, stomach pain, frequent urination/diarrhea, muscle tension/twitching, shaking, sweating, difficulties sleeping. In extreme situations, some of these symptoms are experienced altogether in an intense manner in what is sometimes called a “panic attack” with severe chest pains, elevated heartbeat, choking, and sweatiness and feels almost like a heart attack.
If these symptoms become regular or overwhelming, or if one experiences abrupt surges of intense fear without any specific triggers and debilitates and immobilises within minutes (commonly known as “panic attacks”), one’s daily life and functioning would be affected.
In a medical approach, psychiatrists may diagnose a person with “anxiety disorder” if a person experiences intense and prolonged anxiety that affects one’s daily living and leads to unexplained physical symptoms and avoidance of places or situations that give rise to the anxiety. Under the medical model, there are different types of “anxiety disorders,” such as “panic disorder,” “social anxiety disorder,” and “generalized anxiety disorder”:
Panic disorder – When unexpected, recurring panic attacks arise, and they are not situation specific
Social anxiety disorder– When the panic attacks are related to being in public or social settings
Generalized anxiety disorder – When recurrent anxious thoughts and excessive worries are lasting for an extended period
If the above describes what you may be experiencing, please know that you do not have to go through it alone. A diagnosis, if any, provides one with information about one’s struggles, but it is not the determinant of one’s future.
Reaching Out For Professional Help is Key
Whether it is depression, anxiety, or other mental health and emotional health struggles such as anger issues, grief and loss issues, family or relationship issues, one can find ways to feel better through lifestyle changes, such as changes to daily routines, incorporating meaningful and healthy activities to stay active and to recharge, and picking up new skills through various platforms. At the same time, reaching out for counselling and therapy support is an extremely helpful step to take. If you are facing similar struggles, we want to help you.
Respecting Your Individuality and Uniqueness
At In Focus, we recognise and respect that everyone is unique, so is each person’s story and situation. Our counselling and psychotherapy services are client-centred. Our counsellors and therapists believe in working collaboratively with you to help you understand your own story and better manage your situation and struggles, without losing sight of the bigger vision of what matters to you.
Besides providing that safe, compassionate and empathic environment, our counsellors and therapists draw on a number of professional counselling and therapy approaches, skills and experiences in the field to best serve you and your needs. Through our counselling and psychotherapy services, our counsellors will help you to:
- better understand your emotional struggles, including your feelings, thoughts and action, and their underlying reasons;
- discover ways that work for you to gain more effective control of your life; and
- develop meaningful plans towards your goals and put them into action in a way that brings you closer to what you want and through which you will grow and thrive.
Contact us or book an appointment to find out how we can support you in this time.
Call Us at
+65 8725 9303
Whether you are youth, working adults or corporations, we welcome your enquiries to find out how we can help you realize your dreams.
Upcoming Training and Workshops
The Helping Professional’s Anxiety
24 Apr 2023, 9.30am – 4.30pm
Venue: In Focus Counseling & Therapy Services
Fees: $200 (Registration Deadline 4 Mar 2023)
3 Days Basic Intensive Training In Choice Theory & Reality Therapy, 6, 10 and 11 April 2023
6, 10 and 11 Apr 2023, 9.30am – 5.30pm
Venue: TBC
Early Bird Fees: $800 (Registration Deadline 24 Feb 2023)
Regular Fees: $850 (Registration Deadline 4 Mar 2023)
3 Days Advanced Intensive Training In Choice Theory & Reality Therapy, 29, 30 and 31 May 2023
29, 30 and 31 May 2023, 9.00am – 6.00pm
Venue: TBC
Early Bird Fees: $900 (Registration Deadline 27 Mar 2023)
Regular Fees: $950 (Registration Deadline 17 Apr 2023)
Understanding and Supporting People In Journey of Loss & Grief – Training completed on 13-14 Feb 2023
Jan 2023 Basic Intensive Training in Choice Theory & Reality Therapy with Educators from ASJC
Nov 2022 Advanced Intensive Training in Choice Theory & Reality Therapy
