Anxiety and Depressive States: Professional Psychological Support
Constant anxiety, inner tension, loss of interest in life, apathy, sleep problems, and a sense that your usual ways of coping no longer work can significantly lower your quality of life.
A consultation with a medical psychologist can help make sense of the psychological picture of your state, identify the factors sustaining it, and define an individual strategy for further support. If symptoms require medical diagnosis or medication, a consultation with a psychiatrist or another relevant physician is recommended.
What Kinds of States People Come In With
Constant anxiety and a sense of inner tension
Intrusive worry about the future
Panic symptoms and fear of another attack
Irritability and an inability to relax
Sleep problems
Low mood, apathy, and loss of interest
A sense of emotional emptiness
Reduced energy and motivation
Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
Feelings of guilt, helplessness, or hopelessness
A state following prolonged stress, loss, or trauma
Anxiety or low mood combined with drinking
Anxiety Isn't Always an Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety itself is a natural human response to uncertainty, threat, and stress. It becomes a problem when it turns excessive, persistent, hard to control, and starts noticeably restricting your life.
You shouldn't diagnose yourself from a list of symptoms found online. Similar manifestations can occur in different psychological and medical conditions. The purpose of a consultation is to understand the overall picture and define a next step.
Low Mood Isn't Always Depression
Fatigue, sadness, or a temporary dip in mood after a hard period don't automatically amount to a depressive disorder.
At the same time, prolonged low mood, loss of pleasure and interest, marked fatigue, problems with sleep, concentration, or appetite, feelings of hopelessness, and a significant decline in everyday functioning call for a professional assessment. A medical psychologist assesses the psychological state within their competence; medical diagnosis and prescribing treatment fall within a doctor's competence.
What Happens During a Consultation
We discuss your concerns, how long they've lasted, and how the state has developed
We assess the impact of the symptoms on your work, relationships, and everyday life
We go through stressful events, your life context, and psychological factors
We assess anxiety, mood, sleep, avoidance, activity level, and resources
We take into account any previous psychological or medical support
If needed, we use validated psychodiagnostic tools within the relevant competence
We define individual directions for the psychological work
If there are signs of a condition requiring a medical assessment, we recommend the relevant specialist
How Psychological Support Can Be Structured
No single signature technique is the answer for everyone. Depending on the person's state and goals, the work can include:
Analyzing Sustaining Factors
What exactly is sustaining the anxiety or low mood
Working With Avoidance
Reducing the restrictions that have built up around the state
Self-Regulation Skills
Emotional and physiological
Working With Beliefs
Dysfunctional assumptions and recurring thought patterns
Restoring Activity
The structure of daily life and sources of positive reinforcement
Working With Stress, Loss, and Preventing Setbacks
Including traumatic experiences, and reducing the risk of symptoms building up again
Panic Symptoms
A racing heartbeat, a sense of not getting enough air, dizziness, trembling, and a fear of losing control or dying can occur during a panic attack. However, similar symptoms can also have physical causes.
If such symptoms appear for the first time, differ sharply from what's usual for you, or raise doubts about your physical health, it's important not to settle for a psychological explanation alone, and to get a medical assessment if needed.
Sleep, Anxiety, and Mood
Sleep problems can be both a consequence of psychological difficulties and a factor sustaining them. A consultation assesses how sleep connects to your emotional state, lifestyle, stress, and behavior. If a standalone sleep disorder or a medical cause is suspected, specialized diagnostics are recommended.
If Anxiety or Low Mood Appeared After Trauma
If the symptoms are connected to a traumatic event, violence, a threat to life, a severe loss, or prolonged traumatic experience, it's important to assess not just the anxiety or mood, but also any possible traumatic symptoms.
PTSD and Psychological TraumaIf the State Is Combined With Alcohol or Other Substances
Sometimes alcohol, medication, or other psychoactive substances start being used as a way to fall asleep, reduce anxiety, "switch off" thoughts, or temporarily lift your mood. This strategy can make the psychological picture more complex and raise the risks. If there are signs of addiction or medical risk, an addiction psychiatrist may need to be involved.
When a Psychiatrist or Emergency Care Is Needed
If there is marked hopelessness, thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, an intent or plan to harm yourself, psychotic symptoms, seriously disorganized behavior, or a sharp deterioration in your condition, don't wait for a regular psychological consultation. Urgent professional and medical care is required.
If Previous Support Didn't Help
If someone has already gone through psychological work or treatment, but the symptoms persist, keep coming back, or the overall picture remains unclear, you can seek a second expert opinion within a medical psychologist's competence.
Get a Second Expert OpinionPersonal Support for Complex Cases
When several issues are combined, when the condition has lasted a long time, when both a psychologist and doctors are needed, or when care needs to be organized across different institutions, a personal support format can be helpful — with coordination across specialists and institutions in Russia or abroad.
More About Personal Support
Natalia Zentsova
More than 20 years of professional practice. Works with complex cases, anxiety and crisis states, psychological trauma and PTSD, addiction and codependency; provides second expert opinions and personal support.
More About MeFrequently Asked Questions
Can I come in if I don't know whether it's anxiety or depression?
Yes. You don't need to determine the diagnosis yourself before a consultation. You can start with an assessment of your state and symptoms.
Can a psychologist prescribe antidepressants?
No. Prescribing medication falls within a doctor's competence. If needed, a consultation with a psychiatrist or another physician will be recommended.
Can we work online?
Yes, if your condition allows for a remote format. Acute and crisis states may require in-person or emergency medical care.
How many consultations will I need?
It depends on your condition, how long the symptoms have lasted, related factors, and your goals. It wouldn't be accurate to guarantee the same number of sessions for everyone.
What should I do if anxiety shows up physically?
Physical symptoms often accompany anxiety, but they shouldn't automatically be explained by psychological causes alone. For symptoms that are new, pronounced, or uncertain, it's important to rule out medical causes.
Can I come in after an unsuccessful experience with another psychologist?
Yes. We can conduct an independent review of the situation and the previous support you received, and define possible next directions.
What should I do if I've started having thoughts of suicide?
With suicidal thoughts, especially with intent or a plan, urgent help is required. Don't wait for a scheduled psychological consultation.
You Don't Have to Wait Until It Gets Unbearable
If anxiety, apathy, sleep problems, or low mood are already affecting your work, relationships, and everyday life, you can start with a professional assessment of your state.
Book a Consultation