Anxiety and Depressive States: Professional Psychological Help
Constant anxiety, inner tension, loss of interest in life, apathy, sleep problems, and the feeling that your usual coping strategies no longer work can significantly reduce your quality of life.
A consultation with a medical psychologist can help you understand the psychological picture of your condition, identify the factors sustaining it, and develop an individual strategy for further help. If symptoms require medical diagnosis or medication, a consultation with a psychiatrist or another specialist physician is recommended.
Conditions People Come 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
Conditions following prolonged stress, loss, or trauma
Anxiety or low mood combined with alcohol use
Anxiety Is Not Always an Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety in itself is a natural human response to uncertainty, threat, and stress. It becomes a problem when it grows excessive, persistent, hard to control, and starts noticeably limiting your life.
You shouldn't diagnose yourself from a list of symptoms found online. Similar manifestations can occur across a range of psychological and medical conditions. The purpose of a consultation is to understand the overall picture and determine the next step.
Low Mood Is Not Always Depression
Fatigue, sadness, or a temporary dip in mood after a difficult period do not automatically amount to a depressive disorder.
At the same time, prolonged low mood, loss of pleasure and interest, marked fatigue, disturbances of sleep, concentration, and appetite, a sense of hopelessness, and a significant decline in day-to-day functioning all call for professional assessment. A medical psychologist evaluates psychological state within their scope of competence; medical diagnosis and prescription of treatment fall within a physician's competence.
What Happens During the Consultation
We discuss your concerns, how long they've lasted, and how the condition has developed
We assess how the symptoms affect work, relationships, and everyday life
We examine stressful events, life context, and psychological factors
We evaluate anxiety, mood, sleep, avoidance, activity level, and available resources
We take into account any previous psychological and medical care
Where appropriate, we use validated psychodiagnostic methods within the scope of competence
We identify individual directions for psychological work
If there are signs of a condition requiring medical evaluation, we recommend the appropriate specialist
How Psychological Help May Be Structured
No single proprietary technique can be the answer for everyone. Depending on the condition and the goals, the work may include:
Analysis of sustaining factors
What exactly is keeping the anxiety or low mood in place
Working with avoidance
Reducing the restrictions that have formed around the condition
Self-regulation skills
Emotional and physiological
Working with beliefs
Dysfunctional attitudes and recurring patterns of thinking
Restoring activity
Structure in daily life and sources of positive reinforcement
Stress, loss, and relapse prevention
Including traumatic experience and reducing the risk of symptoms building up again
Panic Symptoms
A racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, trembling, and fear of losing control or dying can occur during a panic attack. However, similar symptoms may also have physical causes.
If such symptoms have appeared for the first time, differ sharply from what you're used to, or raise doubts about your physical health, it's important not to settle for a psychological explanation alone and to seek medical evaluation if needed.
Sleep, Anxiety, and Mood
Sleep problems can be both a consequence of psychological difficulties and a factor that sustains them. The consultation looks at how sleep relates to your emotional state, lifestyle, stress, and behavior. If a primary sleep disorder or a medical cause is suspected, specialist 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 serious loss, or prolonged traumatic experience, it's important to assess not only anxiety or mood but also possible trauma symptoms.
PTSD and Psychological TraumaIf the Condition Involves Alcohol or Other Substances
Sometimes alcohol, medications, or other psychoactive substances start being used as a way to fall asleep, reduce anxiety, "switch off" one's thoughts, or temporarily lift one's mood. This strategy can complicate the psychological picture and increase risks. If there are signs of dependence or medical risk, a psychiatrist-narcologist may be needed.
When a Psychiatrist or Emergency Care Is Needed
If there is pronounced hopelessness, thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, an intention or plan to harm oneself, psychotic symptoms, severe disorganization of behavior, or a sharp deterioration in condition — do not wait for a routine psychological consultation. Urgent professional and medical help is required.
If Previous Help Didn't Produce Results
If you have already been through psychological work or treatment but the symptoms persist, keep returning, or the picture remains unclear, you can seek a second expert opinion within the scope of a medical psychologist's competence.
Get a Second Expert OpinionPersonal Support for Complex Cases
When several problems occur together, when the condition has lasted a long time, when both a psychologist and physicians are needed, or when care has to be organized across different institutions, a personal support format may be useful — with coordination of specialists and institutions in Russia or abroad.
Learn More About Personal Support
Natalia Zentsova
Over 20 years of professional practice. Works with complex cases, anxiety and crisis states, psychological trauma and PTSD, dependencies and codependency; provides second expert opinions and personal support.
More About MeFrequently Asked Questions
Can I book if I don't know whether it's anxiety or depression?
Yes. You don't need to work out a diagnosis on your own before a consultation. You can start with an assessment of your condition and symptoms.
Can a psychologist prescribe antidepressants?
No. Prescribing medication falls within a physician's competence. If needed, a consultation with a psychiatrist or another doctor 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, contributing factors, and your goals. Promising everyone the same number of sessions wouldn't be accurate.
What if my anxiety shows up physically?
Physical symptoms often accompany anxiety, but they can't automatically be attributed to psychological causes alone. With new, severe, or questionable symptoms, it's important to rule out medical causes.
Can I come after unsuccessful work with another psychologist?
Yes. We can carry out an independent review of the situation and of the previous help, and identify possible directions going forward.
What should I do if I'm having suicidal thoughts?
Suicidal thoughts, especially with an intention or a plan, call for urgent help. Do not 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 condition.
Book a Consultation