High-functioning, competent people often don’t notice how much the demands on them take a toll on their well-being. Students and professionals alike often are running on little sleep, irregular meals, and extended periods of time away from home and family. It can be hard to recognize when you could use a little help. You’ve gotten used to the feelings in your gut and believe they are normal.

Being honest with your provider and yourself

Your Vera clinic offers a great place to check in and talk to a provider about what you’re experiencing, and whether it’s something you need to worry about.

Can you relate to this?

Everyone experiences stress from time to time. But there are some signs of strain you shouldn’t ignore:

· Inability to keep up or do what you normally do well

· Sleep issues: too little, too much, not at all

· No appetite or too much eating

· Moving slowly or feeling too restless

· Lack of interest in things you used to be interested in

· Inability to focus and it’s hard to study

· Something just doesn’t feel right or I’m not myself

How much is too much

Some of these feelings are temporary, but anything that is negatively impacting your work or friendships is worth exploring further. If you’re feeling worthless or like you’ve let yourself or your family down, or if you’ve had episodes of days at a time where you don’t need sleep and have lots of energy, tell your provider.

Sometimes, we don’t want to know more about what’s going on inside us. But it’s critical to stop and assess our mental health, just as we do with our physical health. Extreme stress can exacerbate underlying depression or anxiety — or fuel a first-time crisis. That doesn’t mean you’ll have a diagnosis for life, but you may need a little help to get you back to who you are.

We’re here to listen

Sometimes you just need a safe space to let out your stress. Take a minute to put words to how you feel. You’re not just a number to us. We’re concerned about your whole health, and we take the time to listen.

Our providers take the time to get to know you and your health needs, whether it’s your earache, your heart, or your mind. Screening for depression and anxiety is quick and painless. Just a few questions will tell you whether what you’re feeling is normal or if we should be concerned.

Vera Whole Health respects your privacy — doctor/patient confidentiality. By law, we don’t share your health information with family, school, or employers without your permission. We’re a safe place to sit and talk and explore feeling down, anxious, or unsafe.

How we can help

Establish care at your Vera clinic. Be sure your provider knows your health history (ask close family members about things that seem to run in the family) and any medications you’re taking or should be taking. And please, come see us regularly if you're just not feeling like yourself.

Part of your wellness exam is an assessment that lets us know how you’re doing. We screen routinely for depression and anxiety — both of which intensify in times of high stress and little sleep.

If we do find a reason for concern, we’ll explore further. A lot of people don’t realize there’s a spectrum for depression and anxiety. Treatments vary according to need and mental health history. Sometimes, the solution can be as simple as prioritizing sleep and checking in regularly. Sometimes we prescribe medication, and we'll connect you with a specialist as needed. Your Vera clinic can put you in touch with the right people. We’ll connect you to resources and follow up on your care.

Come talk to us

Vera isn’t like an urgent care clinic. We’re not just here to Xray your ankle or swab your throat. We are here to make sure your whole body is healthy, including your mind and heart. Come see us if you need to talk. And, if you haven’t had a wellness exam this year, now is a good time to do it.