Anxiety & Depression Awareness Week: Signs, Myths, and How Therapy Can Help

Poster for National Anxiety & Depression Awareness Week, with a person's outline and text.

Learn more about Anxiety Therapy & Depression Therapy

In This Blog, You’ll Learn:

✅ When Anxiety & Depression Awareness Week happens and why it matters
✅ Common signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9
✅ Myths vs. facts about anxiety and depression that may be holding you back
✅ How therapy supports healing, emotional regulation, and recovery
✅ Where to find support like therapy for anxiety near me or treating depression near me
✅ Mountains Therapy's services for individuals, couples, and families

What Is Anxiety & Depression Awareness Week?

Each year, National Anxiety & Depression Awareness Week is observed during the first full week of May. It’s a chance to shed light on two of the most common—and most misunderstood mental health conditions. At Mountains Therapy in Montclair, NJ, we see how often anxiety and depression go unnoticed, minimized, or misdiagnosed. You don’t have to wait for things to get worse to ask for help.

Do I Have Anxiety or Depression?

How to know if you have anxiety? Take the GAD-7 for anxiety questionnaire below.

How to Know if I have depression? Take the PHQ-9 for depression questionnaire below.

These are not diagnostic but can give you helpful insight.

Depression Self-Check: PHQ-9

✅ Over the past two weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following?

0 = Not at all, 1 = Several days, 2 = More than half the days, 3 = Nearly every day

Little interest or pleasure in doing things
Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much
Feeling tired or having little energy
Poor appetite or overeating
Feeling bad about yourself—or that you’re a failure
Trouble concentrating on things
Moving or speaking so slowly—or being fidgety or restless
Thoughts that you would be better off dead or hurting yourself

📌 A score of 10 or more may indicate moderate to severe depression.

If you’ve checked several, it’s time to talk to a therapist for depression or search for treating depression near me.

Anxiety Self-Check: GAD-7

✅ Over the past two weeks, how often have you been bothered by:

0 = Not at all, 1 = Several days, 2 = More than half the days, 3 = Nearly every day

Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge
Not being able to stop or control worrying
Worrying too much about different things
Trouble relaxing
Being so restless it’s hard to sit still
Becoming easily annoyed or irritable
Feeling afraid something awful might happen

📌 A score of 10 or more may indicate moderate to severe anxiety. If this resonates, search therapy for anxiety near me or anxious attachment therapist near me for support.

🧠 Myths and Facts About Anxiety

Myth 1: Anxiety is just overthinking.

✅ Fact: Anxiety is a real mental health condition that affects your mind and body, often including panic, restlessness, and sleep issues.

Myth 2: You can just "calm down" if you try hard enough.

✅ Fact: People with anxiety often can’t “just relax.” Therapy for anxiety, like CBT and ACT, teaches practical, evidence-based skills to manage symptoms.

Myth 3: If you're high-functioning, you can't have anxiety.

✅ Fact: Many people experience high-functioning anxiety while excelling at work, parenting, or school. Therapy for anxiety near me supports both visible and invisible symptoms.

Myth 4: Anxiety always comes with panic attacks.

✅ Fact: While panic is one type of anxiety, others feel it as racing thoughts, tension, or social avoidance. Anxious attachment therapist near me searches often reflect this hidden pain.

Myth 5: Anxiety will go away on its own.

✅ Fact: Without support, anxiety can worsen. Long-term relief often comes from professional help like CBT for anxiety, EMDR, or seeing a therapist for relationship issues if stress is rooted in attachment or connection.

💭 Myths and Facts About Depression

Myth 1: Depression is just sadness.

✅ Fact: Depression includes emotional, physical, and cognitive symptoms like exhaustion, hopelessness, and lack of motivation. It’s much more than sadness.

Myth 2: You can "snap out of it" if you try harder.

✅ Fact: Depression is a medical condition. Therapy and support, not willpower, are key to healing. Many people search for treating depression near me when they reach this realization.

Myth 3: People with depression always look sad.

✅ Fact: Depression can look like withdrawal, irritability, or numbness. Smiling depression is real—and therapy helps uncover what’s beneath the surface.

Myth 4: Antidepressants are the only option.

✅ Fact: While medication helps some, many find healing through therapy alone. Psychodynamic therapy near me and ACT therapy are common non-medication treatments.

Myth 5: If life is “good,” you shouldn’t be depressed.

✅ Fact: Depression isn’t always triggered by events. It can happen even when everything seems “fine.” That’s why therapy matters—and why depression therapy near me is such a vital resource.

Therapy Services at Mountains Therapy

Whether you're looking for long-term support or short-term relief, we’re here to walk beside you with evidence-based, compassionate care.

Specialties and Treatments

✔️ Cognitive Behavioral Therapy near me (CBT)

✔️ Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for anxiety and depression
✔️ ACT therapist near me (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) for values-based healing
✔️ EFT therapist near me (Emotionally Focused Therapy) for relational support
✔️ Psychodynamic therapy near me for deeper emotional exploration
✔️ Couples therapist Montclair NJ and couples counseling Montclair NJ
✔️ PTSD therapist near me and Trauma Therapy near me
✔️ Therapist for relationship issues, breakup, or divorce
✔️ LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy

You're Not Alone

If you’ve been searching treating depression near me, therapy for anxiety near me, or even just “search” in a moment of desperation this is your sign to reach out. During Anxiety & Depression Awareness Week, give yourself permission to prioritize your mental wellness. At Mountains Therapy, we’re here to help you find clarity, relief, and hope. Reach out to us today to begin your therapy journey.