The Psychology of Depression and Anxiety - Dr. Scott Eilers

Thank you to Quince for sponsoring this video! Upgrade your wardrobe, home, and more with high-end essentials from Quince! Go to https://quince.yt.link/UVgz9sT for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. #QuincePartnerEveryday Liquid Multivitamin: https://quince.yt.link/fLlyttAPlant-Based Sleep Gummies: https://quince.yt.link/kgdV97GPerformance Pre-Workout: https://quince.yt.link/JhEZlsIRecovery Zero Sugar Hydration: https://quince.yt.link/L2HF056Daily Superfood Greens: https://quince.yt.link/wzS2uAWOne of my most reliable tools against depression is reconnecting with nature. When depression makes you feel isolated, worthless, or disconnected from the world around you, interacting with something living can create a sense of belonging that can be difficult to find anywhere else.I share nine practical ways to reconnect with the natural world, from simply opening a window or taking a walk to growing something, caring for an animal, creating nature-based art, and even sleeping outside. None of these works every time—but nature has helped pull me through more depressive episodes than I can count.You are not separate from nature. You are nature. Sometimes caring for the living world around you—and remembering that you're part of it—can help you begin caring about yourself again.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.

Thanks to Monarch for partnering with me! Start your free trial and get 50% off your first year of total money clarity using my link https://monarchmoney.yt.link/3td8zqw or code drscott50 for 50% Off Monarch Core tier.What is analytical suicidal ideation—and why does life sometimes stop feeling worth the effort? In this video, I explain a pattern I've repeatedly seen in myself and in the people I've worked with: not wanting to die because of overwhelming emotional pain, but because life simply no longer feels worth the cost of continuing. I share the behavioral and cognitive changes that have helped me escape these periods and rebuild a life that actually feels worth living.I discuss how sleep, nutrition, movement, finances, relationships, purpose, novelty, gratitude, and realistic expectations all contribute to your emotional "balance sheet." When too much energy is going out and not enough meaning, joy, or connection is coming back in, it's understandable to wonder how long you can keep going.If you've ever felt exhausted by life rather than overwhelmed by it, I hope this gives you a new way to understand what you're experiencing—and a practical place to start changing it. You are not doomed to feel this way forever.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.

If your body feels restless, tense, or overstimulated, see how CozyThrowzzz™ uses warmth and gentle pressure to help you feel supported while you move through the moment.https://cozyzzz.com/pages/cozyzzz-dr-scott(I've put together a little sensory guide you can download from the link above as well).What if feeling good actually makes you feel worse? I explain positive affect intolerance—why joy, comfort, love, accomplishment, or excitement can trigger anxiety, suspicion, anger, or the feeling that something bad is about to happen.I break down how depression, trauma, inconsistent relationships, ADHD, autism, and cyclical mood disorders can teach your brain not to trust positive emotions. I also explain why pushing good feelings away can become an automatic form of self-protection.Finally, I share several ways I’ve worked on this myself, including gradual exposure to positive emotions, challenging the beliefs that make comfort feel unsafe, and learning to let good experiences last a little longer. The goal isn’t to force yourself to be happy—it’s to stop feeling like happiness itself is dangerous.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.

Thanks to Grow Therapy for sponsoring this video! Head to https://growtherapy.yt.link/fdPWV2y to find your dream therapist today!Why does depression seem impossible to escape? In this video, I take a different approach by using humor and reverse psychology to explore five habits that quietly keep depression alive. From abandoning the things that once brought joy to comparing your real life with impossible standards, these patterns can trap you in a cycle that's difficult to recognize—but possible to change.We'll talk about why self-care actually creates self-worth, why trying to recover completely alone often backfires, how chasing only short-term pleasure keeps you emotionally stuck, and why comparison robs you of hope. I'll also share how these same traps have shown up in my own life.Recovery doesn't require perfection. It starts by noticing the patterns that keep you stuck—and choosing a different direction.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.

Most coping skills fail because they're used one at a time. When you're dealing with severe anxiety, depression, panic attacks, or trauma, a single coping skill often feels hopelessly inadequate—it is.Your nervous system doesn't understand words. It understands actions. Sometimes the goal isn't finding a better coping skill—it's using enough of the right ones together.Thanks to the sponsors of this episode:CozyzzzFind out how CozyThrowzzz supports nervous system regulation through warmth, gentle pressure, and hands-free comfort.https://cozyzzz.com/pages/cozyzzz-dr-scottCalmCarryFor support at bedtime, during overwhelming moments, or anytime calm is needed. https://www.theglowcompany.co/products/calmcarry%C2%AE-australiaPulsettoGet 10% off your Pulsetto FIT here: https://pulsetto.tech/pages/drscott or use my coupon code DRSCOTT. It’s completely risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it and see how your body responds.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.

Thanks to Monarch for partnering with me! Start your free trial and get 50% off your first year of total money clarity using my link https://monarchmoney.yt.link/zxyvp0a or code drscott50 for 50% Off Monarch Core tier.Not everyone experiences suicidal thoughts for the same reason. In this video, I explain the three distinct types of suicidal ideation I've observed throughout my career—and why treating them all the same often leaves people feeling even more alone.We explore analytical suicidal ideation, inexplicable suicidal ideation, and emotional suicidal ideation, what separates them, and why each requires a different path toward healing. If you've ever thought, "The advice everyone gives me doesn't actually help," this conversation may finally put words to your experience.If you're in immediate danger or believe you may act on suicidal thoughts, contact your local emergency services or a crisis service right away. My hope is that this discussion helps you better understand what you're experiencing so you can find the kind of support that truly fits your needs.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.

Thanks to Monarch for partnering with me! Start your free trial and get 50% off your first year of total money clarity using my link https://monarchmoney.yt.link/rhu9jVx or code drscott50 for 50% Off Monarch Core tier.Have you ever left therapy feeling unheard, judged, or even worse than when you walked in? I believe therapy can change lives—but I also believe there are common mistakes that keep many therapists from helping people with severe depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health conditions.In this video, I share 10 things I wish more therapists understood, from toxic positivity and oversimplified advice to pushing trauma too early and misunderstanding what it's actually like to live with serious mental illness.This isn't meant to discourage anyone from therapy. It's meant to help you recognize the difference between therapy that simply exists... and therapy that truly helps.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.

Should you stop caring what other people think? I don't think so. I've spent parts of my life caring far too much about other people's opinions—and parts of my life not caring at all. Both caused serious problems. In this video, I share a simple framework I use to decide which criticism deserves my attention and which criticism deserves to be ignored. It has helped me navigate feedback, self-worth, personal growth, and the endless stream of opinions people have about who I should be. Not all criticism is valuable. But not all criticism should be dismissed either. The challenge is knowing the difference.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.

Thanks to Grow Therapy for sponsoring this video! Head to https://growtherapy.yt.link/rDN1csO to find your dream therapist today!What if part of you is afraid to get better? It sounds irrational, but resistance to healing is one of the most common things I see in people struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health conditions.In this episode, I explain why improvement can feel terrifying, why getting better often changes relationships and identities, and why the unknown can feel scarier than staying stuck.If you've ever wondered why you keep pulling back just as things start improving, this conversation might help you understand what's really happening beneath the surface.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.

Thank you to Quince for sponsoring this video! Explore all of Quince's vitamins and supplements at https://quince.yt.link/zoj14IS to get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. #QuincePartnerDaily Superfood Greens: https://quince.yt.link/1q7YpIMEveryday Zero Sugar Hydration: https://quince.yt.link/EeQD9Nw100% Organic Cotton Quarter-Zip Sweater: https://quince.yt.link/JNiPTOQWhat if your depression never really “goes away”… it just becomes your normal? Persistent Depressive Disorder (formerly dysthymia) is a chronic form of depression that can make life feel emotionally flat, exhausting, and hopeless for years at a time.In this video, I break down the difference between major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder, plus the treatments, lifestyle changes, and mindset shifts that tend to help people living with chronic low mood.And most importantly, I talk about something I think matters deeply with long-term depression: how to keep building a meaningful life even during periods where joy feels out of reach.If the usual depression advice hasn’t helped, it might be because it wasn’t built for your type of depression. I created short quiz to help you identify your pattern and what to do about it.https://bit.ly/DrScottDepressionTypeNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.

What if working harder is actually making your depression worse? I used to believe I could achieve my way out of depression—and it nearly destroyed me.In this video, I break down the overlap between high-functioning depression and maladaptive striving—why chasing success, perfection, and achievement can leave you feeling empty no matter what you accomplish.If you feel like your life looks good on the outside but feels terrible on the inside, I want to show you why—and how to start getting out of that cycle.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.

If the usual depression advice hasn’t helped, it might be because it wasn’t built for your type of depression. I created short quiz to help you identify your pattern and what to do about it.https://bit.ly/DrScottDepressionTypeWhat if your depression isn’t caused by trauma… but by the simple fact that you exist? Existential depression is real—and it can make life feel meaningless, pointless, and impossible to engage with.In this video, I break down existential depression, depressive realism, and the hidden flaws in the beliefs that tell you your life has no value, no meaning, and no impact.If you’ve ever felt like nothing matters—or questioned whether life is worth it at all—I want to challenge those beliefs in a way most people won’t.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.

If the usual depression advice hasn’t helped, it might be because it wasn’t built for your type of depression. I created short quiz to help you identify your pattern and what to do about it.What if your depression isn’t random… but a pattern you’ve been stuck in for years? The way depression shows up in your life might not be the same as someone else—and understanding your specific pattern could change everything.In this video, I break down the different ways depression operates beneath the surface—how it shapes your thoughts, behaviors, and identity over time, often without you even realizing it.If you’ve ever felt like nothing is working or that you’re “just like this,” this might help you finally see what you’re actually dealing with—and where to start shifting it.If my podcast has helped, my new book, The Light Between the Leaves, goes even deeperNext Steps:📩 Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.About me:I know what it is to feel hopelessly stuck and worthless to the world in general. I also know what it is to live without those feelings. I’m both a Clinical Psychology specializing in treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, and a human who has spent more than a decade managing sever depression and anxiety.Mental Health Coaching with meTherapy with me (for people in Iowa)Find me on YouTubeResources🪣 Get my free 5-day guide to reclaiming your time and energy despite mental health struggles.😴 Dramatically improve your sleep in 2 steps with my new Sleep Workbook.📖 My 1st book: For When Everything is BurningDisclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.But I do care.