When Coping Skills Aren’t Enough: The Role of Medical Care in Mental Health

When you begin therapy at Pivot Integrative Health, located in Jonesboro, AR, one of the first things you’ll often learn is a set of coping skills. These are practical strategies, like breathing techniques, mindfulness, or grounding exercises, that help you manage distressing emotions or symptoms. Coping skills are incredibly valuable. But here’s the truth: if an underlying medical condition is causing the symptoms, no amount of coping will truly solve the problem.

A Common Example: Panic Attack or Something Else?

Imagine a patient who tells his therapist he’s experiencing panic attacks. He describes episodes of chest tightness, shortness of breath, and sudden anxiety. On the surface, it sounds like classic panic disorder.

But when the therapist asks detailed questions—what happens before the episode, what physical sensations come with it, and how long it lasts—another picture starts to emerge. The timing lines up with meals, the discomfort includes burning in the chest, and lying down makes it worse. In this case, the “panic attacks” may not be panic at all, but acid reflux.

If the patient only practices coping skills, he may feel some relief, but the underlying condition is still there. It takes medical evaluation to identify the reflux and treat it appropriately. Once that happens, the coping skills can do what they were meant to do—help with the emotional stress that comes from living with a medical condition, not mask the symptoms of one.

Why Integrated Care Matters

Mental health and physical health are deeply connected. Anxiety can worsen gastrointestinal issues, and GI issues can mimic or trigger anxiety. Thyroid problems can also present with depressive symptoms like fatigue and low mood, while hormonal imbalances such as those seen with PCOS can mimic both anxiety and depression. Without addressing both sides, mental and physical, the path to healing is incomplete.

At Pivot Integrative Health, located in Jonesboro, AR, this is exactly why our team includes providers who bridge both worlds.

• Tammy Hawkins, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC

• Lindsey Henley, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC

Both are dually certified in family practice and psychiatric mental health, which means they can look at the whole picture—physical and emotional—when it comes to your care. They understand how one affects the other, and they build treatment plans that don’t leave gaps between mental health and primary care.

We’ve also recently welcomed Chanel Bullock, APRN, FNP-C, who provides primary care services on Fridays and Saturdays. Chanel offers wellness visits, annual physicals, lab work, hormone replacement therapy, and referrals—all in the same supportive environment where patients receive their mental health care.

The Bottom Line

Coping skills are powerful, but they’re not magic tricks. They clear the path toward healing, but true progress comes when underlying medical conditions are identified and treated alongside emotional health.

If you’re near Jonesboro, AR and have been working hard in therapy but still feel like something isn’t clicking, it may be time to look deeper. At Pivot Integrative Health, we’re here to help you explore both the mental and physical sides of your wellness journey. Call us today to schedule an appointment and take the next step toward complete healing.