Anxiety Therapy
Is Anxiety Preventing You From Living Life to the Fullest?
Are you constantly nervous or worried that something bad will happen?
Do you often spiral and panic about worst-case scenarios?
Do you struggle to feel calm and comfortable in new or different environments?
It can be extremely difficult to navigate anxiety and effectively challenge the negative thoughts and feelings that come with it. Anxiety therapists are trained to help you navigate these dynamics.
You may be constantly worried that something bad will happen. You may feel on edge and want to avoid leaving your couch. You might not sleep well due to racing thoughts keeping you awake. You may struggle to be fully present in certain situations or even cancel plans. You might feel panic and dread just thinking about hypotheticals and future events.
Anxiety therapy can help.
Anxiety Impacts Our Lives in Many Ways
When we’re feeling anxious, we’re often consumed by fear and feel powerless to do anything about it. Anxiety, at its core, is about not feeling in control of what happens to us or in the world around us.
This can be about seemingly routine things, like flying somewhere for vacation (what if the plane crashes?), getting in an elevator (what if it gets stuck between floors?), not wanting to go to a party (what if someone is sick and contagious?), or not wanting to speak up in a work meeting (what if I embarrass myself?).
When we have these thoughts, our natural response is to avoid the situation entirely. Maybe we decide to travel somewhere closer so we can drive. Maybe we pass on the elevator and take the stairs. Maybe we skip the party and stay home. Maybe we don’t speak up in the meeting and then miss out on a great opportunity.
This makes us feel in control and eases our anxiety in the moment, but an anxiety counselor can teach you more effective and beneficial ways of managing anxiety.
When we avoid certain situations, we reinforce our anxiety. We think we made the “right” choice because nothing bad happened, but the reality is we’re missing out on opportunities to enjoy life and even grow personally and professionally. It’s important to challenge these thoughts and push ourselves to experience things that seem scary, but in reality, are not dangerous.
Seeking treatment for your anxiety can help you change your behavior and ensure that you, not your anxiety, is in control. This way your wants and needs determine your choices, not your fears.
Most People Experience Anxiety At Some Point In Life
Anxiety is extremely common. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one-third of U.S. adults experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Even more people experience anxiety but don’t meet the requirement for diagnosis.
Worry and fear are always present in our minds to a certain extent because if we weren’t fearful of truly dangerous situations, we wouldn’t take the necessary precautions to protect ourselves. Our worry becomes anxiety when it is about non-threatening situations, and it causes impairments in our lives.
Anxiety Comes in All Forms
From germs to elevators to public speaking to simply worrying something bad will happen if you leave home, any number of things or situations can lead to anxiety. The common thread in these cases is a response of worrying, feeling on edge, trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, and/or being irritable. When these symptoms occur, you’re likely experiencing an anxiety disorder, and therapy can help.
Anxiety Can Be Specific
It’s very common for us to feel anxious about specific things or situations. For example, maybe we don’t like being around bees or wasps because we got stung when we were kids. Maybe we don’t want to fly because we’re afraid the plane will crash. Maybe we don’t want to sit on a balcony because we’re afraid of heights. These are specific situations we might try to avoid to keep ourselves “safe.”
Anxiety Can Be General
It’s also common for anxiety to be more general. Maybe we’re worried about losing our job or our financial situation. Maybe we’re worried we’ll lose a loved one. We could be worried we’ll do something embarrassing or be judged. Or maybe we’re nervous about a global conflict.
In each of these situations, we are experiencing negative or irrational thoughts. They all have some level of basis in reality, some more than others, which allows us to rationalize our fear and then decide to avoid an action or situation or cause us to feel uncomfortable in it. We often have physiological feelings such as a racing heart, tense muscles, feeling shaky or possibly sweating that follow.
Anxiety is restricting. We miss out on opportunities both for ourselves and with loved ones. Treatment for your anxiety can help you challenge thoughts and manage physiological symptoms so that you’re able to live a more fulfilling life.
Anxiety Therapy Can Help You Take Control of Your Thoughts and Feelings
Anxiety therapy has proven to be effective in treating anxiety, and we approach each client and each session differently based on your specific situation and needs.
We start by looking at your life experiences. Often an experience creates or reinforces your anxiety (did getting sick ruin a special occasion for you?). We will help you understand why you’re feeling the way you are and process the emotions and impacts of any underlying issues. Then we use evidence-based techniques to help you overcome your anxiety.
One of the most effective approaches to anxiety therapy is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which focuses on challenging and changing the way you think. We refocus on the facts instead of the fears. For example, reminding yourself there is nothing to show that the plane is unsafe, that people fly every day, and when you have flown, aside from feeling anxious, nothing bad has happened. These are the ways in which we challenge our thoughts and change our thinking patterns.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) is another commonly used anxiety counseling method. ACT focuses on accepting the facts or discomfort of a situation that we cannot change, thus lessening the impact it has on our thoughts, behaviors and decisions. Rather than trying to change the thoughts, we focus on limiting the impact they have on us and making decisions based off what we would do if the anxiety wasn’t present.
Another approach is exposure therapy, which involves gradually putting yourself in situations that you find anxiety-inducing to desensitize yourself to the situation and eventually feel more comfortable. Depending on your level of anxiety in a given situation, such as public speaking, you may start by practicing a presentation out loud alone, then record it and have a friend watch. Next, you may give the presentation in front of one person or a small group. Finally, you’ll give the presentation to the whole class.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to anxiety counseling, but Perspective’s therapists have specialized training in CBT and ACT so that we can effectively treat individuals experiencing anxiety. Together, we will determine which approach works best for you.
You Still May Have Doubts About Anxiety Therapy
It’s embarrassing to share my anxious thoughts.
The idea of talking to someone new about your deepest fears can be panic-inducing. Since anxiety often manifests in irrational thoughts, we’re typically reluctant to share these fears or concerns with others. We fear judgment. Anxiety counselors understand this fear and are committed to creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can talk through your thoughts and feelings.
But my anxiety isn’t that bad.
Although it’s great that society has been normalizing anxiety, we risk minimizing our anxiety in the process. Anxiety is on a continuum from being anxious you’ll be late to work to not leaving your home because you fear something bad happening. You don’t need to be on the “extreme” end to warrant support via therapy. If your life is negatively impacted by anxiety, therapy can help.
What if it doesn’t work?
Anxiety is very good at creating doubt in our minds. While it may take time, anxiety therapy has been proven to be effective in many diverse studies. In therapy, we help you make healthy changes on a small scale to build skills and confidence so you can reach your ultimate goals.
You Can Take Control of Your Anxiety
Anxiety doesn’t have to rule your life. Perspective’s anxiety counselors are here to help, and we understand reaching out and getting started is often the hardest part. That’s why we try to make it as easy as possible by allowing you to schedule online at your convenience. You don’t have to speak to anyone until you are ready to do so.
You can also request a free 15-minute consultation to get a feel for your anxiety therapist and ensure they’re the right fit.
We would love to help you navigate this journey and help you take control of your life.
