What is Anxiety? How Talking to Therapist can Help you Improve
Anxiety. It's a term that is often used in conversation. For some, it manifests as temporary life stressors like a fast-approaching deadline to meet, life decisions, and unexpected challenges or roadblocks. For others, anxiety can become constant and affect many areas of their lives, like work or even friend and family relationships.
HOW TO DEFINE ANXIETY?
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines anxiety as “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.”
Anxiety is our body's reaction to stress, and it can take many emotions like fear, worry, or nervousness. It’s 100% normal to experience those emotions, especially when facing obstacles, danger, or even excitement— sometimes good things may make us nervous, which can bring anxiety.
Common signs of anxiety could include:
o Worrying about everyday life situations
o Fatigue or difficulty sleeping
o Unable to concentrate on routine tasks
o Increased heart rate, excessive sweating, shaking/trembling, dizziness or shortness of breath
o Fears of specific things like flying, certain animals, or heights
Research shows that anxiety is the most common mental illness in the United States. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) found nearly 40 million people have an anxiety disorder. In addition, the association found less than 40% of people with anxiety disorders are receiving therapy.
WHY SPEAK TO A THERAPIST ABOUT ANXIETY?:
If anxiety or any health issue is disrupting your life, it's essential to seek help. Therapy provides a safe space where individuals experiencing anxiety can discuss their thoughts and feelings with a trained professional and receive guidance on how to manage their emotions and feelings.
Here are a few ways therapy can alleviate anxiety.
1.) Understand Your Emotions
Therapists are trained to help you with your emotions, thoughts, and feelings. By talking to a therapist, you can explore the thoughts and behaviors that cause your anxiety. Understanding is the first step towards effectively managing your stress.
2.) Learn Coping Skills
A chief benefit of therapy is the knowledge you can gain to improve your everyday life. Once you begin treatment and engage in a productive dialogue with your therapist, they will be able to teach you practical techniques to cope with anxiety. Some coping mechanisms could be breathing techniques, exercises for mindfulness, or practices to help you change your negative thought patterns.
Path to Growth Counseling offers online counseling services. Click here to learn more about our counseling options and book a free consultation today!
3.) Develop Healthier Behaviors
When people experience anxiety, how they react or behave is extremely important. Through therapy, individuals can learn patterns in their behavior that could be a contributing factor to some of their symptoms.
Our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are innately connected. By speaking with a therapist, you can develop a healthier way of thinking and learn strategies to alleviate symptoms.
4.) Address Physical Anxiety Symptoms
Anxiety is more than just a mental or emotional issue. People can experience its physical effects as well! Panic disorder, shaking or trembling, headaches, and muscle tension are all signs that could be physical indicators of anxiety. A therapist can identify how these things manifest in your life and provide strategies to address them.
In addition to this, attending therapy sessions can prevent your symptoms, whether emotional, mental, or physical, from escalating
5.) Medication Options
In some cases, therapy alone may not be enough to manage and handle severe anxiety symptoms. By building a relationship with your therapist, they can assist with exploring various medications and advocate and guide you as you consult a doctor or psychiatrist.
TAKE THE FIRST STEP TODAY
Living with anxiety is difficult, from simple life tasks to performing at work. Anxiety can be exhausting and draining, but you don’t have to go through it by yourself.
If you're experiencing anxiety, consider contacting a friend, family member, or therapist. Therapy can offer guidance, hope, relief, and support as you navigate your emotions.
If you’re ready to take that first step towards healing and clarity, click here to book a consultation with our Pathway to Growth Counseling team.
About Path to Growth Counseling:
Path to Growth Counseling is an online counseling practice serving Texas, Nevada, and California. We conduct all sessions virtually – through a secure online platform. This helps reduce some of the barriers to therapy like transportation and scheduling. Our clients love this aspect of our practice. All you need is a reliable internet connection, a quiet confidential space, and openness. Pets are always welcome.
