Anxiety is a normal emotion that everyone experiences occasionally at different points in time. Yet sometimes the anxiety experienced is out of proportion to the situation and becomes so overwhelming that it’s difficult to control or cope with. When this happens, it can have severe effects on your ability to function in your daily life and can cause unhappiness and discontent. The good news is, anxiety is treatable.
What is anxiety?
Simply put, anxiety is the body’s natural response to stress about what’s to come. It serves the protective purpose of helping us to identify and respond to real or perceived danger, or to stressful and troubling events. It can be beneficial in some situations and may motivate us to perform better or take on difficult challenges.
For some people though, anxiety can become so extreme and ongoing that it starts to hurt rather than help. People may worry constantly and become unable to control the feelings of danger or distress, even when they can see that everything is okay. When this happens, part of the brain gets locked into the “fight or flight” response mode which is like an alarm being set off. And even though it’s evident that it’s a false danger signal, it can trick the body into reacting like it’s real.
When anxiety becomes this extreme it can be difficult to control and can take on a life of its own. This intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations can impact daily life and have harmful effects on physical and mental health.
Symptoms of anxiety may include:
- Persistent sense of dread, panic, or danger
- Ongoing nervousness, restlessness, or tension
- Constant feelings of being overwhelmed
- Regular feelings of hopelessness or frustration
- Continual stress or unhappiness
- Uncontrollable worry
- Irritability that interferes with jobs, family, or relationships
- Trouble focusing
- Fixation on fears
- Rapid heartrate or breathing
- Difficulty sleeping
- Digestive issues
If this sounds like you, treatment can help. I offer personalized therapy to target your specific anxiety and get to the root of treating the underlying causes, not just the symptoms. I can help you develop positive coping skills to stabilize your anxiety so you can function at your best.
The first step is to reach out for help – contact me to schedule a time to meet.