Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal human emotion that we all feel from time to time. Anxiety is what keeps us from doing incredibly dangerous things; it’s the voice in our heads saying “be aware, pay attention, this might not be safe.” When this voice begins to take over or starts flagging safe situations or actions as dangerous, that’s when it is a problem. The goal of any anxiety treatment is to never be rid of all anxiety but to be able to manage anxiety when it appears.

Here are some common anxiety disorders that I can help with:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Signs or Symptoms:

    • Persistent worry, nervousness, and anxiety
    • Having worries about many different things or areas of life
    • Feeling restless
    • Feeling on edge, easily annoyed, or irritable
    • Being fatigued or tiring quickly
    • Difficulty falling or staying asleep
    • Headaches, stomachaches, or other unexplained aches and pains
    • Difficulty concentrating

Social Anxiety Disorder

Signs or Symptoms:

    • Persistent fear or anxiety regarding social situations or possible judgment/evaluation from others
    • The fear or anxiety happens almost every time you are confronted with the social situation
    • The anxiety felt is out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the situation (i.e. feeling like you might die if you have to give a presentation)
    • Avoidance of the anxiety provoking situations

Panic Disorder

Signs or Symptoms:

  • Sudden, very intense, generally short (10-20 minutes average)  periods of fear or anxiety including:
    • Chest pain
    • Racing heart
    • Feeling as if your throat constricts or closes
    • Feeling dizzy or unsteady
    • Sweating or shaking
    • Becoming disconnected from yourself or your surroundings
    • And several other signs. 
  • Must have at least 1 unexpected panic attack which results in:
    • Fear of having more panic attacks
    • Changing behavior in attempts to avoid future panic attacks. 

NOTE: Most people will have a few panic attacks throughout their life. Having one during a particularly trying or intense period of life does not mean you have a disorder. If you have one or more attacks and become preoccupied with the thought of having more then it’s time to talk to a therapist.

There are other types of anxiety disorders such as Specific Phobia, Agoraphobia, and OCD; however I do not have the training or experience to effectively help those struggling with these concerns. If we start therapy thinking your anxiety is one of the above described disorders but over the course of treatment, it becomes apparent it is not within my training, we will discuss finding you a therapist who is better equipped to help.