Anxiety has been with us since the beginning. It served a purpose of helping to keep us safe in unknown and dangerous environments. It still serves that purpose today! Often though, our feelings of anxiety are out of hand and overwhelming. Anxiety can be beneficial when we are in actual danger. Unfortunately, our nervous systems and our baseline for anxiety have become overwhelmed and interpret daily situations as dangerous.
Anxiety has become extremely common for most people and is a regular reason people come to counseling. The anxiety in our lives may begin to feel like too much, may be turning into chronic stress, or we might be seeing it in a loved one and don’t know how to help. Many people seek professional help to deal with their anxiety and how it has impacted their life.
Anxiety is a normal emotion that we all experience from time to time. Persistent anxiety that causes us distress is a sign that it may be time to reach out for help from a counselor. Anxiety may be stopping you from doing the things you would like to or interfering with work or your social life. Perhaps you have noticed the things that helped before are less effective and you are avoiding more and more situations. Avoidance is a common coping mechanism but not a long term solution. Anxiety can be managed. You can take control of your choices and life back. Anxiety has served its purpose and it is time for you to tell it to move on.
Anxiety may show up in different ways for you. It can feel like an attack, social anxiety, fear, or even phobias. Anxiety can also manifest physically. It often rears up in stomachaches, headaches, frequent bathroom trips, tightness in the chest, body tension, poor sleep, poor eating habits, and constant negative thoughts or worry. Counseling may be beneficial in helping you learn the root cause of your anxiety. Realizing the beginning of anxiety and where it came from can provide you with insight in how to relate to it and change it. Noticing these symptoms of anxiety in your body can help you take quicker steps to dealing with your anxiety before an attack comes on or symptoms increase.
Anxiety might be triggered or feel constant. A counselor can help you identify your unique triggers to anxiety. Once identified, you can learn to implement calming skills and coping techniques to help alleviate your symptoms of anxiety. It is important to address the thoughts and patterns behind your anxiety too. Counseling can help you learn about your own behaviors and self-talk and how those relate to your anxiety. Are you working for or against yourself?
Getting rid of anxiety completely may not be beneficial. We still want to know how and when to listen to our bodies for signs of danger. Through counseling, you can develop your support system, learn relevant coping skills, notice what your body is trying to tell you, and befriend your anxiety so it is working for you instead of taking over your life.
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