One of the best ways to deal with anxiety is to learn about your own anxiety: your symptoms, what triggers it, and what coping mechanisms have been effective in the past. When you learn what your anxiety is tied to, it can help you be mindful of what’s really happening as well as prevent and mitigate symptoms by processing and working through the issue in therapy. Other strategies that have been shown to help manage anxiety are meditation, challenging anxious thoughts, exercising, and journaling.
Everybody experiences anxious thoughts sometimes. We might feel anxious about a job interview; we might worry about making it to work on time; we might have anxious thoughts and feelings about a serious talk that we plan on having with our partner. However, sometimes the anxious thoughts and feelings are more severe than this normal and occasional anxiety.
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions out there. In fact, millions of American adults struggle with anxiety every year. If you’re experiencing anxiety that’s interfering with your life and affecting how you live, it would be best to work with a mental health professional.
If you are experiencing strong mental or physical symptoms of anxiety, consider talking to an anxiety therapist at Thriveworks Counseling in Albuquerque, NM. We’re here to help.
Symptoms of Anxiety: What Does It Look and Feel Like?
Sometimes we might feel worried or unsettled. This is normal. However, it is not normal or healthy to worry uncontrollably on a regular basis. If you find that you are worrying excessively, you might have an anxiety disorder more often than not.
Here are some additional symptoms of anxiety disorders to look out for:
- Irritability or moodiness
- Feelings of restlessness
- Racing thoughts
- Fatigue
- Insomnia or other sleep disturbances
- The feeling of impending doom
- Nausea
- Trembling
The mental health professionals at our Thriveworks office in Albuquerque are trained and qualified in diagnosing and treating anxiety disorders. So whether you’ve been feeling anxious for too long or certain triggers are sending you into a panic, we can help.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Sara was a victim of a hit and run car crash. She was pushed off the road one evening by an aggressive driver which resulted in a horrible accident. While it’s been over 2 years since her accident, she can’t help but still feel anxious whenever she drives at night or on that particular road. In Sara’s case, there’s a good chance she’s suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
PTSD is just one of the few types of anxieties that you could be experiencing. Along with having many different symptoms, anxiety can come in many different forms. Different types of anxiety include:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): A type of anxiety disorder that is caused by a previous traumatic event. Those who have PTSD suffer from anxiety brought on by triggers (objects or situations) that remind them of their trauma.
- Social anxiety disorder: People experience social anxiety due to fear of becoming embarrassed or rejected in social situations. This can include going to public events, presenting during a meeting, or simply making a phone call to someone new.
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): This is the most common form of anxiety and presents itself in many different ways. People with this type of anxiety experience symptoms for many different reasons including worrying about responsibilities, making sure their family members are okay, and just dealing with general negative thoughts.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): This disorder is characterized by having obsessive thoughts and compulsions that greatly affect daily living. This can present through obsessively cleaning, hoarding, constantly checking on things, and obsessive thoughts that could be harmful to yourself or others
- Panic disorder: Panic disorder is a type of anxiety that induces panic attacks. This can be brought on by fear or can randomly happen when you’re least expecting it. Panic attacks typically last about 10 minutes and have symptoms of chest pain, hot flashes, feeling dizzy, inability to breathe normally, and feelings of choking.
Schedule an Anxiety Therapy at Thriveworks Albuquerque
The counselors, psychologists, and therapists at Thriveworks Counseling in Albuquerque are skilled, caring providers who truly care about your health, wellbeing, and success in life. If you are struggling with anxious thoughts or feelings, they want to hear about them.
If you are ready to schedule an appointment, all you have to do is give our office a call. You can explore our benefits of online counseling, flexible scheduling, and more. Book a therapy session with Thriveworks Alburquerque today. We hope to hear from you, and we can’t wait to start this important journey.
