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.
On average, people can tend to attend 15 to 20 session of anxiety therapy (five or more months). However, this number is heavily dependent on the type of anxiety that's being treated and its severity, with many choosing to attend anxiety therapy for a longer period of time to ensure its effectiveness long-term.
The A-list singer Adele has confessed to feeling so anxious before concerts that she’s thrown up backstage. Selena Gomez has told the media that she’s frequently had panic attacks before going on stage to perform. And Miley Cyrus has stated that her anxiety has been so bad that she’s had to cancel shows just minutes beforehand. Now, most of us who suffer from anxiety don’t have to contend with the I-have-anxiety-but-I-still-have-to perform-in-front-of-tens-of-thousands-of-my-screaming-fans type of anxiety. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t disruptive to what’s most important in your life, and that you don’t deserve help.
Anxiety therapy is one of the premier mental health services offered by Thriveworks in Boulder, CO. Our counselors and other providers are highly qualified to address the symptoms of anxiety and depression and help their clients regain control of their thoughts and behaviors. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.
Millions of Americans suffer from anxiety. It can interfere with relationships, work, school, your physical health, and pretty much every facet of your life. If you’re suffering from anxiety and its effects, you can seek help from a top-rated, licensed therapist at Thriveworks in Boulder, CO.
What Is a Panic Attack and How Can I Prevent One?
Many people who suffer from anxiety also experience panic attacks. These episodes can be terrifying. Some people even go to the emergency room, thinking they’re having a heart attack. Symptoms of a panic attack may include:
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Racing heart
- Stomach cramping
- A sense of impending doom
In order to prevent a panic attack, mental health professionals recommend the following techniques, among other interventions:
- Know your triggers.
- Make lifestyle modifications like increasing your exercise or cutting back on caffeine to ease anxiety.
- Regulate your breathing. Slowing down and deepening your breathing can send a physiological signal to your brain that everything is okay.
- Get professional treatment, including psychotherapy and potentially psychiatric medication.
- Focus on something during the attack.
- Repeat a mantra like “This will pass” or “You are safe.”
- Focus on your physical senses. What do you smell? What do you hear? This can gently return you to your surroundings when you’re not feeling grounded.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety?
Anxiety can come in the form of urgent questions, simultaneous (aka comorbid) mental and physical health issues, and/or maladaptive behaviors. For example:
Urgent questions
- Am I sick or dying?
- Are my loved ones going to abandon me?
- Does everyone hate me?
- Did I do something terribly wrong?
- Is my family safe?
- Am I crazy?
- Did I turn off the stove?
- Did I remember to lock the door?
- Am I too anxious?
Mental and physical health issues
- Unintentional weight changes
- Sleep disorders
- Gastrointestinal difficulties like constipation or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Depression
- Migraines and headaches
- Focus, attention, and memory problems
- Panic attacks
- Fatigue
- Agitation or restlessness
- Irritability
Maladaptive behaviors
- Compulsions or uncontrollable rituals like nailbiting, repeated hand-washing, or hair-pulling (trichotillomania)
- Substance abuse
What Are the Different Types of Anxiety and How Are They Treated?
There are many different types of anxiety disorder, and they can sometimes overlap. The most frequently cited kinds of anxiety are the following:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which involves mental fixations and/or uncontrollable behaviors. OCD can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and/or medications.
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which involves persistent anxious thoughts and can interfere with daily functioning. GAD can be treated with psychotherapy and/or medications.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): which involves intense distress, nightmares, panic attacks, and/or other symptoms following a traumatic event. PTSD can be treated with cognitive processing therapy (CPT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), exposure therapy, stress inoculation training (SIT), and more.
- Phobias, which involve severe anxiety or terror when confronted with the object of one’s fear. Phobias can be treated with psychotherapy and exposure therapy, among other treatments.
- Separation anxiety, which involves distress at the thought of being separated from your family or loved ones. Can be treated with psychotherapy and/or family therapy.
- Social anxiety disorder, which involves distress in social situations and can lead to isolation and avoidance. It treated with CBT and/or psychotherapy.
- Panic disorder, which can involve being overwhelmed by anxiety to the point where you begin hyperventilating or experience other adverse physical symptoms. It can be treated with psychotherapy and/or medications.
Find Help for Your Anxiety with a Thriveworks Therapist in Boulder, CO
You can reach out to the Thriveworks office in Boulder, CO right now and be talking to your exceptional anxiety therapist as early as tomorrow. We can schedule your appointment in as few as 24-48 hours. At Thriveworks, our mental health providers are all licensed and top-rated so you can trust that you’re getting the best help available. Call us today to find out more about our unparalleled benefits, and get started on your path to health and happiness.
