Remember the butterflies you’d get in your stomach the day before school started? How you fussed over your outfit, debating which socks would go best with your new jeans? Or the time spent packing and repacking your school supplies, hoping to make a good impression on your peers and instructors?
Anxiety and nervousness are perfectly normal when you face a big life transition like entering a romantic relationship, starting a new job, or moving away from home. But repetitive panic attacks, loss of sleep or appetite, and difficulty handling everyday situations may be the signs of an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety can disrupt your life by making everyday tasks feel scary. Addressing prolonged feelings of stress and anxiety can reduce their impact and help you live a happier, healthier life. Just as a doctor can mend a broken bone, anxiety can be treated by a skilled psychiatrist using techniques like talk therapy and prescription medication.
If you’re interested in scheduling counseling or therapy for anxiety, call our office today at Thriveworks Counseling in Hattiesburg, MS.
What Are Some Causes and Signs of Anxiety?
Anxiety can serve as an umbrella term for mental health concerns, but the most common anxiety symptoms are quite specific. They typically result from a combination of environmental, social, biological, and psychological factors. For example, maybe you went through a traumatic event as a child or currently live in a stressful place that triggers your anxiety.
People with anxiety might experience:
- Restlessness
- Irritation
- Trouble concentrating
- Racing thoughts
- Fatigue
- Excessive worry
- Feelings of impending doom
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Intrusive or unwanted thoughts
- Trembling
- Panic attacks
The specific symptoms you experience can change depending on the type of anxiety disorder you face and your genetics, environment, personality, and other factors. No matter what kind of anxiety you’re dealing with, the licensed professionals from Thriveworks Counseling in Hattiesburg, MS, can provide a space for you to discuss your anxiety symptoms and learn ways to manage them.
Reaching Out for Help: What to Expect from Anxiety Treatment
You don’t have to let anxiety control your life. It’s okay if your symptoms scare you or you feel hesitant to discuss your issues. There’s hope for getting back to a place where you can take pleasure in spontaneity and handle sudden changes with grace.
Anxiety therapy or counseling can help you understand the underlying causes of these emotions and take steps to mitigate their effects. Treating anxiety involves speaking one-on-one with a licensed mental health professional, identifying the issues you’re facing, and creating a plan to reduce anxiety.
Here are some examples:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: CBT aims to identify and alter negative thought patterns that can contribute to anxiety. A mindful and skilled therapist or counselor can help you improve emotional regulation and provide coping strategies for use outside of your sessions.
- Prescription medications: Mental health medication can reduce the symptoms of anxiety for people with anxiety disorders. Psychiatrists can prescribe medications to their clients, and other mental health professionals can work with a psychiatrist who provides medication management services. For many people, anti-anxiety medications can help them live happier, calmer lives. With symptoms reduced, talking about your experience with anxiety and making changes can come more naturally.
- Personalized coping techniques: Many people with anxiety find exercises suggested by counselors, such as intentional breathing, meditation, short physical activity, and reflecting on their emotional state in a journal, to be helpful. These positive stress-reduction practices can reduce the symptoms of anxiety or make panic attacks occur less frequently.
Anxiety therapy or counseling creates a safe, judgment-free zone for voicing your concerns and working through complex emotions. Working with a mental health professional from Thriveworks Counseling in Hattiesburg, MS, can help you reduce the impact of anxiety in your life.
Connect with a Provider at Thriveworks in Hattiesburg, MS
Are you living with disruptive feelings of anxiety? Consider working with a therapist or counselor at Thriveworks in Hattiesburg, MS, to address your mental health needs and goals.
We offer daytime, evening, and weekend counseling and therapy sessions to help you find time for treatment. Thriveworks Counseling accepts many forms of health insurance, and new clients often meet with a provider within 24-48 hours of reaching out. In addition, we offer flexible cancellations and assistance with booking and billing.
Additionally, you’ll have access to great benefits like a 24-hour Q+A with a life coach, exclusive video content, and counselor-moderated community discussion boards. You can also chat with a provider in between sessions using text or email if you have pressing questions.
Anxiety can be difficult, but we want you to know that support is available. Call or contact us online today to get started with a mental health professional at Thriveworks in Hattiesburg, MS. We can’t wait to help you thrive.
