Anxiety FAQs
Anxiety and stress are different. Stress arises from external events like financial issues, while anxiety is an internal experience characterized by persistent feelings of dread or worry, often about minor concerns. Stress typically diminishes after the situation resolves, but anxiety can persist even without a current stressor.
Anxiety can be triggered by several factors: stress, trauma, perfectionism, or family history. Anxiety is complex and can manifest in various ways.
If anxiety is disrupting your life, it's important to seek help. Do any of these sound familiar?
- You can’t sleep at night because of anxiety.
- You’ve missed social events due to feeling anxious.
- Your relationships are suffering from your anxiety.
- You often feel sick or overwhelmed.
- You worry excessively about having an anxiety attack.
These indicate that professional support is beneficial.
There are various approaches to treating anxiety, typically falling into three categories: lifestyle changes, therapy, and medication. Many people opt for a combination of these methods.
Lifestyle includes:
- Meditation
- Exercise
- A healthy diet
- Mindfulness
-Adequate sleep
-Stress management
Therapy involves working with a therapist to identify coping mechanisms and triggers, which can be everyday stressors or deeper issues from past experiences.
Medication is also an option, and it’s essential to discuss what works best with your therapist and doctor. Therapists do not prescribe medication but can provide support in finding the right one for you.
Therapy can help alleviate anxiety by uncovering its root causes, often related to past traumas. While aiming for a “cure,” it’s essential to celebrate small progress, like improved sleep or fewer panic attacks. Therapy is a safe space for healing and self-understanding at your own pace.
Therapy combines practical coping mechanisms and understanding your triggers. We teach mindfulness and meditation for daily use. Additionally, we address deeper anxieties related to family, relationships, work challenges, life transitions, and struggles with gender or sexual identity.
The duration of therapy varies for each individual.
For some people, therapy is an essential part of their lives, and they find value in ongoing sessions without a specific end date. Others may feel that a few months of therapy is sufficient. You might find yourself somewhere in between these two experiences.
Anxiety Treatment
Anxiety can make us feel lonely and isolated. Nearly 20% of Americans experience anxiety each year—wild, right? Anxiety often convinces us that we are alone, intensifying our internal suffering. In reality, if you're in a group of ten people, at least two of them are likely experiencing anxiety too. Doesn't it feel like anxiety is an abusive, gaslighting presence that keeps showing up uninvited?
Besides turning off the lights and hoping that anxiety will go away, what else can you do?
Consider investing in therapy. Working with a therapist will help you develop new coping skills while receiving support and understanding. Feeling validated and understood builds confidence and trust. Trust is crucial as it is the opposite of anxiety. Through therapy you will develop trust in your core strengths, trust in your resilience, trust in the process, and even trust in the discomfort of your anxious emotions.
How Anxiety Therapy Works with us
If you would like to speak with one of our therapists, please visit our contact page. We will arrange a 15 to 20-minute consultation to determine if we are a good fit and to address any questions you may have. During this call, you and your therapist will decide on a suitable day and time for your sessions.
After the consultation, we will send you paperwork to complete. Once that is done, your sessions will begin!
