Anxiety Therapy
"If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath." -Amit Ray
Has Anxiety Become A Problem You Can No Longer Ignore?
Have your anxiety symptoms increased in intensity to the point where they interfere with daily life? Are you bombarded by intrusive thoughts that sometimes trigger distressing physical symptoms? Do you wish there was a way you could ease your mind and alleviate your stress and discomfort?
Whether at work, in social settings, or even driving your car, it may seem like your brain is always on overdrive and your worry follows you wherever you go. Perhaps your mind is in a constant state of “What if?”—you find yourself imagining every potential worst-case scenario in every situation. Even though these bad outcomes rarely happen, the stress that’s generated by thinking about them still affects you.
Your Anxiety Could Even Affect You Physically
Perhaps your anxious thoughts are linked to physiological symptoms such as increased heart rate, breaking into a sweat, and feeling like you can't catch your breath. When these sensations arise, it can feel like you’re having a heart attack and take you hours to recover. Anxiety can also affect your sleep and appetite, making it impossible to ignore.
Additionally, maybe you experience social anxiety whenever you’re around others or in large groups. To keep anxiety at bay, you might actively avoid social occasions such as family gatherings or parties. If only you could stop anxious thoughts from invading your mind and find some relief, life would be more manageable.
Fortunately, therapy gives you the tools you need to reduce your symptoms and get anxiety under control. With counseling, you can learn to identify what triggers your anxiety and figure out helpful ways to manage it.
Anxiety Affects Almost One-Third Of US Adults
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders in the United States. It’s estimated that “31 percent of adults in the United States will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.” Unfortunately, “only 37 percent of those suffering from anxiety receive treatment.”
Beyond generalized anxiety, many of us become anxious when presented with stressful social situations, financial troubles, major life transitions, and issues with our physical health. Anxiety is often caused by constant worry over things we are unable to control. It makes us catastrophize and expect the worst outcome to happen—no matter how unlikely that outcome is.
Our Diet And Habits Can Exacerbate Anxiety
Many of us are unaware of how our own habits can contribute to anxiety. The food we eat, the amount of hours we sleep, and the technology we consume can all make our anxiety worse. The barrage of unfiltered information on our phones can make us feel overwhelmed, while all the unhealthy comparisons that plague social media can negatively impact our self-esteem. In fact, a research study has linked addiction to our phones with anxiety and depression.
Another unhealthy offshoot of the digital age is our tendency to play “Dr. Google,” labeling ourselves with diagnoses that aren’t always accurate. And because we often look for a quick fix, we may try medication to resolve our issues before investigating the root causes of anxiety through therapy.
But the truth is that understanding the root causes of anxiety and finding healthier coping skills is often a better long-term approach than medication. Treatment offers you different options to address the various forms of anxiety—such as panic attacks and social anxiety—so you can resolve the symptoms that are challenging you.
Anxiety Therapy Can Help You Reduce Your Symptoms And Find Peace
If you are one of the many who suffer from anxiety, you may feel like being stressed out is just your natural state. Or perhaps you’re a high achiever who’s convinced yourself that anxiety is a necessary side effect of being productive. As a therapist, I’m here to tell you that anxiety doesn’t have to run your life anymore and you will be more successful and fulfilled without it.
Counseling gives you a safe space to process your anxiety In therapy, you will learn what anxiety is, what your specific triggers are, and what strategies you can implement before anxiety turns to panic. Mastering these skills will not only help you reduce your anxiety but can also boost your self-confidence as you prove to yourself that you are in control.
What To Expect In Sessions
Together we will explore how anxiety has looked throughout your life and how you handled it in the past. I will also give you strategies for tracking your anxiety in real-time so you can notice what happens when your symptoms flare up. Tracking your anxiety will help us learn what the underlying issues are so we know how best to reduce anxiety’s frequency and intensity.
Sometimes anxiety goes hand in hand with low self-esteem. If this is the case, We will examine how your early relationships may have impacted the core beliefs you have about yourself. By helping you make the connection between the past and present, as well as assigning exercises that can help build self-confidence, you can find helpful ways to alleviate self-doubt and feel more comfortable in your own skin.
With CBT For Anxiety, You Will Learn To Challenge Negative Thoughts
I offer different modalities for anxiety disorder treatment so you can choose the ones that resonate with you. The underlying principle of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is that your thoughts are directly related to your emotions and your emotions are what triggers anxiety. Challenging negative core beliefs about yourself that affect your self-esteem and cause self-doubt can be a fundamental practice for diminishing anxiety. When you realize that you are in control of your anxiety because, ultimately, you are in control of your thoughts, the results can be profound.
Additionally, incorporating mindfulness-based activities will help ground you in the present moment where everything is okay rather than project worry onto the future. And if you struggle with feeling overwhelmed and need help with prioritization, we will focus on brief solution-focused therapy to address the more situational issues that cause anxiety.
Anxiety may be debilitating, but it’s also highly treatable. My multifaceted approach can help you learn new coping skills, reframe negative thoughts, and experience much-needed relief.
But Maybe You’re Not Sure If Anxiety Therapy Is Right For You…
I don’t think my anxiety disorder is so severe that it requires counseling.
A common misconception is that you don’t need therapy until you encounter a major problem in your life. Although you may not consider your anxiety severe, treatment can still help you manage your symptoms. Counseling can also be beneficial if you want to proactively address an upcoming situation in your life that’s triggering anticipatory anxiety. You don’t need to be at rock bottom to benefit from therapy—it can help you wherever you are in life.
I doubt therapy will help me because I’ve had anxiety for as long as I can remember.
If you’ve always been anxious, that’s all the more reason to begin counseling. With many evidence-based treatment options available, working with a licensed therapist can make all the difference in getting anxiety under control. Although you may have tried therapy in the past with or without success, keeping an open mind and trying new things is often the first step to decreasing anxiety.
Won’t anxiety therapy be expensive and time-consuming?
Although therapy for anxiety requires commitment, it does not have to be time-consuming. Solution-focused therapy is a short-term method for treating anxiety that usually does not require many sessions to be effective. And although counseling may be thought of as an "expense," it’s hard to put a price on your well-being. Finding ways to reduce your anxiety can make a profound difference in your life and save you time, money, and energy in the long run.
Anxiety Doesn’t Have To Control Your Life
Getting your anxiety under control can change everything in your life for the better. If you would like to find out more about anxiety therapy with me, you may call 716-817-0599, email me at lisamann@nyslmhc.com, or visit my contact page.
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