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.
According to the American Medical Association, there are 8 different classifications of anxiety. Each has its own symptoms and each has its own treatments. However, many people don’t realize that it’s not only possible to be diagnosed with more than one type of anxiety—it’s common.
At Thriveworks Counseling in Portland, ME, we have anxiety therapists who can assess you to discover what you’re dealing with and then provide a detailed treatment plan to help with your unique situation.
Types of Anxiety: Generalized Anxiety, Social Anxiety, PTSD, and More
There are different types of anxiety, including:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): GAD is marked by uncontrollable, racing thoughts. Other symptoms include sleep disturbances, irritability, excessive worry, and fear.
- Panic disorder: Panic disorder is characterized by panic attacks, which many people mistake for heart attacks.
- Social anxiety disorder: Social anxiety, also called social phobia, is characterized by anxiety induced by social interactions and settings.
- Selective mutism: This is another form of anxiety where the individual cannot speak in certain circumstances, such as in the presence of classmates or family members they don’t see often.
- Specific phobias: There are also specific phobias, such as agoraphobia, or the fear of crowded public spaces, and animal phobias, which are to specific animals like dogs and spiders.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): OCD is characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. Those with OCD are often fearful of germs and do everything they can to minimize them.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): PTSD can develop after one experiences trauma and doesn’t address the disturbances properly. Symptoms of PTSD include nightmares and flashbacks to the trauma.
All of these anxiety disorders can make day to day tasks and activities unpleasant. This makes seeking treatment for anxiety extremely important. Thriveworks Counseling in Portland, ME can set you up with an anxiety therapist who can offer the right treatment, which will likely involve therapy and/or medication.
Common Anxiety Symptoms
Not everyone with the same type of anxiety has the same symptoms. Some people have many symptoms and some have only a single symptom. Some have symptoms all the time, or nearly all the time, while others only have symptoms occasionally. This list of symptoms is not meant to help you self-diagnose. Only your physician or counselor can properly diagnose you.
That said, here are some of the most common symptoms of anxiety:
- Obsessive thoughts or worry
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Becoming easily frustrated
- Despair
- Pacing
- Feeling tense
- Fast heartbeat
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Difficulty breathing
- Headaches
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Insomnia
Anxiety Therapy Can Help
Anxiety is sometimes caused by a trauma like a violent crime, a sexual assault, or the loss of a loved one. Sometimes, there’s no obvious cause. In other cases, it can even be caused by an underlying health issue like depression.
Regardless of the reason for your anxiety, reaching out to Thriveworks Counseling for anxiety therapy is the first step—and your best chance—at reducing, alleviating, and better managing your anxiety.
Schedule an Anxiety Appointment at Thriveworks in Portland
You may feel afraid of working with a counselor. You may not know what to expect. No matter where you are today, there’s one thing to keep in mind: There is another way to live. There is help out there. You don’t have to continue suffering from your anxiety symptoms.
Thriveworks Counseling in Portland, ME has anxiety therapists who are experts at helping people manage this mental disorder. To schedule your appointment, give Thriveworks a call. Our scheduling team is here to assist you and answer any questions that may arise.
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