When you hear someone say that they’re feeling anxious, what do you think? A lot of times we equate anxiousness to everyday worries and apprehensions. But dealing with an anxiety disorder doesn’t mean you just feel worried from time to time. It can mean that your worries have control and supersede everything else. Living with this disorder can feel like sitting in the passenger seat while your anxiety is firmly in the driver’s seat.
Knowing how to take back the wheel safely can feel impossible. You might have even resigned yourself to the idea that it isn’t possible, so you make changes in your life to keep anxiety at bay. Maybe you don’t go out to certain places, you don’t talk to people as much as you like to, and you don’t do the things that you want to do. And every time that you defer to your anxiety, you can feel its control get that much stronger.
Thankfully, support is available for people living with anxiety disorders. With the help of a licensed mental health professional, like a therapist, counselor, or psychiatrist, you can learn how to manage your anxiety disorder and reduce its impact on your life. Call our office today at Thriveworks Counseling in Biloxi, MS or use our online scheduling tool to set up your first appointment.
What Is an Anxiety Disorder? What Are the Symptoms?
When you’re stressed, there’s likely a reason — you might be having relationship problems, financial difficulties, or have a big event coming up. Stress affects you emotionally, but it can also affect you physically. For instance, you might find it’s hard to sleep because you’re thinking about the source of your stress.
While dealing with stress is never easy, once the source of your stress is removed or resolved, you’ll likely stop thinking about it with the degree of intensity you did when it was present. When you’re dealing with an anxiety disorder, you may experience many of the same mental and physical feelings you do when you’re stressed — but no stressor needs to be present. Or, if a stressor is present, the way it affects you is likely disproportionate to the issue you’re facing.
There are many types of anxiety disorders that can present themselves differently in different people. Some common anxiety symptoms you may experience include:
- Nervousness and tension
- Feeling “on-edge”
- Agitation and irritation
- Difficulty sitting still
- Excessive worrying
- Fatigue
- Trouble falling and staying asleep
- Difficulty concentrating on tasks and information
- Muscle tension and aches
- Panic attacks
- A feeling of impending doom
- Irrational fears
Sometimes, the coping mechanisms that can help alleviate stress like exercise and a balanced diet can also help reduce anxiety, particularly if you’re dealing with a more mild form of anxiety. However, you may find that these mechanisms aren’t always effective and that your symptoms persist no matter what you do. Thankfully, working with a mental health professional can help.
Do you think that therapy or counseling could help you overcome your anxiety? Consider working with a mental health professional from Thriveworks Counseling in Biloxi, MS. Call our counseling center today to get started.
Getting Help: What To Expect During Anxiety Counseling
Your provider will spend early sessions getting to know you, your symptoms, and your history with anxiety. They’ll likely also ask you questions about your values, beliefs, and personal history. This information, when combined with psychological evaluations, can help your provider make the proper anxiety diagnosis and develop a personalized treatment plan.
Treatment will be personalized for each specific situation and a client’s individual needs. Two people suffering from generalized anxiety disorder, though experiencing similar symptoms, might process, express, and understand these symptoms in different ways and therefore require different types of treatment. Some people with anxiety might find that their treatment is best assisted with medication, in which case you’ll work with a psychiatrist who can prescribe it and help you manage your usage.
When working with a Thriveworks provider in Biloxi, MS, you’ll receive the compassionate care designed just for you that empowers you to overcome your anxiety.
Talk With a Counselor or Therapist at Thriveworks in Biloxi, MS
Working with a licensed mental health professional from Thriveworks Counseling in Biloxi, MS can help you reduce your anxiety symptoms and live a happier, healthier life. Call us at our counseling center today to speak with a team member who can answer your questions and help you set up your first appointment. You can also use our convenient online scheduling tool to get started.
You can make an appointment with a Thriveworks provider at a time that works for you. Our providers offer evening and weekend sessions to help you find time for mental health care. For your convenience, our providers can meet with you in person or online. We also accept most major insurance plans.
If you’re ready to work with a mental health professional to manage your anxiety, consider contacting our office at Thriveworks Counseling in Biloxi, MS today. We can’t wait to hear from you soon.
