NBA All-Star, Kevin Love, was on the court, with his team one moment. The next moment, he was nowhere to be seen. His teammates had no idea where he was. Love, a top athlete on a top professional basketball team, was at the peak of his career. He was at the peak of his physical fitness. But he was also not with his team that day because he was lying down on the training room’s floor, barely able to breath. Love was having a panic attack. Later, he wrote about the experience, saying that anxiety had been building up in his life for months. That anxiety could not be contained any longer and expressed itself in a panic attack. Love is one of 40 million people in the US who currently have an anxiety disorder. Anyone who has anxiety knows what it means to…
- Feel worried and nervous all the time.
- Be isolated and lonely, thinking they are the only one who feels this way.
- Be unable to explain to loved ones how difficult and draining it is to be constantly anxious.
- Never have a rest from the weight of these difficult feelings.
- Dialogue with themselves, in their heads, focusing upon all the fears and inadequacies and insecurities.
“Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind.
If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.”
—Arthur Somers Roche
All people feel afraid or worried or even anxious at times. When these feelings are acting as they should, they rise and then they fall quickly and naturally. Anxiety disorders are a very different experience. When people have anxiety disorders, the feelings of worry and anxiety and fear rise and stay. Anxiety changes the way an individual’s brain functions so that these feelings are unmanageable. Just like cancer or diabetes, anxiety is a serious medical condition. Also like other serious illnesses, there are effective treatments for anxiety. With a mental health professional’s intervention, many people can heal from anxiety.
When worry is a constant part of your life… when thinking and making decisions is difficult… when you feel isolated and alone…consider reaching out for help. Thriveworks Cedar Park offers treatment for anxiety. Our therapists understand what anxiety is, how it functions, and the treatment options that are available for it.
What Is Anxiety?
Most people speak about anxiety in a singular way. While there are many common denominators to each form, there are many different forms of anxiety disorder. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health, 5th Edition gives the diagnostics for several anxiety disorders. Here are just a few…
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – This is the disorder that most people simply call anxiety. Generalized Anxiety Disorder causes people to feel acute anxiety for the majority of the day. This feel will be present on more days than not and for at least six continuous months. Other symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, and restlessness will also be present.
- Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) – This is a form of anxiety that surfaces around social interactions. When people have SAD, they often do anything to avoid social events and interactions with strangers. When people with SAD are around people, they often feel judged and embarrassed, even in the presence of people who care about them. Social Anxiety Disorder keeps people from the very thing they most need—relationships.
- Panic Disorder – For some people, like Kevin Love, their anxiety surfaces as a panic attack. When people experience more than one panic attack, they may have Panic Disorder. A panic attack can occur from out of the blue. When symptoms begin to show, they escalate for several minutes and then subside. Symptoms include numb limbs, hot flashes, difficulty breathing, racing heart, chills, and more. Often, people feel as if they are dying.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – When people experience a traumatic event, they also experience extreme anxiety and stress. At times, even though the event passes, these feelings may not. They may develop into PTSD. People who have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder may have flashbacks, nightmares or intrusive memories about the trauma. They often live with a heightened sense of awareness and constant anxiety.
Anxiety’s Emotional and Physical Challenges
Every disease introduces challenges into an individual’s life, and anxiety is no different. Many people who suffer from anxiety also experience…
- Disrupted Appetite – Anxiety often changes an individual’s appetite, causing them to over eat or under eat. People’s weight often fluctuates accordingly.
- Irregular Sleep Patterns – Similar to appetite, anxiety can disrupt people’s sleep pattern, causing either hypersomnia or insomnia.
- Fatigue – Fighting an illness is draining. When people have anxiety, everyday activities can take enormous strength.
- Difficulty Focusing – When an individual’s mind is filled with negative emotions, it can be difficult for them to concentrate.
- Indecisiveness – When thinking is difficult, so is making a decision. Anxiety can leave people stuck in big and small decisions.
Treatment for Anxiety at Thriveworks Cedar Park
As you read about anxiety, did you recognize anything? If so, consider reaching out for mental health care. Anxiety has treatments, and therapists can often help. When you call Thriveworks Cedar Park, know that you will not be put on a waitlist, but you may have your first appointment the following day. We offer weekend and evening sessions, and we work with many different insurance companies. If you are ready to get started, we are too. Call Thriveworks Cedar Park today.
