As Angela stepped out of the car, she could feel her heart beating faster. It felt as if it were warning her—or begging her—to stop, to turn around and climb back into safety. But her new friend Emily pleaded with her to hurry. “We’re going to miss the openers!” she shouted. Shortly after, she disappeared into the crowd, leaving Angela to fend for herself.
“It’s okay, you’ve got this, just breathe,” Angela mumbled quietly. As she pushed through, she managed to keep herself relatively calm—but then the music started. There was an uproar of cheering, while the main performer strummed his guitar strings and belted into the microphone wildly. Suddenly, there were bodies running toward her, bumping into her left and right. “Just breathe, just breathe,” she repeated. But soon enough, she could no longer formulate these words, or any words. She couldn’t think. She could only feel her racing heart. She screamed at the top of her lungs and crouched down onto her hands and knees, hoping to escape it all. Luckily enough, Emily was nearby and made her one, desperate wish come true as she pulled her away from the concert venue.
Have you ever experienced an anxiety attack like Angela’s? Have you ever felt nervous or anxious in a public space or big crowd? Have you ever been overwhelmed by anxious thoughts? An anxiety counselor at Thriveworks South Charlotte can help. Anxiety is both a physically and emotionally frightening experience—it can leave you visibly shaken with rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and completely on edge. Fortunately, working with a mental health professional can prove effective in helping you to control your anxiety and cope with the scary symptoms that come with it. If you’ve found yourself in a situation similar to Angela’s, or you experience anxiety on a lower (or higher) scale, consider reaching out to a provider at Thriveworks South Charlotte—we want to help.
What Is Anxiety Counseling Like?
Anxiety therapy has proven to help many different people combat the challenges of anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in specific is incredibly valuable when it comes to the treatment of anxiety, as these therapists focus their efforts on helping the client to change harmful thoughts, which often bring about this anxiety or exacerbate it in some way.
A provider at Thriveworks South Charlotte can help Angela (the fictional character mentioned above) understand that she is experiencing anxiety attacks and not heart attacks, which is a common misunderstanding. Additionally, they can help a client with social phobia realize that strangers aren’t spying on them or concerning themselves with their every move. In summary, these professionals can effectively treat a wide range of clients and their presenting anxiety disorders.
What Can I Learn in Anxiety Counseling?
We’re all guilty when it comes to thinking thoughts that just aren’t helpful. For example, if a friend doesn’t text us back right away, we are quick to assume that they’re mad at us. If our boss doesn’t greet us with the level of cheer we expect, we are quick to assume that they’re unhappy with our work. This is a bad (yet normal) habit many of us engage in daily. The good news is we can shake it, or at least cut back. And the counselors at Thriveworks South Charlotte will prove helpful in your mission to do so. Here are a couple pointers they might offer to help you rid yourself of these anxious thoughts:
1) First, accept that everybody worries.
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- The mission here isn’t to completely stop yourself from worrying. The truth is, that’s pretty unrealistic, as worrying is a natural part of life. We worry about getting to work on time and about reaching deadlines; we worry about how our presentation will go or how a date will turn out. And that’s okay! The goal here is to learn to think positive thoughts, rather than negative thoughts when we feel nervous or worried about an upcoming event. A counselor at Thriveworks South Charlotte will help you do so.
2) Now, focus what’s in your control.
Once you accept that everybody worries from time to time, focus on fixing what’s in your control. Are you anxious about whether you’ll get to work on time? Then leave in plenty of time to ensure you do get there by 8am—and if you arrive a little late because you got stuck in some crazy traffic, let it go. Acknowledge and accept that this was out of your control. I know: much easier said than done. Don’t worry, your counselor is here to assist you. It’s their job to help!
Book a Session with a Counselor at Thriveworks South Charlotte
The Thriveworks team is dedicated to our mission of helping others live happier, more successful lives. So, if you’re struggling with anxiety, consider reaching out to us for help. Anxiety counseling can prove beneficial to your mission of living better. To get started or to hear more about our services, give us a call at (704) 969-2597.
