Having run-of-the-mill anxiety is quite different from having an anxiety disorder. Consider flying, for example. You might get sweaty palms during takeoff or tremble a bit at occasional turbulence. That’s anxiety. But you boarded the plane, made it through the flight, and disembarked happy to be home.
Someone with aerophobia, however, won’t get on a plane. Flying might cause them to have a panic attack — or fear having one. Perhaps even the thought of flying prompts a shudder and the thought, “I’m never doing that again.”
Anxiety is one of the body’s natural responses to stress. But anxiety disorders can cause the body and mind to react in debilitating ways. They can prevent us from taking a risk or trying something new. They can disrupt work or school and impact relationships. Anxiety disorders can prevent us from living the full life we want.
But anxiety disorders are treatable. Therapy can empower people to address their anxiety symptoms and learn effective ways to cope. Seeking therapy for anxiety can be an important first step toward pursuing your passions and living your best life.
If you are ready to address your anxiety symptoms, call the mental health professionals at Thriveworks in Midland, TX for an appointment.
Do I Have an Anxiety Disorder?
Everyone feels anxiety to some extent in their life. It’s that clenched jaw or stomach pang or drop of sweat that accompanies a stressful situation. But for millions of Americans struggling with anxiety disorders, those symptoms can stick around longer than is normal and can significantly interfere with their day-to-day activities.
Some of the most common symptoms of anxiety disorders include:
- Feeling constantly tense or agitated
- Dizziness
- Racing heart
- Excessive worry
- Sleeplessness and exhaustion
- Chest tightness
- Unexplained aches and pains
- An inability to focus
- Profuse sweating or feeling clammy
- Appetite loss
- Persistent dry mouth
- Stomach pain or fluttering
- Neck tightness that can cause headaches
These symptoms and others can begin for many reasons, such as stressful life events (job loss or divorce) or chronic personal issues. They can be caused by genetics, environmental factors, brain chemistry, or a combination of factors.
Fortunately for many people, therapy offers hope for controlling these anxiety symptoms and restoring a positive outlook. Call today for an appointment at Thriveworks in Midland, TX if you want to learn more about treatment for anxiety.
How Can Anxiety Therapy Help?
Anxiety disorders can take many forms. They can cause severe worry (as with generalized anxiety disorder), panic attacks (panic disorder), or acute fear of things or situations (phobias). Those facing anxiety disorders often have a degree of anxiety that is considered excessive for the situations they face, or their symptoms make them unable to perform everyday tasks.
In either of these cases, therapy can help. Anxiety counseling can teach people to understand what they feel, why it’s happening, and ways to control it. As with any form of treatment, early intervention offers the best opportunity for a positive outcome.
Therapy is designed to give people the tools to manage their anxiety. And because anxiety disorders present differently, therapy can take several forms. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective method that helps teach clients how to identify negative thoughts and behaviors and cope with them.
Acceptance commitment therapy (ACT) vests people with the power to accept and manage their thoughts rather than try to change them. And exposure therapy can be used to treat phobias by introducing stressors incrementally to desensitize the client to the feared object or situation.
Mental health professionals can use different forms of psychotherapy, in conjunction with medication if necessary, to deliver a complete treatment plan. Your Thriveworks professional will determine the right course of action for your situation based on the severity and type of your symptoms.
When you’re ready to bring some calm back into your life, consider calling for an appointment at Thriveworks in Midland, TX.
Schedule Therapy for Anxiety With Thriveworks in Midland, TX
If you’re suffering from anxiety symptoms, Thriveworks is here to help. Our goal is to make the therapeutic experience accessible and rewarding.
To start, we make it easy to schedule an appointment. We offer flexible sessions, with night and weekend availability, to fit your lifestyle. New clients often can see a provider within 24-48 hours.
If you’d prefer to avoid the commute, Thriveworks offers online counseling as well. It’s safe, effective, and highly convenient. Instead of visiting an office, you speak with a therapist by phone or video without ever stepping foot outside your home.
Thriveworks accepts many major insurance plans and offers a flexible cancellation policy. And with our additional client benefits, you can enhance your experience through our online community, life coaching Q&A, and exclusive video content.
If anxiety is preventing you from living your best life, our licensed counselors and therapists at Thriveworks in Midland, TX can help. Give us a call or head over to our scheduling tool to get started.
