Anyone who has experienced anxiety or panic attacks knows how intertwined feeling anxious and breathing are. When you have acute anxiety, you sometimes feel like you can’t breathe. You may begin to hyperventilate, and it requires conscious “anchoring” to slow your breath and remind your mind and body that you’re not in imminent danger.
But conscious breathing is easier said than done. When you’re in the middle of a panic attack, you can feel completely out of control: sweating, trembling, dizzy, nauseated. All these physical symptoms can be part of anxiety disorder and panic disorder, which usually involve intense worry or fear surrounding certain everyday objects or situations. But there’s hope for people who suffer from these mental health conditions.
The anxiety therapists and counselors at Thriveworks in Norman, OK are highly qualified to diagnose anxiety and deliver premium mental health care to people suffering from anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and other anxiety disorders. The top-rated therapy team at Thriveworks Norman is always compassionate, experienced, and supportive.
Is It Normal to Experience Anxiety?
Over 19% of adults in the United States have an anxiety disorder. That’s over 40 million people. And that statistic doesn’t include children, who are increasingly diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Anxiety doesn’t just affect people who have high-risk careers like firefighting. It can also affect rich and powerful people that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to be vulnerable to anxiety. For example, the following celebrities have spoken up about their experiences with anxiety:
- Kendall Jenner, panic attacks
- Amanda Seyfried, panic attacks
- Naomi Osaka, social anxiety disorder and depression
- Marcus Morris, anxiety and depression
- Lena Dunham, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Ariana Grande, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
The anxiety therapists and counselors at Thriveworks in Norman, OK have the expertise to treat a wide variety of symptoms of anxiety disorders, no matter what walk of life you’re from.
What Are the Common Signs of Anxiety?
Anxiety disorder can manifest in numerous ways, including physical symptoms like gastrointestinal upsets and nausea. Many people first bring the following symptoms to a primary care physician, not realizing they’re caused by an underlying anxiety disorder. Other common symptoms include:
- Sleep disruptions
- Nightmares
- Appetite issues
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Hypertension
- Memory issues
- Focus issues
- Racing heart
- Depression
The anxiety therapists at Thriveworks in Norman, OK can help unravel your physical and psychological symptoms and determine what might be linked to your anxiety.
Cognitively, anxiety often appears in the form of urgent questions like the following:
- Am I sick?
- Am I going to die?
- Are my loved ones going to die?
- Does everyone hate me?
- Is everyone mad at me?
- Did I forget to do something (like turn off the oven)?
- Is everyone okay? Should I check?
- Did I do something wrong?
- Am I too anxious?
A licensed anxiety therapist at Thriveworks can use evidence-based psychotherapy treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help break down and ultimately vanquish maladaptive thoughts and beliefs, relieving anxiety.
How Does Anxiety Counseling Work? How Can a Thriveworks Therapist Help Me With My Anxiety?
Therapy for anxiety can use many different approaches in order to most effectively treat anxiety and anxiety disorders. In addition to CBT, the mental health providers at Thriveworks in Norman, OK can use some of the following treatment options:
- Psychotherapy
- Exposure therapy, especially for phobias
- Psychiatric medication, prescribed by a licensed Thriveworks psychiatric NP
- Meditation and deep breathing
- Biofeedback
- Art and music therapy
- Eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR)
- Lifestyle changes
- Coping strategies
- Substance abuse counseling
- Family or couples therapy
Your anxiety counselor at Thriveworks in Norman, OK is also trained to recognize the symptoms of depression and eating disorders, conditions which can occur alongside anxiety. Professional therapists also know that anxiety isn’t one-size-fits-all. For example, phobia treatment can deviate from social anxiety treatment. And someone with PTSD may have vastly different triggers than someone with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
Is There Anxiety Counseling Near Me? Schedule a Session atThriveworks in Norman, OK
Thriveworks offers premium anxiety counseling in Norman, OK that’s accessible and affordable. The anxiety counselors at Thriveworks Norman can help you find your path to recovering from anxiety and panic disorder. They can provide the psychological support you need to get back to fulfilling your dreams.
Our licensed anxiety therapists accept most health insurance, making them affordable and accessible to clients who are wary about out-of-pocket expenses. Thriveworks also makes it easy to book appointments securely and quickly.
We don’t want anxiety to hold you back in life. And neither do you. Start a relationship with your exceptional Thriveworks counselor by booking a session today.
