The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. once stated, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” This is sage advice for anyone with anxiety. But, like most things, it’s easier said than done. When someone has anxiety, they might forecast the worst that can happen. That means they’re always looking past the first step and trying to see the entire staircase. This can lead to decision paralysis, where your foot can’t even get off the ground. There you are glued to the bottom of the staircase, never advancing an inch, and all because you can’t stop thinking ahead. But fortunately, premium help is available.
The licensed anxiety therapists at Thriveworks in Novi, MI have extensive experience in helping people who suffer from anxiety. Whether your anxiety symptoms are acute or mild, the mental health providers at Thriveworks are there for you. Thriveworks anxiety therapists and counselors are skilled at ways of reducing anxiety symptoms and getting their clients back on track to achieving their goals without uncontrollable fears and worries.
What Are the Symptoms of Anxiety?
Anxiety can manifest in a variety of ways, including in other health conditions. For example, a person suffering from acute anxiety might experience digestive problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). They may also have migraines, insomnia, or appetite problems.
When a person is actively experiencing anxiety, they may feel their heart racing. They may feel nauseated, dizzy, or short of breath. These symptoms can worsen during a panic attack, even leading a person to think they’re having a heart attack.
Anxiety can also manifest as repetitive behaviors, as in the case of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). People with anxiety might also suffer from depression. They may abuse drugs or alcohol in order to manage their symptoms, though substance abuse will just lead to more problems down the line.
Sometimes anxiety appears as avoidance, like in the case of social anxiety disorder when a person might isolate themselves.
A perceptive anxiety therapist at Thriveworks in Novi, MI will be on the lookout for all these symptoms and more. The therapist will also delve into the anxious person’s thought processes in order to uncover the thoughts and beliefs underlying the anxiety.
What Is the Best Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?
Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by often irrational, overwhelming fears and worries that interfere with daily functioning. The mental health professionals at Thriveworks in Novi, MI have a number of tools in their toolbox to treat GAD, including the following:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Exposure therapy, particularly for specific phobias of an object or situation
- Psychodynamic therapy
- Psychiatric medications like antidepressants, prescribed by a Thriveworks psychiatrist
- Holistic methods like meditation and deep breathing
- Mindfulness therapy
- Supportive-expressive therapy
- Biofeedback
- Substance abuse therapy
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR)
- Lifestyle modifications like increased exercise, better nutrition, and reduced caffeine
- Family therapy or couples counseling to address relationships affected by anxiety
These different types of therapy can be applied separately or combined depending on the client’s goals, wishes, and how they respond to treatment.
Panic Attacks: Is There a Way to Overcome Them?
Panic disorder usually manifests in panic attacks, which can be extremely scary. Thriveworks clients often learn relaxation techniques to help them manage panic attacks in the moment until they get the disorder under long-term control. If you’re feeling anxious and out of control, you can do the following:
- Breathe deeply, which can communicate to your mind that you’re safe.
- Bring what’s happening into conscious awareness, i.e., tell yourself that you’re not dying, that you’re just having a panic attack.
- Find a focus object. You can also use the 3 3 3 rule to engage your senses and foster mindfulness. For example, find three things in your immediate environment that you can smell, three things that you can touch, and three things that you can hear.
- Repeat a mantra like, “I am okay.”
Get Premium Anxiety Therapy at Thriveworks in Novi, MI
Thriveworks therapists in Novi, MI use numerous evidence-based treatments to treat panic disorder, separation anxiety, and numerous other types of anxiety disorder. It’s not healthy for an anxious person’s body to be in fight-or-flight mode so often. Great therapists can teach people ways to calm their minds, and hence calm their bodies. Then clients can get back to living their best lives.
Because all Thriveworks mental health providers are fully licensed, they accept most major forms of health insurance. This helps keep therapy affordable to all who need it. Thriveworks therapists in Novi, MI can meet clients in-person at the modern office, or hold online counseling sessions. Clients can choose the method that’s most comfortable and convenient for them. Finally, Thriveworks clients can access their provider between sessions by phone or email.
Stop missing out on joyful moments because of your anxiety. Call Thriveworks today.
