Anxiety is a normal and necessary part of being human and is your body’s natural response to stress. It’s natural, for example, to experience anxiety when you’re faced with a hectic schedule, a demanding job, or even a dangerous situation.
But if your anxiety feels uncontrollable, excessive, irrational, or is interfering with your life, you may have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can affect people of any ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic class, or age. Many adults with anxiety also experienced it in their childhood or adolescence, sometimes unknowingly.
Living with an anxiety disorder can be a lifelong challenge, but not an impossible one. With proper treatment and the help of a mental health professional, you can learn to control the symptoms of anxiety and prevent them from interfering with your life. The therapists and counselors at Thriveworks in Tuscaloosa, AL are experienced in treating anxiety in its many shapes and forms, and would love to help you when you’re ready.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety?
The symptoms of anxiety are not always easy to identify, and anxiety disorders can sometimes be overlooked or dismissed by those who have them. Some people with anxiety may think they are just stressed, burnt out, or tired.
It’s not uncommon for anxiety to accompany other illnesses or mental health issues, which sometimes leads to further confusion. Working with a mental health professional is the best way to determine whether you are suffering from an anxiety disorder, and reach an accurate diagnosis for your condition so you can begin treating it.
There are many different types of anxiety, and each one can manifest differently from one person to the next. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are all different forms of anxiety triggered or caused by different factors, but even these unique conditions present some similar symptoms.
Anxiety can cause both psychological and physiological symptoms, and some of the most common include the following:
- Excessive or disproportional worry or stress about everyday situations
- Overthinking plans, solutions, or worst-case scenarios
- Indecisiveness or fear of making a wrong choice
- Difficulty thinking or concentrating
- Restlessness or nervousness
- Irritability
- Muscle tension or aching
- Fatigue
- Sweating
- Insomnia
- Nausea or other gastrointestinal problems
- Panic attacks
Many of these symptoms can be misattributed to other ailments or brushed off as normal reactions to stress. But if any of these or other anxiety symptoms don’t go away or become difficult to manage, consider speaking with a therapist at Thriveworks in Tuscaloosa, AL. Anxiety counseling can help you get to the bottom of what is causing your anxiety symptoms and teach you how to cope with them now and in the future.
What Does Anxiety Therapy Look Like?
Living with an anxiety disorder can feel overwhelming and frightening at times, and managing your anxiety symptoms on your own may be ineffective or cause symptoms to get worse. Or, maybe you just don’t know where to start. Fortunately, treating anxiety is possible and highly effective with the help of a mental health professional.
Therapy for anxiety is a highly personalized and unique experience that can look different from person to person. When you begin anxiety therapy, your therapist will design a treatment plan tailored to your specific issues and concerns. Your personality, emotional state, past experiences, and even your personal preferences will be taken into account during this process.
Your personalized treatment plan will most likely include one or more types of therapy to help you understand your anxiety disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and exposure therapy are common therapeutic approaches that help many people with anxiety manage and overcome their condition.
Your therapist or counselor may also recommend other techniques or lifestyle adjustments to cope with anxiety symptoms. Relaxation techniques, breathing practices, meditation, and avoiding caffeine can all help to reduce anxiety, for example. Sometimes, the addition of prescribed medications can also be helpful in controlling anxiety symptoms and managing anxiety disorders long term.
If you’d like to see what anxiety therapy can do for you, a licensed professional at Thriveworks in Tuscaloosa, AL may be able to see you in as little as 24 to 48 hours. You can book your first therapy session online or by calling our helpful scheduling team.
Beginning Therapy for Anxiety at Thriveworks in Tuscaloosa, AL
Anxiety can be a difficult, overwhelming, and frustrating condition to live with, but we make it easy to get the help you need at Thriveworks in Tuscaloosa, AL.
The benefits we offer each client make getting help for anxiety accessible and convenient, and include the following:
- Online counseling opportunities
- Weekend and evening appointments
- Email and phone access to providers between therapy sessions
- Counselor-moderated community discussion
- Ask-a-coach 24-hour Q&A
- Many insurance plans accepted
If anxiety is interfering with your life, counseling at Thriveworks in Tuscaloosa, AL can help you keep it from controlling your future. Connect with one of our therapists or counselors to learn how you can regain control of your mental health and experience a much healthier and happier life.
