The Problem with Anxiety
The constant worry has you exhausted. Your mind races and negative self-talk plays on repeat in your brain. The overwhelming stress leaves you feeling scared, distant, uneasy, and maybe even depressed. You’re starting to get anxiety about your anxiety, and you need it to stop.
It doesn't help that today's demands are ever-increasing, that we're wired around the clock, and that life doesn't seem to be letting up. The results of all this build up lead you to avoiding situations, struggling in relationships, unable to fully enjoy the good times, and not living your life to the fullest. Anxiety therapy can help.
Common Types of Anxiety
General Anxiety is one of the most common issues today, and a huge reason why we choose to seek out therapy. It comes with that uncontrollable worry that keeps you on edge and causes emotional and physical symptoms. You find yourself ruminating or constantly thinking about the "what if's."
Common Effects of Uncontrolled Anxiety
Headaches
Stomach Upset or Frequent Diarrhea
Muscle Pain or Tension
Irritability
Insomnia (Can't get enough sleep and feel exhausted)
Restlessness (Can't sit still and relax)
Relationship Anxiety can see us thinking and behaving in ways we are so uncomfortable with, we sabotage the very relationship we actually want. Anxiety in relationships happens when the more we like someone and they like us back, the more we feel stressed and unable to be ourselves. A simple date can send us into a sleepless night worried about each little thing we said and did. And the more the relationship continues, the more we can be caught up in irrational doubt and fear.
This can show up as feeling needy, second guessing you every move, and wondering if you are “good enough.”This ultimately sabotages your relationships, as you struggle to be your true self that others would naturally love.
Panic Attacks includes episodes of sudden intense fear. Sometimes stemming from a traumatic experience, we develop this “Flight or Fight or Freeze” response when experiencing a triggers. You may find that even the idea of the trigger occurring causes panic. Other times, you may not even be aware of the trigger.
Panic Attack Symptoms
Racing Heartbeat
Feeling faint, dizzy or light-headed
Fear that you will totally lose control
Sweating, trembling, or shaking
Shortness of breath, or short shallow breathing
Perfectionism is the anxiety that comes from holding yourself to impossibly high standards. No matter how much you achieve, it never feels like enough. Some people mistakenly believe that perfectionism is a healthy motivator, but that’s not the case. Perfectionism can make you feel unhappy with your life. It can lead to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and self-harm. Eventually, it can also lead you to stop trying to succeed. Even mild cases can interfere with your quality of life, affecting your personal relationships, education, or work.
Can Therapy Help Anxiety?
To help you combat anxiety issues, I use a combination of therapies tailored to your needs and strengths, including Cognitive- Behavioral (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution Focused, Adlerian, and Existential. We will work together to make the changes needed in thoughts and behaviors as you relearn new ways to cope with life.
We will also take a deep dive into your lifestyle, sleep patterns, dietary habits and exercise routine. We’ll determine if we can make reasonable adjustments that will lessen your anxiety naturally and holistically.
You may also need to “unpack” some past life experiences that taught you how to be anxious. It is often a protection to help you avoid deeper pain or a tool you learned to get your needs met. By digging deeper, you can discover the origins of your anxiety and how you may “unintentionally” reinforce it through your choices.
FAQ's
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal part of living. It’s a biological reaction— natural response to a stressful or dangerous situation. It keeps us from harm’s way and prepares us to act quickly in the face of danger. It is useful, actually.
The problem is for some, this reaction becomes more intense, occurs frequently, and lasts hours or even days. The anxiety becomes overwhelming and hard to “turn off.” You may find that you worry about everything no matter how big (money, health, and work) or small (appointments, driving, and the daily routine of your loved ones).
Is my anxiety bad enough to seek help?
Anxiety is a normal part of living, however, it may be severe enough where you would benefit from counseling to reduce the intensity of the anxiety and learn better ways to cope. Therapy is beneficial if your anxiety is persistent, you start avoiding provoking situations, or you notice the anxiety is causing friction in your relationships or problems with work and life tasks due to difficulty with concentration.
What causes anxiety?
higher chance of developing one. Other factors that may lead to problems with anxiety may include experiences of traumatic events, learning unhealthy fears when growing up. Sometimes, it just comes down to personality and brain chemistry.
Regardless of the causes, people sometimes perpetuate the anxiety problems through belief systems and behaviors. Therapy can help adjust belief systems and behaviors that just don’t work for you and practice new actions that will decrease the effect of anxiety on your daily life.
What is the best way to treat anxiety?
Research shows that the most effective course for treating anxiety is a combination of psychotherapy and medication.
A very close second most effective treatment is psychotherapy alone. Medication alone can help but is found to be far less effective without the addition of therapy.
Think of anxiety as a boiling pot of water. Medication can help “put a lid on it” so you don’t notice the boiling water as much. Therapy is a way to “turn down the heat” so the water can stop boiling all together.
How do I know if I need medication for anxiety?
In concurrence with psychotherapy, medication may be a short-term or long-term treatment option, depending on severity of symptoms, other medical conditions, and individual circumstances.
When you start working with me, I will do an assessment to understand the severity of the anxiety symptoms and the impact on your life. Based on the assessment and initial progress of therapy, we can discuss if medication would be beneficial to consider to maximize your progress. You will then be referred to a psychiatrist who specializes in medications for mental health.
What areas of South Florida do you service?
We service all of South Florida. Our clients typically live in Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Boca Raton or other surrounding cities.