Everyone gets anxious sometimes. Experiencing anxiety is a normal part of life. For people with anxiety disorders, intense, excessive, persistent nervousness about everyday situations is a dominant force in their lives. Anxiety disorders sometimes involve repeated episodes of severe anxiety and fear or terror that peak within minutes (panic attacks). However, anxiety counseling can mitigate these symptoms.
Feeling anxious or panicked can interfere with daily activities. These feelings are extremely difficult to control, and they can have a profound implant in a person’s life. You may avoid places or situations to prevent these feelings. Symptoms sometimes start during childhood or adolescence and can easily continue into adulthood. Types of anxiety disorders include the following:
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Specific phobias
- Separation anxiety disorder
Your therapist may decide you have more than one anxiety disorder. Depending on the severity of your anxiety, you may require medication therapy management in addition to therapy.
Do I have Symptoms of an Anxiety Disorder?
Common anxiety signs and symptoms include:
- Feeling persistently restless, nervous, or tense
- A pervasive sense of impending danger
- Rapid heart rate
- Hyperventilating
- Trembling
- Sweating
- Exhaustion
- Distracted by Fear
- Sleep problems
- Stomach and digestion issues
- Difficulty controlling worry
- Avoiding everyday things that trigger anxiety
- Worrying about worrying
Types of Anxiety Disorders
There are many types of anxiety disorders that fall into the following categories:
- Anxiety disorder due to a medical condition: Symptoms of intense, frequent anxiety or panic that are directly caused by a physical health problem.
- Generalized anxiety disorder: Persistent and excessive anxiety about activities or events (even ordinary, routine activities). The amount of worry is disproportionate to the actual circumstance, it is impossible to control and affects your physical health. Often occurs alongside depression or other mental health issues.
- Panic disorder: repeated episodes of intense anxiety or terror that reach a peak within minutes. Often accompanied by feelings of impending danger, shortness of breath, chest pain, or rapid heart palpitations. People often avoid situations where these symptoms have occurred (and situations where they have the potential to happen).
- Separation anxiety disorder: fear of being away from a loved one.
- Social anxiety disorder (social phobia): high levels of anxiety, fear and avoidance of social situations, persistent feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness, and fear of being judged.
- Specific phobias: Major anxiety during (and before) exposure to a specific situation. It can provoke panic attacks in some people.
- Substance-induced anxiety disorder: Symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are a direct result of chemical dependency. We do not offer addiction therapy at Remedy Therapy but can recommend a rehab center.
Mental Health Counseling Near Palm Beach Gardens
If anxiety is affecting your social and occupational functioning, our mental health counseling services can help you take control of your life. More than 30% of the United States population struggles with anxiety. Please consider treatment at Remedy Therapy if your anxiety causes any of the following issues:
- Constant worry that interferes with your job or social life
- Inability control feelings of anxiousness
- You have suicidal thoughts or behaviors (if this is the case, seek emergency treatment immediately)
Prevention
Preventing an anxiety disorder before it happens is impossible; however, it is possible to treat symptoms and gain control of your anxiety. The following strategies have proven effective in treating anxiety:
- Get help from a therapist early; waiting longer makes treatment more difficult.
- Stay physically and mentally active.
- Surround yourself with good, caring, rational people.
- Avoid alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. These things might ease your anxiety in the short term, but developing an addiction is very common in people attempting to mask their anxiety.
Anxiety often does not heal on its own, and it may get worse over time without treatment. Contact Remedy Therapy online or call 561.414.2607 to speak with one of our therapists or clinicians to start learning strategies proven to decrease anxiety.
