Anxiety Treatment
Have you been wondering whether or not you need anxiety treatment?
Is your energy sapped from the marathon of thoughts that have been racing through your mind?
Do you spend an inordinate amount of time feeling either worried or guilty?
Do you find yourself thinking if only I could switch off my brain?
Is it difficult to enjoy people and events in your life because you are off to the next list of things nagging at your thoughts?
Anxiety is becoming disproportionately common as we are flooded with more and more information at a faster and faster pace. We are expected to do more in less time and in some cases with fewer resources. Low range reports suggest 18%, while it is believed that estimates closer to 30% of the adult population in the United States suffer from anxiety that is disruptive in ways that cause individuals to seek anxiety treatment, at times for what are believed to be physical ailments. There are political concerns, social concerns, environmental concerns, educational concerns, economic concerns, health and lifestyle concerns, familial concerns, occupational concerns, marital concerns. Does this sound familiar?
Just for a moment, take a long deep breath, (no- pause- actually take a long deep breath), unclench your jaw, pull your shoulders down away from your ears, and remind yourself-I do have some influence over my thoughts, I do have some influence over myself, I do have some influence over my life. I get to choose the pace, maybe not every moment of every day but at least more often than I am doing now. I am writing the script that is in my mind. I choose what goes in, I choose what to filter out. I am doing a much better job than I give myself credit for. That is a momentary sampling of what anxiety treatment will do to calm your symptoms of anxiety.
What if your brain was no longer your enemy? What if it ceased to be the force from which you seek sleep to quell and you didn’t have to curse while you lay staring at the ceiling at night when sleep evades you? There are ways to embrace this always performing brain, that which makes you conscientious with others and a go getter in your work life. With treatment for anxiety, it can also be the brain that learns (with practice and patience) that mindfulness-based techniques really can be mastered by the most anxious mind. With counseling for anxiety, it can also be the brain that knows that breathing and challenging the catastrophic thinking can become second nature as well. Overcoming anxiety will also mean allowing yourself opportunities for self care without the common bed fellow, guilt, coming along for the ride. Anxiety treatment actually does make a difference. Consider this- if you approached your anxiety with compassion and self love, it may even curl up next to you for a while and REST.
What makes us different than any other therapists for anxiety that are singing the praises of mindfulness, meditation and thought modification? What makes us different in the treatment of anxiety is our ability to understand your unique brand of worry. What makes us different is our ability to help you find a regimen of calm mind promoting rituals that you can maintain and that you find you want to incorporate into your daily life. Our treatment for anxiety is infused with humor while also taking a realistic look at circumstances which may warrant your anxiety or circumstances in which you may choose to be anxious rather than express anger or an unpleasant emotion toward someone else in your life. After all, wouldn’t we anxious minded much rather be uncomfortable ourselves than make someone else upset? We strive to assist you in restoring the belief that you can trust yourself and make decisions that are right for you rather than remaining frozen in an anxious state. Allow us to help you come to understand when your anxiety is there to let you know it’s time for a change, and when you can say “this is a catastrophe that does not serve me today.”
Won’t talking about my anxiety make me anxious?
The safest place to have a panic attack is in a therapist’s office. You have nowhere else to be for an hour and an arsenal of calming coping techniques at your disposal. You can trust that even if talking about sweaty palms, and rapid heart rate and a stammering voice bring those symptoms on, that you will learn something new about surviving it and accepting help in moving through the fear.
Will I have to take medication?
Gathering information about what is available to you both behaviorally, homeopathically and medicinally only makes you a more educated consumer of treatment for your anxiety. It does not mean that you will be inducted into taking medication if that is not in line with how you want to approach your treatment. It’s okay to relinquish the control of feeling that you have to muscle through anxiety on your own and not let it get the best of you. It’s okay to partner with a therapist who can be a resource to you in making informed decisions about how to minimize the impact of anxiety on your life and relationships. And if medication is a component of your treatment for anxiety, you can find comfort in knowing that we do have a psychiatric nurse practitioner in our group who will work hand in hand with your therapist to provide the most comprehensive care. Read more about Laura Petiford, PMHNP, LMFT.
What if my anxiety gets worse rather than better?
This is likely your anxiety talking. Do your best to suspend worst case scenario thinking at least for the first several sessions. It is important to find a therapist that is the right fit for you, and you can certainly expect that treatment for anxiety should also mean some noticeable relief from anxiety both short and long term. Bear in mind anxiety treatment does mean practice and patience and is in and of itself an exercise in relinquishing some level of control, which is another key component in leaving your symptoms of anxiety behind. If you would like to set up an initial consultation or have additional questions or concerns that are not addressed in the information above, please do not hesitate to contact us.