Your therapist in Sugar Land discusses Anxiety: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments
Have you ever wondered if you have anxiety? Or do you find yourself always stressed, feeling nervous, restless, or tense?
Experiencing occasional anxiety is normal, however, people with anxiety disorders that benefit from therapy often experience intense, excessive, or persistent worry about everyday things. Anxiety attacks can peak within minutes and often interfere with common, daily tasks.
Symptoms of anxiety can occur during childhood, teenage years or may wait to manifest until adulthood. There are several kinds of anxiety disorders I treat including general anxiety, social anxiety, separation anxiety or other specific phobias.
Symptoms of anxiety from your therapist in Sugar Land
Common signs and symptoms of anxiety include the following:
Feeling nervous, restless or tense
Sensing impending danger or panic
Increased heart rate
Rapid breathing
Sweating
Trembling
Feeling weak or tired
Trouble concentrating or only thinking about what is worrying you
Sleeplessness
Gastrointestinal (GI) issues
Have you ever noticed your heart pounding fast while feeling out of breath? Or that you’re shaky, fidgety, and maybe even sweaty with tense muscles? Are you tired or unable to concentrate? Or find yourself avoiding places or people because they trigger anxiety?
If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and I can help.
Lets Talk Treatment with your therapist in Sugar Land
Here are 5 things you can do to get help with anxiety…
#1. Make an appointment with a therapist. Anxiety can build up over time. The longer you wait to get help, the more difficult it can be to treat your anxiety. A therapist can help you identify a specific anxiety disorder you are dealing with and help you learn how to establish coping skills. They can identify the root cause of your anxiety and help you work through feelings and situations associated with your worry and fear.
If you’ve already started looking for help and advice on your own, you might have found someone you really like on Instagram or Facebook that gives great advice on managing anxiety symptoms, and that is a great start! But truthfully, there is no replacement for the help from a trained therapist who will create a treatment plan specifically for you and who can guide you in identifying all the aspects of your personality and experiences that are influencing and validating your anxiety.
It’s time to seek help from a therapist if you’ve experienced any or all of the following:
Feeling like you’re worrying too much and it’s interfering with work, relationships, or other parts of your life
Your anxiety is difficult to control
You feel depressed or have other mental health issues associated with anxiety
You have or have had suicidal thoughts
#2. Exercise. Exercise can help your body release natural endorphins (or feel-good chemicals in the brain) which combat anxiety. It also serves as a distraction from your worries and fears and will increase your self-confidence as you set and achieve goals. It is a positive reinforcement that you are taking the time to overcome your anxiety, which makes a difference in your physical and mental health.
Ideally, 30 minutes of exercise a day is helpful, but even if you can just squeeze in 10-15 minutes, it will improve how you feel drastically! Go for a walk, meet a friend at a gym class or join a sports league—anything helps.
#3. Decrease caffeine. Caffeine, like anxiety, speeds you and your heart rate up if you have too much of it. When your mind and heart are racing, you don’t want to hit the gas. Limit caffeine to help decrease the physical symptoms you experience with anxiety.
#4. Limit your media consumption. What you surround yourself with matters. If you’re binge-watching shows that provoke feelings of anxiety, nervousness or panic, this is only going to increase your anxiety. The same goes for music. When you are feeling anxious, limit your music to calming or neutral music. Be aware of what music amps you up versus what makes you feel at peace. This can be different for everyone, so choose what’s best for you.
#5. Avoid alcohol or drug use. Alcohol and drugs can cause or worsen anxiety. If you’re addicted to either, quitting can make you anxious as well. It’s important to find a support group and/or a doctor to help you.
For some people, anxiety can be linked to underlying health issues or can be the first indicator of a medical illness. It can be the result of trauma, stress due to illness, stress buildup, or even genetics.
People with certain personalities or those with a history of anxiety or mental disorders that run in their family may be more prone to anxiety.
If you suspect you have anxiety or have been experiencing anxiety symptoms, give me a call today.
