What is Anxiety Treatment?
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety can be so many different things. It can be from a chemical imbalance in our brain or body. On the other hand, anxiety can also be a response to situations where we weren't feeling (or simply weren’t) safe. Anxiety can also be rooted in our childhood from when we maybe didn't have our needs met by caregivers. Sometimes, it can also be passed on through genetics. Do you feel like anxiety runs in the family?
Where is My Anxiety From? What’s it’s Source?
If you're thinking to yourself, I had a good childhood I haven't really had any situations where I haven't felt safe. Yet I still feel anxious. That's perfectly normal too. As an anxiety therapist in the bay area, I have seen many situations where anxiety doesn't come from a source. Sometimes it is part of who we are. Like we said, sometimes it “runs in the family” as well.
Most people will experience anxiety at some point in their life, with good reason. The concern is when it limits us from living the life that we love.
For example, being concerned about the state of the world? A valid concern. Obsessive thoughts about the world ending, bunkering down with food and water to last 6+ months while living in the north bay area in CA? Maybe we should talk!
No matter the cause, anxiety does impact us and it does impact how we go about our day-to-day lives, how we make decisions, and how we interact with our loved ones. Sometimes it debilitates us from doing the things that we want to do.
According to the National Institute of Mental Illness, approximately 20% of people in the United States struggle with anxiety at some point in their lives. That is over 40 million people just in the US – you certainly are not alone!
What are some anxiety symptoms?
Nervousness (especially with stomach upset)
Avoiding things that make us feel extra unsafe
Being kept up at night by thoughts
Thinking about what could go wrong to the point that it is causing issues in your life or relationships
Irritability
Jumpy
Heart racing
Excessive Sweating that is ruled out by other medical conditions
Constant worry about general things in life
Perfectionism
Hard time concentrating
A lot of time our clients are anxious about the dying process. Common concerns include if loved ones made it safely to the other side (whatever that means for each person), and how they are going to manage after a loved one dies. Sometimes they are concerned about how the family will manage since they are facing a chronic illness.
People that are looking to expand their families may be anxious about the pregnancy, the birthing process, and what life looks like with a newborn. These are all completely normal forms of worry and anxiety treatment in the San Francisco bay area can help us work through them when we are feeling stuck.
How it impacts your mental health and your life!
The thing with anxiety or any other type of issue that we are looking at, is we want to look at how much is it impacting your day-to-day life. Most of the time, when it creeps in, it is going to impact your life and take away your ability to do the things that you want to do, feel that you should do, or are asked of you. What we want to work towards in anxiety treatment is to reduce the amount of power that anxiety has over your life. That doesn't mean that we're going to be able to get rid of the anxiety completely. However, it does mean that we're going to work through it to find ways to combat it, quiet it, and work through the feelings. As an anxiety therapist, I know how to identify when it comes up so that you can do the things that you want to do and live an amazing life that you deserve to live.
As an anxiety therapist do I think it defines you?
I'll start by saying that no anxiety doesn't have to define you. But it so easily can. I think we all know what I'm going to say here, therapy in the Bay Area can help! Something – anything – only becomes a problem when it impacts your life in a non-desirable way. If anxiety symptoms, thoughts, and behaviors are what keep you from the things you want to do, then it might be time to talk with our anxiety therapist. So you can start working through some of those overwhelming worries.
How will anxiety treatment tackle my anxious thoughts?
First and foremost, talk therapy in California (what we do!). There are a lot of different techniques out there, like cognitive behavioral therapy, that work well for anxiety treatment. In fact, it’s the leading therapy technique to help reduce the unwanted symptoms of anxiety.
Other things that people have success with, is doing some form of exercising – even walking, can help to regulate the body and reduce the flooding of anxiety symptoms that we get.
If we try all of the things, like therapy, walking, reducing caffeine intake, stress reduction, etc, it might be worth a conversation with your primary care physician (PCP) or psychiatrist to see what added relief medication can bring. A combination of therapy & medication is well known to be one of the very best anxiety treatments. However, it’s not for everyone. As your anxiety therapist, I’ll be happy to work with you and your prescribing medical doctor (at your request) to make sure we’re working towards the results you desire.
Need some immediate yet short-term relief?
Grounding is something that you can do without an anxiety therapist, right here, right now, to help reduce anxious thoughts and feelings. Let me walk you through it!
You can do this with your eyes open or closed, whatever feels safest for you. The goal is to reduce your attention to what is peaking your anxiety symptoms and refocus on things within your immediate surroundings.
What can I touch right now?
Is it hot? Cold? What is the texture of things around me? And feel them.
What do I smell?
Take several deep breaths through your nose to see what scents you can pick up.
What can I see?
Identify the things immediately in front of you and what is in the distance? What textures am I looking at? Look at things in as much detail as possible.
Things I can taste
Can you taste something in your mouth?
What can I hear?
Listen for your pets to breathe, the wind passing by, birds chirping, electronics on in the background
By the end of the exercise, you should notice feeling a little bit calmer and more grounded.
Ready for anxiety treatment in the San Francisco Bay Area?
I know the thought of hitting the contact now button, reaching out directly to an anxiety therapist, or filling out a form seems really over the top anxiety-provoking right now. That is completely normal and a universal feeling for so many people. But, it’s just like ripping off a band-aid. It’s quick, stings a little bit and then it’s done. I’ll reach back out to you as soon as I can, and we’ll schedule something for your complimentary consultation. While it may feel impossible the process to start anxiety treatment and get relief for your symptoms starts right here. Bay Area for Wellness in California is here for you when you’re ready to initiate change!
Start by contacting Bay Area Therapy for Wellness
Have a complimentary consultation with a compassionate anxiety therapist
Start learning to identify and reduce your anxiety symptoms
Other Therapy Services We Offer in California
Bay Area Therapy for Wellness in the San Francisco bay area specializes in helping your live a full and happy life. We provide anxiety treatment, grief counseling, and therapy for depression. Additionally, we can provide caregiver support and therapy for chronic illnesses. Sometimes it is the whole family who needs support which is why our online therapist provides family therapy as well. Want to start therapy but don’t live in the bay area? That’s alright because our services are offered through online therapy anywhere in California.
We look forward to joining you on your journey.
