Do you suffer from some form of anxiety?
Maybe you suffer from a severe case of it, the kind which causes panic attacks, complete with hyper-ventilating, sweaty palms and fast beating heart, which looks and feels like a serious heart condition, and is scary and often truly debilitating. Or perhaps you suffer from a healthy, milder case of anxiety which pushes you towards getting things done in a timely manner, but still manages to stress you out. Whatever the case may be, there are several things you should know about anxiety, it's causes, it's outcomes and how it can be treated.
Some common myths about Anxiety: 1. "It's not treatable without medication." Anxiety disorders are in fact treatable but it takes dedication and will on your part. Medication can help and should be used sparingly. In the treatment of anxiety the majority of the work is done by you, the client, and guided and led by your therapist.
2. "I can fix it on my own." People resist coming to therapy. It's too time consuming, it costs too much money. It's for people with serious mental conditions. While all of this may be true, treating Anxiety takes time, patience and intent focus to overcome. A therapist is the best place to start, so you don't have to go it alone. 3. "My mom was a worry wart too." People tend to blame genetics and heredity for debilitating conditions, and while genetics may render a predisposition to such things, by no means does that mean you should suffer and repeat history. 4. "It's not that serious." Only you can determine how serious your anxiety is, but even a little anxiety can turn big. And, if it's causing any unnecessary stress in your life, then it can have long term health risks. So, treating your anxiety can also be seen as preventative care for your overall lifelong health.
What are some causes of Anxiety? FEAR. Anxiety is a fear based emotion: Fear of failure, fear of sadness/loss/grief, fear of being along, fear of going broke/becoming homeless/not fitting in or being accepted, fear of getting lost, fear of death/dying.
What are some coping mechanisms people use to deal with anxiety? 1. Avoidance. This is the number one way people deal with anxiety provoking stimuli, and guess what? Thisdefense mechanism can contribute to your anxiety, building the stimuli up to something bigger than it needs to be.
2. Drugs. Alcohol. Sex. Any sort of addiction can also help placate an anxious disorder. But, these generally make us feel worse when all is said and done, and although they may cover up the emotions, at first, they often take over and people are left with an even bigger bag of dysfunction they need to clean up. Treatment 1. The first step to treating anxiety is to make a personal commitment to overcome it. Recognize the impact it is having on your life, recognize that it is preventing you from living your life to the fullest, and make the decision to live better, freer and fuller. 2. Then, get help. Psychotherapy treatment often focuses on CBT or Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. In general, CBT is about changing your thinking. The therapist and the client will work together to first understand how your thoughts and feelings contribute to anxiety. People with anxiety tend to have absolutist thinking, what I call "all or nothing" which is illogical, and irrational. The goal of CBT is to bring reason and logic back to your automatic thinking process, which is often deeply ingrained, and based on ideologies that don't quite fit your life now. CBT can be used in conjuction with other therapies as well. Medication can also help. If your anxiety is debilitating to the point of severe avoidance, medication can be helpful if used in conjunction with Psychotherapy, so that you have some reprieve and clarity of mind while working it through, if used minimally and with a plan for decrease and discontinued use in the near future. The goal is being anxiety free without medication.
It takes time, effort, and dedication to recognize these often long-standing patterns that cloud your thinking, and it takes will and determination to break these patterns permanently. Think of psychotherapy like the gym. You don't stop going when you become healthy. We need boosters and reminders to help us maintain changes. Working out a schedule with your therapist once treatment has become effective is important too.
Lastly, it is important to remember that Anxiety, if left untreated can become bigger and take over many parts of your life, and can have long term effects on your physical, physiological and immune systems. Your mind and body are always connected. Make a focused intent today to deal with the Anxiety in your life, and take a step towards a happier and healthier you. | 
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