Anxiety Therapy in California

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is the body’s natural response to stressful situations. It is a survival response that allows our bodies to protect ourselves. We may feel nervous before going into an interview, public speaking, or taking an exam. Other times anxiety can be caused by things such as trauma and difficult situations. Anxiety is a normal human experience, but if it persists for long periods and starts to interfere with your life, then you may need to seek professional help. 

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about 19% of U.S. adults experience anxiety each year. Teenage depression and anxiety are also on the rise and 31% of adolescents aged 13 to 18 struggle with anxiety. Types of anxiety disorders include health anxiety, social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic disorder. People may also struggle with panic attacks or anxiety attacks.

ANXIETY DISORDERS

Unlike ordinary anxiety, an anxiety disorder can cause a constant feeling of fear, which can sometimes be debilitating. Intrusive and obsessive thoughts can become overwhelming. They interfere with daily life and deeply impact how people function. People can exhibit anxiety symptoms in different ways. So at times, anxiety can be easy to recognize, and at other times it may not be. Some people self-isolate while others do the opposite. Children and teenagers show different anxiety symptoms than adults. Coping with anxiety disorders can include learning to manage symptoms in therapy, attending support groups, exposure therapy, or working through interpersonal relationship challenges.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF GENERAL ANXIETY

Symptoms of anxiety can feel very different depending on the person experiencing it. Below are some common symptoms:

• Persistent worrying 

• Fatigue 

• Trouble sleeping 

• Nervousness or being easily startled

• Feeling faint 

• Nausea and butterflies

• Racing thoughts 

• Rapid heartbeat and breathing 

• Upset stomach  

HOW ANXIETY THERAPY AT TRUST MENTAL HEALTH CAN HELP

Sometimes lifestyle changes can help you deal with anxiety symptoms. These adjustments to your daily life may include adding more physical activity, avoiding alcohol and drug use, reducing your caffeine intake, and lowering stress. In more severe cases, treatment for anxiety can include anxiety therapy and medication. Those who suffer from anxious thoughts often have a complicated relationship with their mind. The mind can give us negative feedback and dwell on thoughts that are often not true. Believing all these negative thoughts and letting them consume you can cause a lot of anxiety.

Through anxiety therapy, you will learn tools and practices that will enable you to cope and better manage your daily life. You will learn to recognize what triggers your anxiety and will receive treatment for anxiety attacks that will allow you to work through them on your own. In time, you will build up your self-confidence and become more open to experiences in your life. Anxiety therapy and your treatment will vary depending on your specific symptoms and their severity. Our therapists are trained in severe anxiety treatment, and they are also capable of adjusting treatment to meet the needs of the client.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT)

Trust Mental Health therapists often use techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is recognized as one of the best treatments for anxiety. This allows patients to identify negative thinking patterns, challenge them, and replace them with realistic thoughts.  It is important to recognize when you are having anxious thoughts to see them as just thoughts and nothing more. Getting to the root cause of your anxiety will lead to greater self-awareness.

CBT is especially effective in the treatment of phobias, including social phobia or social anxiety. A CBT-trained therapist may encourage you to engage in small, reasonable challenges that build over time. This treatment is likely to help you in overcoming social anxiety, or any other type of phobia that may impact your daily functioning.

Coping with anxiety can be daunting, but we are here for you. Treatment with a Trust Mental Health therapist will give you the assurance and confidence needed to handle stressful situations. We hope to support you through the hard moments and give you the tools you need to ease your anxiety.

Trust Mental Health can match you with a professional therapist who has experience in anxiety therapy. Our team of BIPOC therapists offers therapy in California. We hold sessions both in-person and online. Contact us today for a free 15-minute consultation and we will match you with a therapist best suited to your needs.

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