Get Your Anxiety Out of The Driver’s Seat

Get Back in Control

WHY CAN’T I JUST STOP WORRYING?

Anxiety has multiple causes. It’s often caused by a combination of biological and environmental influences. While there are heritable mechanisms at play, life experience often creates the conditions for it to appear. While it makes sense to want to get to the bottom of what caused it in the first place, it may be helpful to figure out why it has become an issue now.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY

Many of my clients have experienced some degree of anxiety from time to time. It worsens during times of increased stress, while at other times it seems to appear without any known cause. Whether you can put your finger on it or not, anxiety can stop you right in your tracks. When this happens, we get stuck in a cycle of worry, overthinking, and we expect the worst. It’s surprising that not everyone has an anxiety disorder. There are manageable ways to cope with anxiety, but many of us were never taught the proper strategies for keeping it in check. Society has taught us to always be “plugged in” and always on the go to avoid being left behind. In a culture where life doesn’t slow down, it’s hard to figure out how to press pause and be present. It’s no wonder that anxiety is driving the car.

WILL SOMETHING BAD HAPPEN IF I STOP WORRYING?

One of the biggest blocks to managing anxiety is the expectation that something will go wrong the moment you stop worrying. Overthinking, getting overwhelmed, and being afraid to fail robs you of your ability to be in the moment and to enjoy your life.

Anxiety tricks you into believing you are lazy or missing out if you’re not paying attention to everything at all times. Scheduling breaks and taking moments to unplug does not mean you will fail, miss out, or be left behind. Therapy can help you to prioritize what actually needs your full attention in the moment.

WHAT THERAPY FOR ANXIETY CAN DO FOR YOU

Therapy can help to ensure anxiety doesn’t take up too much space and prevent you from having joy and fulfillment. Of course you’ll still get stressed out and worried. You’ll just be more equipped with the healthy coping strategies to reduce it’s hold on you without resorting to the patterns that are unhelpful or harmful.

WHAT’S KEEPING YOU FROM COMING IN FOR THERAPY?

I know that a big part of your anxiety is rooted in not being good enough and being seen as a failure. Asking for help also means admitting weakness and that you can’t do this all by yourself anymore. Despite all your efforts to meet the expectations of yourself and others, it always seems like there is something more you should have done. The cycle continues.

Many of my clients have a difficult time determining their self-worth in the absence of validation from others. They struggle to know if their performance is satisfactory without checking to make sure it meets some criteria. This often sounds like, “I need to receive 100% on my exam” or “I must always make my family proud.”

Therapy can teach you to rely on internal determinants of worth as opposed to just looking outside for it. Your anxiety doesn’t need to be the one in the driver’s seat, and I would love to help you regain control of it.

BEGINNING THERAPY FOR YOUR ANXIETY

You don’t have to keep battling your stress and worries all on your own. Online Counseling can help you on the road to managing your worries and being in greater control. I would love to speak with you today about how to get started! Contact me here to schedule a 15-minute phone consultation or to schedule your first appointment with me. We can work together to learn healthier ways to cope today!

Contact me!

Please send me a message telling me a bit about what you are looking for. You can also use this form to request a free 15 minute consultation or to make an appointment. Talk to you soon!