Anxiety Therapy
Anxiety is a normal response to stress. When it becomes hard to control and affects your daily life, it can be debilitating. Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or fear about an event or situation. Perhaps surprisingly, it serves a purpose in our lives. It may help you stay attentive for a challenging situation at work, prepare more for an exam, or stay focused for an important speech. Unfortunately, anxiety can be disabling when it interferes with daily life; such as making you dread non-threatening daily activities like driving or interacting with a coworker. Anxiety can be felt like a sudden attack of terror when no threat exists.
Men and women with anxiety disorders experience a combination of anxious thoughts, physical symptoms, and changes in behavior, (e.g. avoiding everyday activities they used to do). Symptoms of anxiety disorders may vary among individuals. Each anxiety disorder has different symptoms. Each involves fear and dread about possibilities that may happen now or in the future. Physical symptoms of anxiety disorders often occur along with other mental or physical illnesses. This can cover up your anxiety symptoms or make them worse.
Physical symptoms may include:
- Weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid heart rate
- Nausea
- Upset stomach
- Hot flashes
- Dizziness
- Anxiety disorders are usually addressed with counseling, medicine, or a combination of both. Some women, and certainly some men, discover that yoga and/ or meditation helps with anxiety disorders. Some find their religious faith helps to lessen their anxiety.
If you are struggling with anxiety, let me help you deal more effectively with it. Call me today for an appointment at: (812) 332-4929.
Portions of this article were extracted, edited and paraphrased, with permission, from Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.