Anxiety is a natural response to stress, but when it becomes overwhelming or persistent, it can impact your daily life, your relationships, and overall well-being. If you often find yourself feeling restless, experiencing racing thoughts, or struggling with physical symptoms like a racing heart or shortness of breath, you may be dealing with some kind of anxiety disorder. The good news is that therapy can provide effective tools to help manage and reduce anxiety so that you regain control of your life.
Firstly, what is anxiety?
You have probably heard the term anxiety often in day-to-day life. While anxiety can mean a feeling of stress, an anxiety disorder can have a much more prominent impact on your life. Anxiety manifests in different ways for different people. Some common types of anxiety disorders include:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – Persistent, excessive worry about various aspects of your life.
Social Anxiety Disorder – Intense fear of social situations and fear of being judged by others.
Panic Disorder – This can include sudden, intense episodes of fear accompanied by physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, difficulty breathing or panic.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Recurrent thoughts or obsessions and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) which aim to reduce distress.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Anxiety triggered by past traumatic experiences.
How to deal with anxiety and how therapy can help
Therapy provides a structured, supportive environment to explore anxiety, understand its triggers, and develop healthy coping mechanisms. This can take time, but can completely change the way you feel anxiety and handle it in your day-to-day life. Here are some common therapeutic approaches used to treat anxiety:
1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety. It helps individuals identify and challenge negative thought patterns, replacing them with more realistic and balanced perspectives. CBT also includes practical techniques like breathing exercises and gradual exposure to anxiety-provoking situations to reduce avoidance behaviours.
2. Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness-based therapy teaches individuals to stay present in the moment, reducing overthinking and worry. Meditation and deep-breathing exercises help calm the nervous system, making it easier to manage stress and anxiety.
3. Exposure Therapy
For those dealing with phobias or social anxiety, exposure therapy gradually introduces feared situations in a controlled way, helping to reduce fear responses over time.
4. Psychodynamic Therapy
This approach explores unconscious thoughts and past experiences that may contribute to anxiety. Understanding these underlying issues can help you process emotions and reduce anxiety’s intensity.
5. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT focuses on accepting anxious thoughts rather than fighting them. It teaches you to engage in meaningful activities despite anxiety, promoting long-term emotional well-being.
What are the benefits of therapy when it comes to anxiety
Improved Coping Strategies – Creating tools to manage stress and anxiety in a healthy way
Better Emotional Regulation – Gain awareness of triggers and develop responses that promote calmness.
Increased Self-Awareness – Therapy helps identify patterns in thoughts and behaviors that contribute to anxiety.
Enhanced Relationships – Reducing social anxiety and improve communication skills.
Greater Sense of Control – Therapy helps empower you to regain control over your thoughts and emotions.
When you should seek help for anxiety
If you feel as though your anxiety is interfering with your work, your relationships, or your daily life, seeking professional help can be a crucial step toward recovery. Therapy provides a supportive, judgment-free space to explore your thoughts and develop tools to manage anxiety effectively and productively.
Book in with a certified psychologist
At My Appletree, our team of qualified psychologists offer evidence-based therapy to help individuals struggling with anxiety. We are here to support you on your path to well-being.
📍 Book a session today at our St Leonards practice today – it's the first step to handling your anxiety.
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