Anxiety and Stress Management

Anxiety

Does any of this sound like you?

The sleepless nights, jittery hands in the morning, crying when you wake up, fake smile or bravado, and telling everyone you are “fine” when they ask how you are.

You say yes to another project (even though you wanted to say no) because you don’t want anyone to suspect that you are not okay. The people closest to you may have noticed that you aren’t acting the same, though.

You excuse yourself from meetings because you feel so nervous, or worse, you call into work… again.

You snap at the kids, your significant other, parents, customers, the barista at your favorite coffee shop – everyone is fair game for your irritability depending on the day. Then there’s the guilt of being that way with people.

You don’t even want to spend time with people anymore – even the people you used to have fun around. You don’t have fun at places you used to, either.

You can’t deny that something is wrong. You’re not happy anymore.

How can I go on like this?

You have so much on your plate, and it feels like it is overflowing. If anyone else asks me to help them, I am going to scream! But so many people depend on you. You are the glue that holds everything together.

You eat right and exercise most of the time. What am I doing wrong? I shouldn’t feel this way. I must be going crazy.

You are not going crazy. It is anxiety.

The symptoms of anxiety can be miserable.

Sometimes they come in waves, seemingly out of nowhere. At other times, you can feel them building.

Oh no! Here it comes again!

Your heart races, and your muscles are tight. You can’t concentrate, and your memory is so bad lately.

You can’t fall asleep or stay asleep or, worse, both. You are exhausted.

Sometimes your stomach knots up, and you cry (or at least want to).

You don’t have an appetite or are eating more than usual.

And, let me guess: You’re an expert at thinking of worst-case scenarios. You are worried about everything, you are sure that you are failing at all parts of your life, and your thoughts come rapid-fire – doom and gloom.

First, you think you will lose your job, then your family, you will be homeless, then what?!?

If only my thoughts would calm down.

Maybe your anxiety has crossed over into panic at times – sweaty palms, can’t catch your breath, feeling like you are having a heart attack or like you are about to die. Have you been to a doctor only to be told that “nothing is wrong medically”?

Something must be wrong – normal people don’t feel like this.

Would you believe that all this is your brain trying to protect you?

What?! It’s true. This is an ancient alert system in the body designed to keep you safe from life-threatening danger. You know… the kind where you are running from a bear, so you don’t become its next meal.

We can feel this same anxiety and fear from being in rush-hour traffic, being humiliated, thinking we are not successful enough, or worrying that our boss or significant other is mad about something we did. Do you get the picture?

Speaking of the picture, many people with anxiety are very creative and can create vivid images in their minds of worst-case situations. They’re seldom comforting, and the body doesn’t know the difference between the image and the “real danger,” so, here comes the anxiety!

You may have noticed an “upside” of anxiety…

You probably have more energy than those around you and can get more done than most people. You see the potential risks and pitfalls in projects, which puts you a few steps ahead of everyone else. You plan and are usually the most prepared in situations, or you manage well in crises (you might even be the calmest in those situations).

The downside to anxiety is when it gets out of control. That is when it takes over your life, holds you back, and gets in your way more than it helps.

Here’s how therapy can help your anxiety…

Get to the root of some of your recurring worries and learn to eliminate them.

You will learn how to use mindfulness to become aware of your thoughts. No, we will not meditate all session. If you want to meditate, that won’t hurt, but meditation and mindfulness are different. We will work on simple ways of bringing mindfulness to your life to identify the patterns of worry keeping you stuck. Some of these patterns start in childhood.

Learn how to manage your thinking and decrease the amount of stress you create for yourself.

Using cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, you will learn how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors interact to create certain mental states. You will learn how to manage your thoughts in more healthy ways to eliminate some of the anxiety you create. These techniques can also help you learn how to react to external situations and circumstances from a place of calm.

Prioritize tasks and your to-do list, so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

Often, people overload their schedules and days with many things to do – too many things. You will learn how to develop realistic expectations for yourself and others to help you remove some anxiety and overwhelm from your life. You will likely become more effective with your to-do list using this approach.

Learn tools to help you cope with the uncomfortable feelings of anxiety when they come up.

By using mindfulness techniques in different ways, you will learn how to face your fears and anxiety instead of avoiding them. Did you know that most people I meet in therapy breathe in a manner that creates more anxiety? You will also learn proven methods of breathing that can reduce the anxiety in your body within minutes.

Start living a life you love and look forward to, instead of feeling weighed down by anxiety and fear.

When you start to control the external and internal contributors to anxiety, you will know that you can manage anxiety if it comes up. You will stop avoiding places or people, or situations that create anxiety because you will have tools to manage anxiety if it shows up.

Feel like the confident, accomplished person you know you are.

Once you have managed anxiety on your own for a while, you will have built confidence that anxiety is no longer running or ruining your day. You can get back to accomplishing the goals you have set for yourself without worrying if anxiety will ruin the day or even your life.

You may have been stuck or in pain for a long time. Regardless of how long it has been, we can work toward greater peace and contentment. You can find happiness and fulfillment.

It’s time that you get on the path to feeling better.

I know you are busy, and your plate is overflowing, and that adding even one more appointment into your life seems difficult.

What if, instead of an overflowing plate that seems to control you and suck the life out of you, you create a life that is overflowing with peace and contentment? And what if you find joy again? That’s what working on this in therapy can help you have.

Is the thought of focusing on your anxiety creating more anxiety? We won’t just focus on anxiety and problems; we will solve problems, and you will learn the skills and tools to help you manage anxiety and stress. If you want to avoid thinking about anxiety, I get it. That’s normal and understandable. As much as you have already tried to avoid it or pretend it isn’t there and just “carry on,” or use a “mind over matter” approach, none of that has worked.

Maybe the thought of meeting someone new is causing anxiety. That’s why we do a 15-minute free consultation, so we can talk with each other to see if working together will be a “good fit” for both of us.

When you work on the things that will help you get past your anxiety or stress, consider it an investment. You are investing in your future happier self who feels alive and fulfilled with life.

With a little courage and someone to help guide you through the process, you can do it.
What do you envision when you think of a life where anxiety or stress don’t control you?

Let’s start to make your vision a reality.

Call today for your 15-minute free consultation: (720) 466-5667.