Experiencing anxiety and panic attacks are two of the most common reasons that people seek therapy, as they can create profound distress and impact the way that we live. In an increasingly demanding world, anxiety serves as a way to remain vigilant, focused, and motivated; however, when anxiety is chronic or reaches levels that are painful and all-consuming, therapy might be a great next step to help you get your anxiety under control.
Anxiety shows up in many different forms, including:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which is characterized by constant, chronic worry surrounding many different areas of life, such as relationships, school, work, and family.
Social Anxiety Disorder, or social phobia, which includes fear of evaluation and judgment by others, planning and rehearsing conversation, and replaying social interactions afterwards.
Panic Disorder, which is characterized by at least one unexpected panic attack (lasts 10-20 minutes and may include feeling dizzy, heart racing, feeling sweaty, shaking, shortness of breath, fear of dying), along with the fear that another panic attack will occur. People often have “safety behaviors” or objects to try to prevent panic attacks, like always keeping water on them, repeatedly seeking reassurance from medical professionals, or compulsively checking one’s heart rate.
Specific Phobia, which involves extreme fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation, like heights, animals, flying, receiving a shot, or seeing blood.
Agoraphobia, which is characterized by fear of specific situations (e.g. using public transportation, being in enclosed spaces, or being in a crowd) due to perceived inability to escape. People with agoraphobia are generally fearful of panic-like symptoms arising, becoming incapacitated, or doing something embarrassing.
Common symptoms of experiencing anxiety include:
Heightened tension in the body, and may include tension in shoulders, jaw, and other muscles
Racing thoughts, rumination, and chronic worry and the feeling that it is out of control
Avoidance behaviors of situations, people, and triggers that provoke anxiety
Sleep disturbance, including insomnia, nightmares, or night sweats
Restlessness and feeling keyed up or on edge
Irritability and tendency to “snap” at others
Difficulty concentrating and easily fatigued
Excessive reassurance seeking
Bodily discomfort, especially related to stomach
Multiple therapeutic modalities have been shown to be effective for anxiety. Once the nature of an individual’s anxiety has been thoroughly assessed, treatment can be tailored to the symptoms and goals for the person seeking help. Here are some of the various approaches to treating anxiety:
Psychodynamic Therapy for anxiety involves developing insight and understanding into where your specific anxieties arise from, as well as patterns related to thinking, behaving, and relationships. Dynamic therapy helps to increase awareness of your deeper psyche so that you can foster lasting change and a more cohesive self.
Relational Therapy for anxiety utilizes the therapeutic relationship as a means to explore interpersonal dynamics (e.g. attachment styles and power dynamics), develop insight into relational patterns and how they contribute to anxiety, and provides an opportunity for corrective emotional experiences.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for anxiety includes education about anxiety and panic disorder, identifying and challenging distorted thought patterns, honing specific coping skills (e.g. disengaging from rumination, decreasing avoidance behaviors, and decreasing physiological sensations), and harnessing healthier behavior.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for anxiety cultivates awareness and acceptance of our symptoms, behaviors that are driven by our values as opposed to our thoughts and feelings, ability to detach from our ruminating thoughts, and self-compassion for our pain.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy for anxiety includes helping individuals to become aware of their anxious thoughts and feelings without attaching meaning to them, become focused on the present (as opposed to the future, which anxiety pulls us to), and learn how to let go of persistent worries.
Exposure Therapy for anxiety involves helping individuals systematically confront and overcome their anxiety, desensitizing the individual to the feared stimulus through gradual, repeated exposure.
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