One of the best ways to deal with anxiety is to learn about your own anxiety: your symptoms, what triggers it, and what coping mechanisms have been effective in the past. When you learn what your anxiety is tied to, it can help you be mindful of what’s really happening as well as prevent and mitigate symptoms by processing and working through the issue in therapy. Other strategies that have been shown to help manage anxiety are meditation, challenging anxious thoughts, exercising, and journaling.
All humans experience anxiety. We evolved to feel anxious sometimes as a way of avoiding dangerous situations. Anxiety is natural. But when someone experiences too much anxiety, it can cause dysfunction. Fortunately, the condition is highly treatable.
Anxiety therapists at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA have the knowledge and experience to help people who frequently become overwhelmed by anxious thoughts and feelings. The top-rated mental health providers at Thriveworks can also diagnose and treat panic disorder to help prevent panic attacks.
What Is the Difference Between Stress and Anxiety?
Stress is an uncomfortable emotional response that is usually caused by an external trigger. For example, someone may be overwhelmed by tasks at work and experience stress. Anxiety, on the other hand, is defined by disproportionate worries that don’t need an external trigger. The fears and worries can be extreme and they don’t go away easily. Both conditions have similar symptoms:
- Irritability
- Muscle tension or pain
- Fatigue
- Digestive issues
- Sleep disturbances
An anxiety therapist at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA can evaluate a person’s symptoms and help determine whether they’re dealing with regular stress response or an anxiety disorder like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), separation anxiety disorder (SAD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), specific phobias, or social anxiety.
Can You Have a Good Life with Anxiety?
It’s outside the realm of this article to determine whether or not someone can have a good life with anxiety. What is the definition of a good life, after all? If you want to live in the moment and not worry around the clock, then it’s difficult to achieve that when you’re dealing with the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can also lead to related problems like the following:
- Insomnia or excessive fatigue
- Gastrointestinal (GI) problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Migraines or headaches
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Memory and concentration issues
- Depression
- Substance abuse or addiction issues
- Appetite changes that lead to unintentional weight loss or gain
- Racing heart
- Hyperventilation
- Hypochondria or health anxiety (irrationally thinking you’re sick)
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
Treatment Options for Anxiety
Mental health professionals help people overcome their anxiety every day. It’s a highly treatable condition with the right professional care. At Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA our licensed providers may use any of the following evidence-based treatments to put people on the road to recovery:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Exposure therapy, especially for phobias
- Psychodynamic therapy (aka talk therapy)
- Short term or long term prescription medications like antidepressants, prescribed by a Thriveworks psychiatrist
- Relaxation techniques like meditation and deep breathing
- Mindfulness therapy
- Supportive-expressive therapy
- Biofeedback
- Art and music therapy
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR)
- Lifestyle modifications like increased exercise or reduced caffeine
- Substance abuse counseling
- Family therapy or couples counseling
How Do You Treat Panic Attacks?
Panic attacks occur when the mind and body are overwhelmed by anxiety. Panic attacks can mimic heart attacks, thus they can feel extremely scary to the person experiencing them. If someone is having a panic attack, therapists recommend they do the following:
- Focus on their breathing
- Find a focus object
- Use the 3 3 3 rule: Notice three things they can smell, three things they can see, and move three body parts. This practice helps engage their other senses so they can become more aware of their surroundings (mindfulness).
- Repeat a mantra like, “Everything is okay.”
Thriveworks anxiety therapists in Berkeley, CA treat panic disorder with CBT and other well-researched therapies.
Get Exceptional Anxiety Therapy at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA
Premium anxiety therapy at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA is an effective and affordable way to manage your anxiety symptoms and change your life for the better. Providers at Thriveworks are all fully licensed so they can accept most major forms of health insurance. They can meet with clients online through a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth connection or in person at the modern office in Berkeley.
When you go online to book a therapy appointment or call the Thriveworks office to schedule, a provider can potentially meet with you as early as this week. In addition, we accept most major insurances. Call today to find out what makes Thriveworks mental health providers so exceptional. We look forward to helping you overcome anxiety so you can begin living your best life.
