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.
The anxiety therapists at Thriveworks in Tigard, OR specialize in diagnosing, treating, and helping prevent anxiety disorders. They can help clients manage social anxiety, specific phobias like agoraphobia, panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), and more. They support clients with debilitating anxiety symptoms and clients who feel pretty good most of the time, but just have a few problem areas and want to learn deep breathing techniques.
At Thriveworks in Tigard, OR, anxiety therapists treat their clients with compassion, insight, and the wealth of knowledge that comes from many years of experience at the top of their field. Reach out today to get their support.
What Are the Symptoms of Anxiety?
Anxiety can manifest in a number of physical, behavioral, and emotional ways. In children anxiety can show up as bedwetting, fear of the dark, or fear of strangers. Anxious teenagers might have unexplained outbursts or stop going to school. Adults with anxiety may notice any of the following symptoms:
- Sleep disruptions like insomnia or excessive fatigue
- Gastrointestinal (GI) problems, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Migraines or headaches
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Memory and focus issues
- Mild and major depression
- Substance abuse or addiction issues
- Unintentional weight loss or gain
- Racing heart
- Hyperventilation
- Hypochondria (irrationally thinking you’re sick)
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
Best Treatments for Anxiety Disorders
Fortunately, anxiety disorders are very treatable. One of the most effective and highly studied treatments for anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on modifying maladaptive thinking patterns. The top-rated anxiety therapists at Thriveworks in Tigard, OR may also use some of the following evidence-based approaches:
- Exposure therapy, especially for phobias
- Psychodynamic psychotherapy (talk therapy)
- Psychiatric medication 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 changes
- Family therapy or couples counseling
How Do I Stop a Panic Attack?
The best way to stop panic attacks is to never have them in the first place. Anxiety therapists at Thriveworks in Tigard, OR can work with clients with panic disorder to prevent panic attacks from occurring. But if you do find yourself in the midst of a panic attack, experts recommend the following techniques:
- Breathe deeply to send a signal to your mind that your body isn’t threatened
- Consciously recognize what’s happening, i.e., you’re just experiencing a panic attack, not dying
- Find an object to focus on
- Repeat a mantra like, “Everything is okay.”
Get Premium Anxiety Therapy at Thriveworks in Tigard, OR
Anxiety therapists and other mental health professionals at Thriveworks in Tigard, OR can support clients who are feeling anxious for a wide variety of reasons. When you call Thriveworks for an appointment, or go online to schedule your session, you can often meet your anxiety therapist within the same week of reaching out. Thriveworks also believes that everyone deserves premium mental health care, which is why our fully licensed counselors accept most health insurance plans, minimizing out-of-pocket expenses for clients.
When you enroll at clients, you receive other benefits like email and phone access to your therapist between sessions. You can also choose to see your counselor online instead of in-person at the modern office. Some clients even choose a hybrid model of appointments. For example, if they’re traveling, they can take their anxiety therapist with them, so to speak, in the form of Thriveworks’ secure telehealth video conferencing software. Online therapy is safe, convenient, and effective.
Don’t wait to start finding relief for your anxiety. Call the Thriveworks office in Tigard, OR today.
