Anxiety Management
Do you feel anxious all the time? Does it feel like you are constantly worried about many different things?
Anxiety is a normal part of life, but it can become overwhelming and interfere with your daily activities. If you’re constantly worrying about things that might happen or feeling like something bad is going to happen, even when there’s no reason for concern, you may have an anxiety disorder. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you; it just means that your body responds differently than most people’s bodies do in some situations. You’re not alone – over 40 million Americans experience anxiety disorders each year! We can help.
New Spark Counseling specializes in helping clients manage their anxiety through therapy and counseling services. Our therapist is trained to provide compassionate care tailored to meet each client where they are on their journey toward wellness so we can work together towards achieving goals such as reducing stress levels and improving overall quality of life. Contact us today if you think we could be a good fit for one another!
Call New Spark Counseling at (956) 410-2802 or email us at mquintana@newsparkcounseling.com right now!
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is best thought of as a normal response to perceived danger. Anxiety, while often not said, is actually a good thing. Our species continues to progress and thrive due to anxiety. For example, when we cross a street, anxiety reminds us to look both ways, so we do not get hurt. Essentially, anxiety is a natural human response that serves to warn us and help us avoid potentially dangerous situations.
That being said, anxiety can sometimes begin to inhibit us. This is when anxiety is considered “Clinically Significant”. This often looks like anxiety alerting us of danger when there is not danger near. For example, in the case of social anxiety, our mind and body may respond with nervousness, fear, and dread at the thought of being in a social situation. We may find ourselves continuously thinking “what if” and/or forecasting the “worst case scenario” in a variety of situations. This can lead us to avoidance, isolation, and even depression.
Fortunately, there are ways to correct your body’s natural anxiety response. Specifically, together we can practice using tools and coping skills that aim to reduce the anxiety when it’s not needed. However, it is important to remember that anxiety is not something we want to get rid of completely. We need anxiety in our lives. Anxiety helps us survive and progress in our environment. That being said, we can learn how to tune the anxiety to respond in situations that are deemed advantageous and/or deemed necessary.
How is Anxiety Treated?
When treating anxiety, it is important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The anxiety response is just as unique as the individual. For example, some people experience anxiety as bodily sensations (heart palpitations, sweatiness, and shakiness), others may predominately experience anxiety cognitively (rumination, constant worry, and/or forecasting “worst-case-scenarios”), while many experience both–cognitive and physical symptoms of anxiety.
Therefore, the approach to treating anxiety differs significantly depending on the person’s specific needs, symptoms, and response to treatment. For example, some people may benefit from psychotherapy, some from pharmacotherapy, and others from a combination of therapy and medication. Additionally, when considering therapy and medication, there are also a variety of subcategories/different types of therapeutic approaches and/or types of medications that all aim to treat the same thing. The vast number of choices for treating anxiety, while sometimes complex and overwhelming, is a good thing. This is because, it acknowledges the vast differences from person to person and how they may or may not respond to a specific treatment. Hence, having many options allows for treatment to be tailored specifically to you and your unique needs.
Fortunately, our counselor here at New Spark Counseling has vast knowledge relevant to the different treatment options and can help you navigate through the different considerations and choose the treatment that is right for you. Our counselor is also experienced in providing collaborative care, this means he can help you communicate with your prescribing physician to make sure you are getting the best care possible–whether it be psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy, he is able to help you navigate your way to wellness.
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