Do you feel overwhelmed with worry and distracting thoughts that interfere with your life?
Are you experiencing racing thoughts that go in circles about past experiences and future events? Is anxiety a stressful experience because it interferes with your relationships? Do you sometimes suffer from headaches, shortness of breath, stomach pains and wonder if they might be connected to what you are feeling inside? Maybe certain situations are more stressful than others, or perhaps you feel anxious and tense throughout the day. Are you looking for some help to manage all these feelings and have a more peaceful, less anxious life?
Anxiety can take over, even when there is no real danger or threat. It can be so confusing when we feel exhausted, frightened and overwhelmed. We might feel like we have no control over our thoughts or ability to get calm and think clearly. Sometimes, anxiety appears out of nowhere. There doesn’t seem to be a reason for the feelings of panic or even the panic attacks that can be so disruptive to life.
If you have struggled with anxiety for a long time, you may be feeling sad and hopeless, drained of energy and tired of missing out on life. You may be struggling at work or it may affect your ability to work efficiently. Whether your anxiety, if mild or severe, it may be helpful to know that what you are dealing with is a very common and treatable condition.
Understanding Panic and Anxiety
If you were suddenly faced with an intruder, your body would produce a huge amount of adrenalin, which would help you move quickly to escape. If you experience anxiety symptoms throughout the day, it can feel similar to that experience of danger, your reserves are being depleted, you feel exhausted. You know that the danger is not real, but there is another part of you that insists that you are not safe.
When feelings and reality don’t match, daily life can be difficult and draining. You know that possibly your reactions are not fitting the situation, but you can’t seem to be able to get it under control. During our sessions together, not only will we work together to help you manage the feelings of fear and stress that are occurring during your anxious moments, but we will also look deeper and explore the triggers and sources of the anxiety.
Much of your anxiety stems from beliefs, attitudes and ways of thinking that are guiding your life. Sometimes, they may be limiting you in ways you aren’t even aware. Our earlier experiences and relationships formed how we think about ourselves and about life. They give us a framework for how to see and interact with the world around us. However, we may be locked into patterns and ways of seeing ourselves from unrealistic and distorted perceptions. We need to learn how to challenge and address the internal messages that keep us triggered and anxious.
In our sessions, we will uncover and confront what might be counterproductive for you. The goal of our work is for you to see that you can trust yourself and your reactions to guide you. You can learn to manage the present while confronting the past. You can learn to respond with balance to life’s stresses and problems. Anxiety should be a signal and not a style of life, and you’ll find that each success builds upon another. Soon anxious feelings and worry aren’t in the forefront of your daily experience and life is experienced as meaningful and enjoyable again.