When Is it Time for Anxiety Therapy?
Has anyone ever called you a “worry wart”? It was probably a grandparent because that’s a bit of an old fashioned saying, but you get the sentiment. Are you the kind of person who everyone knows will be meticulously reviewing potential sources of danger or constantly thinking about what could go wrong? You’d rather stay home than risk something going wrong. If any of this sounds familiar, you may be dealing with general anxiety, and it may be time to do something about it. In this blog, you can find out more about anxiety and when it’s time to consider therapy to help you manage pervasive worries. You can also learn more by getting in touch with the Pinellas Psychology Associates team to schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable clinicians.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a healthy, natural emotional response to situations that cause fear or worry, but in some cases, this emotion becomes disordered. This may mean individuals are struggling with anxiety that is disproportionate to the situation, dealing with chronic worry that is unrelated to specific situations, or that feelings of anxiety limit their ability to engage with the world around them. Anxiety is multifaceted and impacts people in very different ways, but some of the most common warning signs of anxiety include:
- Nervousness, worry, and fearfulness
- Restlessness and tension
- Pervasive feelings of fear, doom, or dread
- Experiencing physical changes like rapid breathing, trembling, increased heart rate, sweating, and upset stomach
- Having difficulty concentrating or remember details
- Avoiding things that may trigger a fear response
- Being unable to control your anxious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
Can’t I Just Wait Until I Feel Better?
People who struggle with anxiety often talk themselves out of visiting a therapist because they know their feelings of anxiety are irrational. They tell themselves to stop feeling worried. They ignore the feelings of fear or anxiety. In some cases, this works for a long time, but without learning effective ways to manage and process anxiety, people almost always end up experiencing the same overwhelming levels of anxiety again in the future. Therapy can help you learn healthy ways to manage anxiety as well as teaching you strategies to reduce the number and severity of future flareups in anxiety.
When Is It Time To Work With A Professional?
If you don’t like the way that anxiety has impacted your life, a therapist can help. You don’t need to wait to receive a specific diagnosis or until you feel completely overwhelmed by anxious thinking and feeling. Whenever you’re ready, a therapy professional can work with you to express and move forward from pervasive feelings of anxiety and dread, so you can lead a more fulfilling life that isn’t limited by your worries. If you’ve struggled with anxiety for years or feel that you’re always anxious, it’s definitely time to talk with someone. No one should just accept that they’re going to be worried all the time. You’re not a worrier. You’re a person who is ready to learn better ways to process worry, so let’s get started!
How Do I Get Started?
We know that scheduling a first therapy sessions can be an anxiety-inducing experience for some clients. We get it! At Pinellas Psychology Associates in St. Pete we have made the process really easy. In fact, you can get in touch with us over the phone, by email, or using our simple online form. However you feel comfortable, we’ll be here to chat and walk with you through every stage of the process.