Anxiety

Anxiety. Anger. Depression. Sadness.

People often think of these words as “negative” because these feelings can be hard to deal with. People often want to “get rid” of these emotions. Yet to experience them is to be human, and each of them serve a function.

Anxiety, for example, can warn you of a threat and let you know that you need to act. Anxiety can even help you excel at tasks. A little worry can motivate a person to do their best when preparing for a speech or presentation. A healthy level of anxiety can move an actor or musician to work toward a peak performance.

If anxiety is a normal and useful part of existence,
why do I want to get rid of it?

Maybe because it’s no longer serving its function. Imagine a home security system that’s too sensitive. The system alerts you when there’s an intruder. But it also alerts you when the neighbor’s dog barks too loudly or when there’s a sudden change in barometric pressure outside.

You say to yourself “Enough!” Because the alarms are constant, and you can’t distinguish between a true emergency and a false alarm. You can’t sleep, because alarms are always going off. You’re exhausted, agitated, and frayed as a result. Leading to more anxiety.

How do I know if anxiety is having a negative impact on my life?

Do you feel fatigued or restless or have trouble sleeping?

Are you more easily irritated than usual? Does it seem like you’re getting angrier more often and at smaller things?

Do you find your mind racing, jumping from situation to situation, from fire to fire that you’d like to put out?

Maybe you find yourself having more trouble making everyday decisions. Or avoiding situations that you didn’t used to avoid.

These are just a few of the signs that your body’s alarm system may no longer be working effectively – that anxiety may be tripping you up.

How Can Therapy Help?

In therapy, we will explore the roots and triggers of your anxiety and develop coping techniques.

You will learn to manage your anxiety by:

• Identifying patterns that trigger and heighten anxiety
• Identifying negative self-talk and ways of telling your story that heighten anxiety
• Working through the relational and situational roots of your anxiety
• Reframing your personal narrative so that it emphasizes your strengths and gives you a sense of power and choice.
• Developing coping techniques that will help you interrupt or avert anxious responses.
• Using mindfulness

As always, the path that we take toward managing your anxiety will be guided by your needs and situation. You can do it. And I can help. To find out more, please contact me at (646) 957-3380 to set up a free phone consultation.