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Do you feel worn out and exhausted from constant stress and anxiety?
Do you feel like your life is on “hold” because your anxiety is so severe?
Do you experience overwhelming, recurring feelings of dread, but aren’t sure why?
Feeling anxious once in a while is an expected part of life. After all, stressful situations like taking an exam, giving a presentation, or making an important life decision are overwhelming, especially if the outcome is unclear. 
But when this anxiety doesn’t go away even when the stressful situation ends or it begins to affect the quality of your everyday life, you may be struggling with an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety can impact people of all ages and appear at any time during life. Having an anxiety disorder can impact your family life, job, friendships, performance, physical health, sleep, and overall enjoyment of life. If you have anxiety, routine life circumstances might bring you levels of anxiety that individuals without anxiety disorders simply don’t experience It may cause you to avoid situations, places, or people that you associate with anxiety or panic attacks. You may even stop doing previously enjoyable activities because of your newfound anxiety associated with them. You may feel overwhelming feelings of dread, even if there is no clear reason why.
Signs it’s Time to Consider Anxiety Counseling
Seeking out a counselor who is experienced in treating anxiety can help you overcome the anxiety that is holding you back from enjoying life to its fullest. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, it may be time to pick up the phone and make an appointment with a therapist:
- Excessive worry about school, work, family and friends, money, and/or health
- Irrational expectations of the worst possible outcomes
- Physical symptoms such as fatigue, frequent headaches, trembling or shaking, rapid breathing or increased heart rate, and sweating
- Avoidance of social situations in fear that it will trigger your anxiety
- Irritability, depression, or lack of motivation
The severity of anxiety differs from person to person, and can range anywhere from mildly inconvenient to severely debilitating. In general, individuals with anxiety face overwhelming feelings of fear or dread, difficulty making decisions, and panicked feelings.
Tips to Help you with Anxiety
We understand that anxiety can hit you out of nowhere, and you won’t always be in therapy when it happens. Here are a few things to consider trying when you’re starting to feel anxious or stressed:
- Take a time-out to do something relaxing. Whether it be yoga, meditation, a bubble bath, reading your favorite book, or a massage, stepping back from your anxiety to take care of yourself can help to clear your head and make you feel better.
- Get moving. Staying active has proven physical and mental health benefits. Find something you enjoy doing, whether it be Zumba, kickboxing, swimming, or even walking: anything is better than nothing, and remember that exercising doesn’t mean you have to do something you hate.
- Be mindful. If you feel a panic attack coming on, taking long, deliberate deep breaths or counting to 10 slowly may help to ground you and calm you down.
- Break large projects or obligations into smaller tasks. Maybe you’re a college student who has two papers due next week, or maybe you have a big presentation coming up at work. By breaking this down into smaller, achievable tasks, a big project can feel less overwhelming and more manageable. For example, you might sit down and tell yourself “I will outline this paper tonight, and write the first page in the morning” or “I will practice the first part of my presentation this evening.”
- Fact-check your anxious thoughts. People with anxiety often automatically assume that the worst-case outcome will happen. If you find yourself doing that, try to replace this negative thought with a positive one or challenge that fear with a question like “is this really true, or does it just seem that way to me?”. Reframing negative assumptions is an effective way to train your brain into dealing with anxiety in a rational way.
- Eat well. Skipping meals can decrease blood sugar, which can cause nervousness, irritability, and anxiety. Well-balanced meals and snacking throughout the day can reduce the likelihood of that happening. Drink plenty of water and try to reduce your caffeine intake, which can trigger anxiety in some people.
Remember, not everything on the above list will help every person with anxiety. On top of that, controlling anxiety takes time and there is no “quick fix.” Finding a few coping strategies or incorporating self-care into your regular routine can, however, prove to be beneficial in the long run. At the same time, you might not know where to start when it comes to finding what works for you. That’s where we come in.
Begin Counseling in St. Petersburg, Florida to Overcome Anxiety
As a St. Petersburg, FL area counseling center, we understand anxiety. In fact, we have counselors who specialize in treating anxiety. We know that anxiety disorders can be crippling and often come with other mental health issues, such as depression or low self-esteem.
Our therapists use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other evidence-based psychotherapy techniques to help you find relief from your anxiety. Our highly skilled mental health counselors will work with you to develop an individualized plan with personal goals and interventions.
When treating anxiety, our goal is to get to the core of the underlying issues and triggers that are causing your anxiety. Through the therapy process, your counselor will help you identify triggers for your anxiety. Your counselor will then help you understand your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. You’ll gain an understanding of why you seem to fall into this cycle of anxious thinking. Next, your therapist will help you to replace irrational and unrealistic beliefs with realistic and healthy thinking and behaviors.
Don’t let your anxious thoughts control your life anymore. Call McNulty Counseling today and take back the life you deserve!
Blog Posts Related to Anxiety
Because anxiety treatment is such an important part of what we do, it is often the subject of our mental health blog posts. Some topics our therapists have written related to anxiety include:
- 5 Ways to Reduce Anxiety
- Anxiety in Children
- 5 Signs of Anxiety
- How to Help a Teen with School Anxiety
- 5 Exercises to Lower Test Anxiety
- Mindfulness Exercises to Reduce Stress
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