Anxiety may be something you have lived with your entire life or perhaps you have experienced short episodes. However you experience your anxiety it is critical to get a handle on how to manage it it.
Some people are just more anxious than others. Anxiety can be brought on by triggers such as fear of failure, being reprimanded, guilt or shame. Some of the symptoms are heart palpitations, shaking hands and sweats or it may be a general feeling of unease. Anxiety at its core is a deep sense of fear – sometimes real and sometimes not
How and why you experience anxiety is unique to you and your circumstances. It is important to get it under control so it does not lead to dysfunctional in your daily life. Anxiety can be crippling and can lead to depression but with the right tools it can be controlled.
One of the first steps for getting control over your anxiety is to find a therapist who you can work closely with on your issues. You need a few coping skills in your tool box and the right professional will be able to help you figure out what works best for you. It is important to have someone to turn to for support and developing a trusting relationship with a therapist will be a valuable resource for now and in the future.
When you sense anxiety is present and ramping up, it will be helpful to know that you and your therapist developed methods for managing it that are unique to you. This can include deep breathing, grounding, visualization, self-talk, exercise and even temporarily removing yourself from a stressful situation.
Check in regularly with your therapist to talk about the stress you are under, what is working and what is not working. Sharing this information with someone you trust can make the difference between success and failure. Your therapist will be able to see patterns in your situations and behavior and then help you to make adjustments to enable you to reduce your anxiety level.
Here in NYC we all live very busy lives and it is easy to get overwhelmed in the day-to-day craziness. When anxiety starts to build in your life it is best to get on top of the issues. There is no reason to suffer alone.