5 Signs You May Benefit From Anxiety Treatment & Therapy

Authored by Marcy Arnold a holistic psychotherapist providing online counseling to residents of NC and SC.

Anxiety is a normal and, many times, adaptive response to certain challenges we face in life. A little bit of anxiety keeps us motivated — for example, to meet important work or school deadlines. Anxiety can also keep us safe, reminding us to be wary of strangers and to look both ways while crossing the street. However, not all anxiety is helpful and may come to a point where anxiety treatment is needed.

Sometimes, anxiety may become overwhelming or paralyzing, to the point where we aren’t able to complete tasks or enjoy social engagements.

This type of anxiety can result in physical reactions — such as sleep disturbances, stomach problems, headaches, and panic attacks — as well as mental ones.

If your anxiety is no longer adaptive and is now interfering with your ability to live life to the fullest, it may be a sign that online therapy (or another form of anxiety treatment) is right for you.

Here are five indications that your anxiety does not serve you and that you might benefit from anxiety treatment in New Bern, NC.

1. You worry constantly.

We all worry sometimes. Usually, this worry is tied to a stressful situation, like a big project at work or a family member’s illness. However, our worries can sometimes become excessive or disproportionate.

We can start to ruminate about every slight problem that crosses our paths or overthink even the most harmless social encounters until it feels like there is no escape from the constant trap of worry.

If you can no longer catch a break from your worries, or if you feel like you are worrying too much about too many things, therapy for anxiety can help you free yourself from the worry trap and spend less time obsessing over what could go wrong.

2. You’re uncomfortable in social situations.

Some of us struggle more than others to open up to strangers. However, the discomfort caused by social anxiety is more than a preference for being alone.

Oftentimes, you can experience visceral physical reactions to social situations. Your palms might get sweaty, you might have trouble breathing, or you may find it impossible to gather your thoughts. Over time, these symptoms can lead us to avoid social situations altogether.

If this sounds like you, anxiety treatment can help you take back control of your life from social anxiety so you no longer feel the need to avoid people and situations that cause discomfort.

3. You have panic attacks

Panic attacks are not physically dangerous, but they can be terrifying, especially when we don’t know why we are having them. Even when we know there is no real danger, our perceptions of fear can lead to physical symptoms like a racing heartbeat, shallow breathing, shaking, and sweating.

These symptoms can trigger fears that we are losing control, going crazy, or dying. Eventually, we may begin to avoid situations where we worry we may have another panic attack.

Panic attacks can feel debilitating, but with the right anxiety treatment for your anxiety, they do not need to hold you back from enjoying your life.

4. You struggle with low self-esteem.

Many people with anxiety disorders also have negative perceptions of themselves that influence their worries. If you believe you are broken, unlovable, or otherwise not good enough, you may experience anxiety about your appearance, your relationships, or your performance at work or school.

Ironically, these worries can become paralyzing, preventing us from doing the things we need to do to succeed and feel better about ourselves.

The right online therapist will help you replace negative thought patterns and strengthen your self-image to improve both your anxiety symptoms and your confidence in yourself.

5. You feel stuck in the past

Do you spend too much time replaying events in your mind, wondering what you could have said or done differently to produce a better outcome? Rumination, or repetitive thinking (often about events that have already taken place), can leave us feeling stuck in the past.

This thinking pattern can become self-limiting, preventing us from moving forward with our lives and changing our unhelpful behaviors.

If you are unable to stop worrying about the past, therapy for anxiety in New Bern, NC may be just what you need to process what has happened, learn to let go of your mistakes, and decide on a better path for your future.