Anxiety Treatment and Therapy in North Carolina & Colorado
Anxiety is pretty normal. But, it can still suck.
Anxiety disorders are the most common concerns for seeking counseling.
Experiencing anxiety is perfectly normal, as it is a fear-based response. However, when anxiety doesn’t go away after a particular event, or it begins to impact your daily living- there may be something more profound. Living with anxiety is exhausting. It can create torturous, negative thinking patterns that drive us into a more anxious state. It becomes a cycle- feeding off our fears. It can make us feel lonely and push us into isolation. It can affect our relationships, work, and reduce our quality of life. When anxiety impacts are day-to-day, anxiety counseling in NC and CO can help.
Types of Anxiety:
General Anxiety - display excessive worry or anxiety for most days for at least six months. The worry may include work, personal health, social interactions, and just everyday routine life circumstances. There are cases in which the source of the concern is unknown.
Social Anxiety - If you deal with social anxiety, you experience intense fear or anxiety related to performance or social situations. You may be concerned that your actions or behaviors are constantly being negatively viewed by others, which further deeps the cycle of living with social anxiety.
Specific phobias: A phobia is an excessive and irrational fear reaction. If you have a phobia, you may experience a deep sense of dread or panic when you encounter the source of your fear. The fear can be of a certain place, situation, or object. Unlike general anxiety disorders, a phobia is usually connected to something specific.
Some Common phobias (there are 100s):
Acrophobia- is the fear of heights.
Agoraphobia - involves a fear of being alone in a situation or place where escape may be difficult.
Claustrophobia- is the fear of confined or crowded spaces.
Arachnophobia- is the fear of spiders and other arachnids.
Mysophobia- is the excessive fear of dirt of germs. In some instances, this phobia can be related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Health Anxiety- formerly called “Hypochondria,” is an obsessive and sometimes “irrational” worry about severe medical conditions. This is marked by a person’s imagination of physical symptoms of illness – this is not the same as having somatic complaints. For instance, this may be a person who is convinced they have a medical illness despite proof and consistent reassurance by medical professionals, or this may show, as a person attributing a minor pain to a serious condition (For instance, my back hurts; therefore I must have some form of the neurological condition).
So, What Causes Anxiety?
That's a good question. There is a single factor that causes anxiety, but a combination of many things. When dealing with specific phobias- you could argue that it's a "one specific" thing but, still, many factors play a role in developing anxiety-related concerns.
Family history of Mental Health Conditions
Some individuals who live with anxiety-related concerns may have a genetic predisposition towards anxious feelings. However, having a parent, grandparent, or other close relative doesn't automatically mean you will develop anxiety.
Personality Factors:
Previous research shows a correlation (which doesn't equal causation) between certain personality traits and the increased likelihood of anxiety. For example, attachment styles can play a significant role in determining your "anxious" type behaviors. At the same time, there are no two people alike- understanding personality types such as "Type A or Type B, and extroversion and introversion" (these are the most common people are familiar with and can help understand the role that anxiety can play in the person's life). Certain personality types encounter and handle anxiety differently.
Ongoing Stressful Events:
Anxiety can develop due to stressful life events. Certain triggers may include:
Change in living conditions (i.e., moving, facing eviction)
School
Work stress or changing jobs
Family and relationship problems
Pregnancy and giving birth
Death or sudden loss of a loved one
Experiencing or witnessing a stressful or traumatic event
Physical, verbal, emotional, or sexual abuse
Experiencing ongoing marginalization
Physical health or medical-related problems
Chronic illness can also contribute to anxiety conditions or impact the anxiety or the physical disease itself. Some chronic conditions associated with anxiety conditions include:
Cardiovascular disease
Endocrine conditions (diabetes, Cushing's disease)
Inflammatory conditions (Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis)
Some physical conditions can mimic anxiety conditions, like an overactive thyroid.
It can be helpful to see a doctor and be assessed to determine whether there may be a medical cause for your feelings of anxiety.
Other Mental Health Conditions:
While some individuals may experience an anxiety condition on their own, others may experience multiple anxiety conditions or other mental health-related concerns. For instance, depression and anxiety conditions often occur together.
Substance Use:
Some people who experience anxiety may use alcohol or other drugs to help them cope or manage their feelings and thoughts. In some cases, this may lead to people developing a substance use problem and their anxiety condition. Substance use can aggravate anxiety conditions, particularly as the effects of the substance wear off, creating a cycle of wanting to use in order not to experience anxious or depressive feelings.
Anxiety Therapists | Anxiety Treatment in North Carolina | Anxiety Therapy in Colorado
Perfectionism and Procrastination.
Sometimes Social and General Anxiety Disorders can result in:
Perfectionism
Finding fault in what you or others do.
Being overly critical of mistakes.
Setting overly high expectations for oneself.
Ruminating on what you "coulda, shoulda, woulda" done or not have done.
Failing to recognize your success(es) and victory(ies).
Seeking approval for doing something well.
Procrastinating and avoiding situations that could result in perceived failure.
Self-bashing and endless questioning, which may show up as constant reassurance and/or rumination.
Ignoring or shrugging off compliments.
Spending a lot of time on tasks, making sure they met your ideal standards. Which may result in extra time being wasted.
Procrastination
Pushing off things to the very late minute.
You may feel overwhelmed without guidance or a "roadmap."
Frequently experiencing "boredom."
Spending time overthinking.
Having a messy or unorganized house, room, or workplace.
Difficulty coping with change.
Focusing more on the "nonessential" or "irrelevant" details.
A long, staggering to-do list(s). Which never seems to really get completed.
Anxiety can be mentally and physically exhausting.
If you are a teen or adult with anxiety, you might frequently feel worried, nervous, or afraid about everyday, regular events. These feelings can be upsetting and difficult to manage. They can also make daily life a pretty challenge. Anxiety can play tricks with your mind and keep you worried about unpredictable things in life. Living with anxious thoughts not only impacts you mentally but can also show up as physical symptoms.
Mental Symptoms:
Racing thoughts
Uncontrollable over-thinking
Difficulties concentrating
Feelings of dread, panic or “impending doom”
Irritability
Heightened alertness
Difficulty sleeping
Changes in appetite
Feeling the need to escape
Dissociation
Physical Symptoms:
Sweating
Heavy and fast breathing
Hot flushes or blushing
Dry mouth
Shaking
Hair loss
Rapid, pounding heartbeat
Extreme tiredness or lack of energy
Dizziness and fainting
Stomach aches, pains, and “not feeling well”
Reach out to Start Anxiety Therapy with an Anxiety Therapist in North Carolina and Colorado.
At the Virtual Couch, I help teens, young adults, and adults overcome feelings of helplessness and anxious thoughts so you can thrive and not live in your head 24/7! I do not take a one size fits all approach to counseling, so our sessions may look different with everyone. During our time, I may implement mindfulness techniques, somatic-based therapeutic strategies, and inner child work to explore the root of your anxiety. I take a highly collaborative approach, using Feedback Informed Treatment to align with your values and hit all of your therapy goals. But, if you are curious when working with individuals dealing with anxiety, I may implement talk base therapy such as acceptance and commitment approaches, mindfulness, compassion-focused therapy, somatic therapy, and Brainspotting. But the most important thing is that you are learning how to help yourself best, and in the process, you are unlocking the tools you have that are already inside you! It’s a normalizing and reflective approach to anxiety therapy in North Carolina.
Let’s Begin Anxiety Counseling in Fayetteville, North Carolina and Colorado!
Anxiety is exhausting. If you’re struggling to feel peace and calm right now, either because of dealing with anxious thoughts, know that you don’t need to keep suffering. Teens, young adults, and adults who receive therapy can develop tools to cope effectively and learn different ways to help manage their anxious thoughts and become more confident in their day-to-day life. In addition, during our time, you will receive other coping mechanisms to help you continue to weather the storms that may come your way. My Fayetteville, NC online therapy practice offers compassionate and evidence-based approaches (available from anywhere in North Carolina) to relief and sustainable change. To begin anxiety treatment in Fayetteville, NC, follow these easy steps:
Contact The Virtual Couch
Schedule a meet and greet with Patricia Duggan, a relatable anxiety therapist.
Begin to break free, and accept the areas in your life you cannot control, so it does not control you!
Other Services Besides Anxiety Treatment Offered by our North Carolina and Colorado Mental Health Therapists:
Anxiety therapy isn’t the only service I offer in my Fayetteville, NC counseling practice. Other areas of focus and mental health services at The Virtual Couch include depression counseling, grief and loss therapy, chronic illness and pain counseling, disability affirming care, trauma treatment, and Brainspotting. These services are available via online counseling in North Carolina and online counseling in Colorado. You can also check out The Virtual Couch’s Blog to learn more information related to chronic illness, chronic pain, depression, anxiety, grief & loss, and other therapy related topics.
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” —Thich Nhat Hanh
Are you still curious about starting therapy?
You can learn more about me and my Fayetteville, NC counseling practice here! This is where you can find out more information about my approach to therapy and my values and beliefs when working together. If you are still curious to learn about online counseling, I encourage you to visit my page about what to expect during a session.