a common mental health concern, impacts countless individuals worldwide. Therapists Near Me Panic Disorder Anxiety … As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), I have witnessed the effect of anxiety on countless lives. In this post, I will share an extensive exploration of stress and anxiety through the lens of a recent treatment session with a patient, highlighting signs, treatment methods, and my individual journey as a therapist with my own experiences of anxiety In addition, we will talk about a term paper by Harvard University that sheds light on the multifaceted nature of anxiety.|Anxiety, a widespread mental health concern, affects millions of people worldwide. As a Licensed Medical Social Employee (LCSW), I have actually witnessed the impact of stress and anxiety on many lives.}
presentation on strengths-based biopsychosocial approaches to attending to anxiety and while those are fantastic you understand I thought perhaps we should look at you know what’s some of the current research so I went into PubMed which is I don’t understand it’s playground for me it’s where you discover a lot of the journal posts and you can sort and I sorted by articles that were done and meta-analyses that were done within the past 5 years so that gives us a concept about existing research I indicate there’s a great deal of stuff that is still the very same like a few of the medications that were understood to work 10 years ago are still known to be you know excellent first-line treatments but there are also some newbies that we’ll talk about and there are also some changes that we’re going to talk about so we’re going to check out some typical causes for anxiety symptoms in order to treat it we actually need to and obviously this does play into the biopsychosocial element we really need to understand type of what triggers it since stress and anxiety that’s caused by for instance somebody having a racing heart may be different than anxiety that’s caused for somebody who has desertion issues so we’re gon na treat the two things differently so we want to take a look at some of the common causes we’re gon na take a look at some common triggers for anxiety you understand what are a few of these common themes that we see in practice and I will ask you to share some of the styles that you see that underlie a lot or underline of your clients anxiety and recognize existing best practices for anxiety management consisting of counseling interventions medications physical interventions and helpful treatments so we care due to the fact that stress and anxiety.
can be crippling and a great deal of our clients have anxiety a lot of our clients have anxiety comorbid with depression and they’re taking a look at us going how can I feel distressed and stressed out and like I can’t sit still and depressed at the same time you know when you’re depressed you’re expected to want to sleep well a great deal of times individuals who are have both problems actually wish to sleep but they can’t so I wish to help customers understand that likewise sometimes anxiety when individuals are anxious for enough time the body begins sort of holding on to the cortisol the body really acknowledges at a particular point this is a losing battle I’m not going to put energy into this anymore so it starts with drawing a few of its excitatory neurotransmitter so to speak and individuals will begin to feel depressed basically the brain has actually already stated this is hopeless this is you’re you’re defenseless to alter the scenario so then people start feeling powerless and helpless which is sort of the meaning if you will of depression low-grade persistent tension and anxiety developed energy and individuals’s ability to focus so if we’re going to help them become their uber selves we need to help them figure out how to resolve stress and anxiety not just generalized frustrating incapacitating anxiety however likewise panic social stress and anxiety and those minor stress and anxiety triggers that come along that might not satisfy the threshold for a medical diagnosis stress and anxiety is a major trigger for addiction relapse if you have a customer who is self
medicated before or had an addiction for some reason anxiety is a significant trigger increased physical discomfort when stress and anxiety goes up individuals tend to tense their muscles when they tense their muscles they tend to feel more discomfort I mean consider when you’re stressed out you tend to have more discomfort like in your neck in your back and things that already hurt might injure more why due to the fact that serotonin which is among our significant anti-anxiety neurotransmitters is likewise one of our significant pain modulators so when serotonin levels are too low due to the fact that stress and anxiety is high then our pain understanding is going to be more intense and people can have sleep issues if you’re stressed out your body believes there’s a threat you’re not going to be able to enter into that deep peaceful sleep you may have you may sleep you may sleep a lot but it’s probably not quality sleep which indicates your neurotransmitters may leave whack your hormonal agents make it out of whack and your body is going to begin viewing your itself in a consistent state of stress when we’re tired the body knows that we may be the weakest link in the herd so it continues to secrete cortisol to keep keep you on alert a little bit so you may once again you might be resting type of like when you have a brand-new baby in the house those very first number of months that my children were house from the healthcare facility I slept however I didn’t sleep well I indicate the tiniest little noise and I was awake and I was browsing and you understand I felt it I felt exhausted and a lot of brand-new moms and dads do so activates for anxiety abandonment and rejection and we’re going to discuss ways we might wish to handle these things however a few of the underlying themes that I’ve seen in a lot of clients and when I do the research study what a great deal of what themes that come out include low self-confidence
if someone has low self-confidence they’re looking to be externally verified usually they’re trying to find somebody else to tell them you’re lovable you’re alright so that can cause stress and anxiety about not having people to tell them you’re okay which makes their relationships rare and can make them inefficient cognitive distortions and unreasonable ideas might lead people to think that if I’m not best for instance I am not adorable so we’re going to take a look at some unreasonable thoughts and cognitive distortions unhealthy social assistances and relationships when you remain in a relationship it takes two to tango and even if your client is reasonably psychologically and physically healthy if they are in a dysfunctional relationship they can fear abandonment and rejection if that other individual is always stating if you do not do X I’m going to leave you or if that other person is always cheating on them or whatever so relationships can activate desertion stress and anxiety and inefficient interpersonal skills can lead to relationship turmoil and social exile if our clients are in relationships even if they’re not totally dysfunctional if our customers are not able to ask for what they need and set suitable limits and handle conflict efficiently due to the fact that dispute occurs in every relationship then they might begin to argue more which may result in fearing may result in relationships ending in the past and them going well every relationship I enter into ends which indicates I must not be adorable so they begin fearing desertion and rejection so these are four locations that we can look at another examining clients another problem is the unknown and loss of control a great deal of times unfavorable self-talk and cognitive distortions can add to that if I don’t have control of whatever then it’s all going to be a disaster unfavorable others when clients hang out or when people socialize with negative individuals it kind of wears on you after a while you see that individuals who are tend to be more unfavorable cynical conspiracy minded tend to hang out with people who are likewise negative cynical and conspiracy minded so if you’re hanging out with somebody who tends to be nervous then the stress and anxiety can be palpable and it can sort of permeate physical problems can lead individuals to be distressed because they do not understand what’s causing it like I said earlier in some cases if your heart begins to race if you don’t understand what’s triggering it you can begin believing I’m having a heart attack or I’m gon na die when individuals have panic attacks for example they really think they’re having a cardiovascular disease and
it’s I’ve had them they are really very unpleasant experiences however when individuals begin having physical problems and it can be you understand they have a strange rash that they can’t get to disappear or it whatever but when they don’t know what it is and they can’t manage it they can’t make it go away they start thinking of all the worst-case situations and browsing the web and getting on WebMD which usually provides you all the worst-case scenarios um so physical grievances are necessary we require to stabilize the fact that no one’s pain-free all the time and you understand the fact that you might have a pains or a pain or a swelling or a bump or you know a cough most likely you know when we look at probability the probability of it being something significant is pretty little now do you want to get it took a look at probably but you understand the likelihood that is anything to be fretted about is is reasonably small and a sense of powerlessness can trigger worry of the unknown and loss of control for someone who does not feel like they have any agency in their life if they have an external locus of control or if they felt preyed on all of their life then they might fear not remaining in control they may be holding on and saying all right this is the one area of my life I can manage when I matured you understand I grew up in a really disorderly environment I had no control I was bounced around in the foster system yadda yadda yadda now that I’m an adult you understand I can manage these things and I am going to hang on with white knuckles and if I can’t manage whatever then that frightens me death and loss are other triggers for stress and anxiety and it can be people or animals and animals are very important I don’t want to reduce animals because you know they are little parts of a great deal of our families so making sure we examine that my child’s canine for example is it’s getting old she’s getting older she’s 14 now I believe and you understand she remains in decent health we took her to the veterinarian and the vet said yeah she’s got a little heart murmur but that’s anticipated for a 14 year old pet dog and but when she heads out if she does not come back when I call her I have this rush of anxiety for a second oh my gosh I hope this wasn’t the day so anxiety around losing individuals and you know if she when she crosses the bridge she will and and you understand
I’m all right with that I’m I have a more difficult time dealing with my daughter’s emotional chaos when that occurs and since she’s matured with this pet so you know those are the types of things that we want to talk about with our customers what things are weighing on you that you might not even be considering because I know in the back of my mind there’s constantly that fret about among our donkeys and her canine jobs and promotions can activate stress and anxiety if people hesitate they’re gon na lose their task if they’re constantly afraid that you understand they’re gon na stroll in and get or get a pink slip fired you know we want to help them look at how realistic is that are you doing what you need to do in order to attain and keep your job and in some cases it’s not easy to address I suggest the very first idea that a lot of us have is well you understand if you’re doing the right thing so simply do it however there are those employers out there and I’ve had some actually remarkable employers a great deal of them and I have actually had 2 really horrendous bosses and those two bosses I could never ever I never felt like I was able to do anything right and so going to those jobs there was always this stress and anxiety about what I’m what am I going to get in trouble for today so you want to talk with individuals about does your job cause stress and anxiety what can you do to moderate that stress and anxiety the exact same thing with promotions individuals may get nervous about whether they’re going to get promoted security and security you understand when you lose security and security you can feel truly nervous so if there’s a break-in at the house next door or a shooting down the road or you start viewing the news you can feel unsecure and very risky really rapidly so we want to assist people find out how safe and safe are you actually and a great deal of it goes back to really taking a look at facts when individuals lose their dreams and hopes or fear that they’re going to lose their dreams and hopes they can start to get nervous you know they have this dream that they’re going to be a physician or I simply finished the discussion on assisting high school students transition to college and a lot of high school trainees for example start college with these wide eyes and wants to conserve the world and they wish to be medical professionals and engineers and this and that and they enter it and they understand that it’s a lot harder than they thought or they understand that you know what I actually don’t like this however I’ve currently committed to it so what do I do or I wish to help individuals but I can’t I can’t cut it doing this you understand for me I determined in my 2nd year that I wasn’t going to medical school because I wasn’t going to pass calculus and that triggered a lot of stress and anxiety it resembled okay what am I gon na do now you know what career must I select so helping individuals find out do you have dreams that have possibly type of crashed and burned and you have to find new ones you know okay that a person we’ve got to accept it determine that it’s not going to be and what can you do now people
may likewise have dreams about relationships they enter into relationships and they see themselves with this person forever and then this relationship ends and or starts to get rocky and they resemble but that’s my dream what takes place if my that’s got to take place due to the fact that it’s my dream I do not understand how to operate if that disappears we wish to help individuals be able to rewrite their story and after that sickness spiders and other phobias kind of shares death a lot of times when individuals get sick they start getting anxious that oh my gosh what if this is terminal oh my gosh what if this is you understand incurable if I get bit by a spider it’s gon na eliminate me and which is uncommon you understand there are really few spiders that are actually that harmful same thing with snakes discussing bridges I’ve shared with you all that is not one of my unreasonable worries you understand I am simply horrified that you know something’s going to occur and I’m going to get pushed off the side of the bridge which is totally illogical however we need to assist individuals look at those and recognize the thoughts that they’re telling themself about those fears and handle that stress and anxiety failure is another trigger for stress and anxiety especially in this culture our culture American culture in in large part puts a high premium on success and perfectionism so when people understand that they’re not ideal they may begin to get anxious since they seem like if I’m not best then I’m a failure you know those cognitive distortions of all-or-nothing thinking and they start with that unfavorable self-talk you know you can’t do anything right so those are a few of the concerns that you know we frequently see in therapy sessions so what do we do you understand someone can be found in and it like I can’t live in this manner doc stress and anxiety depression and substance disorders in addition to a series of physical disorders are typically comorbid so this is the first thing we need to understand we require to realize that we’re very seldom dealing with an extremely simple diagnosis you understand when somebody comes in we require to find out you understand if they come in and they exist with depression all right let’s discuss that and
Comprehending Stress And Anxiety: A Patient’s Experience:
In my recent session with Emma (name altered for privacy), a 32-year-old lady, I had the opportunity to look into the intricate layers of stress and anxiety. Emma explained experiencing relentless worry, a racing heart, and invasive thoughts. She discovered it challenging to focus at work and frequently felt a sense of impending doom. These signs were interfering with her daily life, relationships, and general wellness.
Emma’s Treatment Plan:
To deal with Emma’s anxiety, we established a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to her special needs. Here are some crucial elements of her strategy:
Psychoeducation: Educating Emma about stress and anxiety and its physiological and psychological manifestations helped her gain a deeper understanding of her symptoms. This knowledge empowered her to acknowledge and validate her experiences.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is an evidence-based technique that concentrates on determining and challenging irrational thoughts and beliefs. Emma found out to reframe negative ideas and develop a more balanced viewpoint, gradually reducing anxiety-triggering cognitions.
Relaxation Techniques: Integrating relaxation strategies such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness meditation assisted Emma manage her tension response and promote a sense of calm.
Direct exposure Therapy: As Emma revealed avoidance habits associated with specific triggers, we slowly exposed her to those circumstances in a regulated manner. This direct exposure enabled her to challenge her fears and establish strength against anxiety-provoking stimuli.
Self-Care and Way Of Life Adjustments: Emma recognized the value of self-care practices in handling her stress and anxiety. She focused on regular exercise, healthy eating, quality sleep, and participating in activities she took pleasure in to promote total wellness.
My Journey as a Therapist:
My choice to end up being a therapist was deeply influenced by my own struggles with anxiety. When working with customers facing similar challenges, my individual journey has actually provided me with unique insights and compassion. Having experienced anxiety firsthand, I am able to associate with my clients’ worries, worries, and the effect stress and anxiety can have on numerous elements of life.
Harvard’s Research on Anxiety:
A critical term paper titled “Understanding the Intricacy of Stress And Anxiety: Insights from a Longitudinal Research Study” by Harvard University offers important insights into the complexity of anxiety conditions. The study followed a cohort of people over a span of 10 years and analyzed different elements contributing to the advancement, upkeep, and treatment of stress and anxiety.
The paper emphasized that stress and anxiety disorders arise from a combination of hereditary, environmental, and mental aspects. It highlighted the value of early intervention, evidence-based therapies, and holistic techniques in managing anxiety successfully. The findings even more underscored the significance of a therapeutic alliance and individualized treatment strategies in addressing stress and anxiety. Therapists Near Me Panic Disorder Anxiety
Conclusion:
Stress and anxiety is a deeply individual and complex experience that affects people in extensive ways. Through restorative interventions like psychoeducation, CBT, relaxation techniques, direct exposure treatment, and self-care practices, people like Emma can get control over their stress and anxiety and lead fulfilling lives.