Counseling for Anxiety
Are you tired of that never-ending feeling of catastrophe lurking ahead? Little worries turning into a spiral of negative thoughts? Always on edge? Exhausted from it all?
We can help stop anxiety from controlling your life.
One of the most common reasons people come to therapy is because their anxiety/stress levels have become unmanageable. This can be especially true if you live in a fast paced city, like Chicago. Maybe without knowing, you often think about what might happen in the future, imagining all the “what’ifs” and “worst case scenarios.” This can make you scared and worried. Anxiety counseling can help.
You could also have trouble concentrating, feel restless, have a hard time sleeping, or have physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomach problems. Your body can react as if these imagined things are really occurring, causing your heart to beat faster and making you feel like you're in danger, even though you're not. If these feelings stick around and make it hard for you to do things you normally enjoy.
Sometimes, the ways we cope with untreated anxiety could cause bigger issues. It’s normal to want to relieve stress after a long day, but previously harmless coping mechanisms can get out of hand when anxiety goes unmanaged (drinking in excess, overeating, compulsively shopping, seeking out relationships or sex from an anxious or insecure place, or even burying yourself in work).
Addressing Stress and Anxiety
Have you ever felt like stress is a constant companion, weighing you down and leaving you feeling overwhelmed? Maybe life has thrown you a curveball, leaving you grappling with uncertainty and change. Perhaps you're juggling multiple responsibilities, feeling pulled in every direction and inching closer to burnout with each passing day. Are your relationships, or even the absence of them, adding to your stress?
Or perhaps your anxiety spikes when you think about sharing your sexual orientation or gender identity, adding an extra layer of complexity to your daily life. Maybe the challenges of motherhood leave you feeling mentally exhausted, with the weight of endless tasks bearing down on you. And let's not forget the demands of your job, which can sometimes feel downright impossible to meet.
Life is full of twists and turns, each one bringing its own set of anxieties and challenges to navigate. But remember, you're not alone in this journey.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety disorders are the most common cause of concern, so you’re definitely not alone. They affect 40 million adults in the United States. Anxiety is more than just a feeling of “ jitters and butterflies in the pit of your stomach” that can be shaken off. Anxiety can range from worry and stress to anxiety attacks and panic attacks.
A little anxiety is good - it is a survival mechanism, and since we aren't usually chased by tigers, it helps us focus and respond well during situations like a test or on the job. However, extreme brief stress or moderate stress for a long period of time can weigh on our mental and physical health.
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Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure. Anxiety is all about uneasy anticipation of things yet to come. In contrast fear is about something that is happening in the moment.
Let’s say, you were sitting in your living room and an intruder burst into your home. In that moment you would be experiencing fear as the danger was occurring in that moment. However, if the next day after the intruder was long gone and you experienced feelings of uneasiness and apprehension while sitting in your living room, then you are then experiencing anxiety as you are now predicting another intruder is going to come versus one actually being present.
This illustrates how powerful our minds are- just the thought of something happening in the future can cause the body to respond as though that imagined event is actually occurring right now.
Today, many factors can increase our likelihood to experience symptoms of anxiety. Social media, constant negative news stories, natural disasters, toxic people, constant stress and trauma are just some of the things that can contribute to increased worry, fear, and altered moods.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness, affecting 40 million people. Anxiety therapy can help. People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry. They may also have physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, dizziness, or a rapid heartbeat.
*Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology and APA Dictionary of Psychology
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When you feel anxious you might have racing thoughts but also physical symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, tense muscles, trembling, a rapid heartbeat, and pain and bloating in your abdomen. These are all the results of the stress response when the body releases cortisol as it prepares for “fight or flight.”
Fight or flight is your body’s natural protection system. The goal is to get you out of there and keep you safe. However, with anxiety this system often misfires. Imagine when you cook bacon and the smoke alarm goes off. There is no fire, but the smoke alarm is doing it’s job.
*Healthline.com
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Are you experiencing any of the following?
*Increased overwhelm or panic attacks
*Tightness in your chest that has become a regular occurrence
*Shortness of breath
*Excessive worry
*A shift in your eating habits (eating more or eating less than normal for you; having no appetite)
*Difficulty sleeping or Insomnia
*Feedback in your relationships that you seem “on edge”
*Having a short fuse or low tolerance of others
*Feeling angry or frustrated quickly
*Worry that is manifesting into phobias or irrational fears
*Avoiding public or others
*Loss of healthy habits in your life (stopped exercising, meditating, or connecting with positive relationships)
*Difficulty with focus at work
*Challenges with feeling enjoyment and feeling clear on your career path
Which Therapy is Best for Anxiety?
Many people ask, ‘what can you do instead of worrying?’ or ‘how do I stop worrying so much?’ or ‘why can’t I stop worrying?’ Anxiety can be overwhelming, but it's important to know that there is treatment for anxiety disorders. However, therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal.
Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is integral to the success of anxiety treatment. Therapy interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), and exposure therapy are proven research-based treatments in helping individuals with anxiety.
These evidence-based treatments aid people in improving and managing their mental health and overall well-being when dealing with anxiety disorders.
Anxiety will impact the way you’re experiencing your life, but it doesn’t have to run your life.
Meet Our Team
We are a diverse team of therapists who recognize you are a unique and so is your story. We offer anxiety treatment. We offer affirming and inclusive mental health services in Chicago and throughout the state of Illinois.
Our therapists have experience working with:
Generalized anxiety and worry
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Panic disorder
Phobias
Social anxiety
Trauma
Our Chicago Anxiety Therapists Can Help
We want to walk with you to help you find relief, finally breathe, be less alone, and feel joy. Together, we create your toolbox to reduce feelings of anxiety, worry, stress, and fear.
We provide online counseling for anxiety in Chicago, throughout the state of Illinois, and in over 30 states.
Start Anxiety Treatment in Chicago and Illinois, in just a few steps.
Book now, email us or use our contact page.
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Complete paperwork and meet your therapist.