a widespread psychological health concern, impacts countless people worldwide. Anxiety Therapist Phoenix … As a Certified Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), I have seen the impact of stress and anxiety on numerous lives. In this post, I will share an extensive exploration of anxiety through the lens of a current treatment session with a client, highlighting signs, treatment methods, and my personal journey as a therapist with my own experiences of stress and anxiety Furthermore, we will discuss a term paper by Harvard University that clarifies the multifaceted nature of anxiety.|Anxiety, a common psychological health issue, impacts millions of individuals worldwide. As a Licensed Medical Social Worker (LCSW), I have actually seen the effect of anxiety on countless lives.}
presentation on strengths-based biopsychosocial methods to resolving anxiety and while those are fantastic you know I thought possibly we should look at you understand what’s some of the current research so I entered into PubMed which is I do not know it’s playground for me it’s where you discover a great deal of the journal posts and you can sort and I arranged by posts that were done and meta-analyses that were done within the past 5 years so that gives us a concept about existing research study I mean there’s a lot of things that is still the exact same like a few of the medications that were known to work ten years ago are still known to be you understand excellent first-line treatments but there are also some beginners that we’ll talk about and there are also some changes that we’re going to speak about so we’re going to explore 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 actually require to comprehend kind of what triggers it due to the fact that anxiety that’s triggered by for instance somebody having a racing heart may be different than anxiety that’s caused for someone who has desertion concerns so we’re gon na treat the two things in a different way so we want to look at a few of the common causes we’re gon na take a look at some common triggers for stress and anxiety you know what are a few of these common styles that we see in practice and I will ask you to share a few of the styles that you see that highlight or underlie a lot of your clients anxiety and determine existing finest practices for stress and anxiety management including counseling interventions medications physical interventions and encouraging treatments so we care because stress and anxiety.
can be incapacitating and a great deal of our clients have stress and anxiety a great deal of our customers have anxiety comorbid with anxiety and they’re taking a look at us going how can I feel anxious and stressed 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 concerns actually wish to sleep however they can’t so I want to assist customers comprehend that likewise in some cases anxiety when individuals are anxious for long enough the body starts sort of holding on to the cortisol the body really recognizes at a certain point this is a losing fight I’m not going to put energy into this anymore so it begins with drawing some of its excitatory neurotransmitter so to speak and people will begin to feel depressed basically the brain has actually currently said this is hopeless this is you’re you’re defenseless to alter the scenario so then people start feeling hopeless and powerless which is sort of the meaning if you will of anxiety low-grade persistent stress and anxiety developed energy and people’s ability to concentrate so if we’re going to help them become their uber selves we need to help them determine how to resolve stress and anxiety not just generalized overwhelming incapacitating stress and anxiety but likewise panic social stress and anxiety and those small anxiety triggers that occurred that may not fulfill the threshold for a medical diagnosis stress and anxiety is a major trigger for addiction regression if you have a customer who is self
medicated prior to or had a dependency for some reason stress and anxiety is a significant trigger increased physical discomfort when anxiety goes up people tend to tense their muscles when they tense their muscles they tend to feel more discomfort I imply think about when you’re stressed you tend to have more pain like in your neck in your back and things that already harmed may hurt more why because serotonin which is among our major anti-anxiety neurotransmitters is also one of our major discomfort modulators so when serotonin levels are too low since stress and anxiety is high then our pain understanding is going to be more intense and individuals can have sleep problems if you’re stressed your body believes there’s a threat you’re not going to be able to enter into that deep restful sleep you might have you may sleep you might sleep a lot however it’s probably not quality sleep which suggests your neurotransmitters might leave whack your hormones make it out of whack and your body is going to start perceiving 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 might again you might be resting sort of like when you have a new child in your home those very first couple of months that my children were house from the hospital I slept however I didn’t sleep well I suggest the smallest little noise and I was awake and I was looking around and you understand I felt it I felt exhausted and a lot of brand-new parents do so triggers for anxiety abandonment and rejection and we’re going to talk about methods we may want to handle these things but a few of the underlying themes that I have actually seen in a great deal of customers and when I do the research what a great deal of what styles that come out consist of low self-confidence
if someone has low self-esteem they’re looking to be externally verified oftentimes they’re trying to find someone else to tell them you’re lovable you’re alright so that can cause anxiety about not having people to tell them you’re okay which makes their relationships rare and can make them inefficient illogical ideas and cognitive distortions may lead people to believe that if I’m not ideal for instance I am not lovable so we’re going to take a look at some irrational ideas and cognitive distortions unhealthy social supports and relationships when you remain in a relationship it takes 2 to tango and even if your client is reasonably mentally and physically healthy if they are in an inefficient relationship they can fear desertion and rejection if that other person is always stating if you do not do X I’m going to leave you or if that other individual is constantly cheating on them or whatever so relationships can set off abandonment anxiety and ineffective interpersonal skills can result in relationship turmoil and social exile if our customers are in relationships even if they’re not completely inefficient if our customers are not able to ask for what they need and set suitable boundaries and handle dispute successfully because conflict occurs in every relationship then they might begin to argue more which may lead to fearing may cause relationships ending in the past and them going well every relationship I enter ends which indicates I should not be lovable so they begin fearing abandonment and rejection so these are four areas that we can look at one more assessing clients another issue is the unknown and loss of control a lot of times unfavorable self-talk and cognitive distortions can contribute to that if I do not have control of whatever then it’s all going to be a disaster unfavorable others when customers hang out or when individuals socialize with negative people it type of wears on you after a while you observe that individuals who are tend to be more unfavorable downhearted conspiracy minded tend to hang out with people who are also negative cynical and conspiracy minded so if you’re hanging out with someone who tends to be nervous then the anxiety can be palpable and it can sort of permeate physical problems can lead people to be nervous since they do not know what’s causing it like I said previously sometimes if your heart begins to race if you do not know what’s triggering it you can begin thinking I’m having a cardiac arrest or I’m gon na pass away when people have anxiety attack for instance they truly think they’re having a cardiovascular disease and
it’s I’ve had them they are very very unpleasant experiences but when individuals start having physical grievances and it can be you understand they have a strange rash that they can’t get to disappear or it whatever but when they do not know what it is and they can’t control it they can’t make it disappear they start thinking about all the worst-case situations and going on the internet and getting on WebMD which usually offers you all the worst-case situations um so physical problems are essential we need to stabilize the fact that no one’s pain-free all the time and you understand the fact that you may have a discomfort or an ache or a swelling or a bump or you know a cough more than likely you understand when we take a look at possibility the probability of it being something substantial is pretty small now do you want to get it had a look at probably but you understand the probability that is anything to be stressed over is is relatively small and a sense of powerlessness can trigger fear of the unknown and loss of control for someone who does not seem like they have any company in their life if they have an external locus of control or if they felt victimized all of their life then they may fear not remaining in control they may be holding on and saying all right this is the one location of my life I can manage when I grew up you know I grew up in an extremely chaotic 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 hold on with white knuckles and if I can’t manage everything then that horrifies me death and loss are other triggers for anxiety and it can be animals or individuals and animals are important I do not want to reduce pets due to the fact that you know they are little parts of a great deal of our families so ensuring we inspect that my child’s canine for example is it’s getting old she’s growing older she’s 14 now I think and you know she remains in good health we took her to the veterinarian and the veterinarian said yeah she’s got a little heart murmur however that’s expected for a 14 years of age dog and however when she goes out if she doesn’t 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 stress and anxiety around losing people and you know if she when she crosses the bridge she will and and you know
I’m all right with that I’m I have a more difficult time handling my daughter’s emotional chaos when that takes place and since she’s grown up with this pet dog so you understand those are the types of things that we want to speak about with our clients what things are weighing on you that you may not even be considering since I understand in the back of my mind there’s constantly that stress over among our donkeys and her dog tasks and promotions can set off anxiety if individuals hesitate they’re gon na lose their task if they’re constantly scared that you know they’re gon na walk in and get a pink slip or get fired you understand we wish to help them take a look at how practical is that are you doing what you need to do in order to attain and keep your job and sometimes it’s hard to answer I indicate the first idea that a lot of us have is well you know if you’re doing the best thing so just do it however there are those employers out there and I’ve had some truly amazing bosses a great deal of them and I have actually had 2 actually horrendous bosses and those two employers I could never I never seemed like I was able to do anything best therefore going to those tasks there was always this stress and anxiety about what I’m what am I going to get in trouble for today so you wish to talk with people about does your job cause anxiety what can you do to moderate that stress and anxiety the same thing with promotions individuals might get anxious about whether they’re going to get promoted safety and security you know when you lose safety and security you can feel actually distressed so if there’s a burglary at your house next door or a shooting down the road or you start watching the news you can feel extremely unsafe and unsecure actually quickly so we wish to help individuals find out how safe and protected are you actually and a lot of it returns to really looking at truths when individuals lose their dreams and hopes or fear that they’re going to lose their dreams and hopes they can start to get distressed you understand they have this dream that they’re going to be a doctor or I just finished the discussion on assisting high school trainees shift to college and a great deal of high school trainees for instance start college with these broad eyes and intends to conserve the world and they want to be medical professionals and engineers and this and that and they get into it and they understand that it’s a lot more difficult than they thought or they recognize that you know what I truly do not like this but I’ve already dedicated to it so what do I do or I want to help individuals but I can’t I can’t cut it doing this you know for me I determined in my second year that I wasn’t going to medical school since I wasn’t going to pass calculus and that caused a great deal of stress and anxiety it resembled all right what am I gon na do now you understand what career needs to I choose so helping individuals determine do you have dreams that have maybe type of crashed and burned and you need to discover brand-new ones you understand alright that a person we have actually got to accept it find out that it’s not going to be and what can you do now individuals
might also have dreams about relationships they enter into relationships and they see themselves with this person forever and after that this relationship ends and or begins to get rocky and they resemble however that’s my dream what takes place if my that’s got to occur since it’s my dream I do not know how to function if that disappears we want to assist individuals have the ability to reword their story and then sickness spiders and other fears type of goes in with death a great deal of times when individuals get ill they start getting distressed that oh my gosh what if this is terminal oh my gosh what if this is you know incurable if I get bit by a spider it’s gon na kill me and which is uncommon you know there are really couple of spiders that are actually that toxic same thing with snakes discussing bridges I have actually shared with you all that is not one of my irrational fears you understand I am simply terrified that you understand something’s going to happen and I’m going to get pushed off the side of the bridge which is completely illogical however we require to help individuals look at those and recognize the thoughts that they’re informing themself about those fears and deal with that stress and anxiety failure is another trigger for stress and anxiety specifically in this culture our culture American culture in in large part puts a high premium on success and perfectionism so when individuals understand that they’re not ideal they might begin to get nervous because they feel like if I’m not best then I’m a failure you understand those cognitive distortions of all-or-nothing thinking and they begin with that unfavorable self-talk you know you can’t do anything right so those are a few of the problems that you understand we frequently see in counseling sessions so what do we do you know someone comes in and it like I can’t live by doing this doc anxiety depression and compound disorders along with a series of physical conditions are often comorbid so this is the first thing we need to recognize we need to understand that we’re really rarely dealing with a very easy 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 talk about that and
Understanding Stress And Anxiety: A Client’s Experience:
In my recent session with Emma (name changed for privacy), a 32-year-old female, I had the opportunity to delve into the intricate layers of stress and anxiety. These symptoms were interfering with her daily life, relationships, and general well-being.
Emma’s Treatment Strategy:
To attend to Emma’s anxiety, we established an extensive treatment strategy customized to her special requirements. Here are some key elements of her plan:
Psychoeducation: Educating Emma about stress and anxiety and its psychological and physiological manifestations helped her gain a much deeper understanding of her signs. This understanding empowered her to recognize and confirm her experiences.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment (CBT): CBT is an evidence-based approach that concentrates on recognizing and challenging irrational ideas and beliefs. Emma discovered to reframe negative ideas and develop a more well balanced point of view, gradually reducing anxiety-triggering cognitions.
Relaxation Strategies: Including relaxation methods such as deep breathing workouts, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness meditation helped Emma manage her tension action and promote a sense of calm.
Direct exposure Therapy: As Emma expressed avoidance habits connected to specific triggers, we slowly exposed her to those circumstances in a controlled way. This exposure permitted her to face her fears and establish strength against anxiety-provoking stimuli.
Self-Care and Lifestyle Adjustments: Emma recognized the value of self-care practices in handling her anxiety. She prioritized regular exercise, healthy consuming, quality sleep, and participating in activities she delighted in to promote general well-being.
My Journey as a Therapist:
My decision to end up being a therapist was deeply influenced by my own struggles with stress and anxiety. My individual journey has actually supplied me with special insights and compassion when dealing with clients facing comparable difficulties. Having experienced anxiety firsthand, I am able to connect to my patients’ fears, worries, and the impact anxiety can have on various aspects of life.
Harvard’s Research study on Anxiety:
An influential research paper entitled “Understanding the Complexity of Stress And Anxiety: Insights from a Longitudinal Research Study” by Harvard University supplies valuable insights into the intricacy of stress and anxiety conditions. The research study followed an accomplice of people over a span of ten years and examined different factors contributing to the advancement, maintenance, and treatment of stress and anxiety.
The paper emphasized that anxiety disorders arise from a mix of hereditary, ecological, and psychological aspects. It highlighted the importance of early intervention, evidence-based treatments, and holistic approaches in handling stress and anxiety successfully. The findings further highlighted the significance of a healing alliance and individualized treatment strategies in resolving stress and anxiety. Anxiety Therapist Phoenix
Conclusion:
Anxiety is a complex and deeply individual experience that affects individuals in extensive ways. Through restorative interventions like psychoeducation, CBT, relaxation techniques, exposure treatment, and self-care practices, people like Emma can acquire control over their stress and anxiety and lead fulfilling lives.