Taming the Amygdala in PTSD
Cutting-edge techniques can improve PTSD symptoms. The amygdala detects threats and helps us deal with danger. Patterns of brain activity...
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Houston Anxiety Treatment & Counseling
What is Anxiety?
According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes. Fear and anxiety are sometimes used interchangeably but have distinct, key differences. Fear is the reaction to a current threat in the present but anxiety is characterized by the anticipation of potential danger in the future. Anxiety is an adaptive emotion that works towards preventing a fear-provoking situation and readies us for future problems. We cannot predict or control the future; anxiety becomes maladaptive when disproportionate amounts of worry and concern dominate our thoughts and keep us from experiencing joy, meaning, and peace in the present.
Anxiety disorders are common in adults (18%) and teenagers (25%) in the United States. Those with anxiety disorders often experience recurring, intrusive thoughts or concerns and may avoid particular situations that could cause them distress. Anxiety is often associated with physical symptoms, like rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, muscle tension, sweating, shaking, dizziness, and tightness in the chest.
Houston Anxiety Treatment & Counseling
Excessive anxiety may start to negatively affect one's emotional well-being, relationships with others, health, career, and identity. Counseling can help. Research shows that psychotherapy, alone or in combination with medication, is a highly effective treatment for most people with an anxiety disorder. Contact The Resilience Center of Houston today to be connected with a licensed therapist skilled in working with anxiety. You don't have to suffer alone.
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Skilled therapists at The Resilience Center of Houston specialize in treating anxiety through evidenced-based therapies. With 4 locations and virtual sessions, counseling has never been more convenient. With dozens of in-network insurance companies and reasonable private pay rates, counseling has never been more affordable.
You are not alone.
Anxiety is a common mental health condition and highly treatable.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes in the body that is a normal reaction to stress.
How is anxiety different than fear?
Fear and anxiety may be used interchangeably but have distinct, key differences. Fear is the reaction to a current threat in the present. Anxiety is characterized by the anticipation of potential danger in the future.
When can anxiety be helpful?
When faced with an important moment, like taking a test or making a big decision, anxiety can provide us with a boost of energy and help us focus. Anxiety is an adaptive emotion that works toward preventing a feared situation and readies us to tackle future problems.
When is anxiety a problem?
Anxiety becomes problematic when the worry or concern we feel dominates our thoughts and keep us from joy, meaning, and peace in the present. No amount of anxiety helps us predict the future, control our lives, or prevent negative things from happening.
What are Common Anxiety Symptoms?
What are anxiety disorders?
Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. A person may have an anxiety disorder when their anxiety is out of proportion to the situation, leads them to avoid situations that trigger or worsen their symptoms, and hinders their ability to function normally.
How common are anxiety disorders?
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions with about 30% of adults experiencing an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. One in five American adults experience an anxiety disorder each year.
What are the different types of anxiety disorders?
What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
Generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive and persistent worry that interferes with daily life. Relentless worry results in physical symptoms, like restlessness, feeling on edge, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, exhaustion, and sleep problems. Topics of worry typically center on everyday matters, like appointments, home repairs, work responsibilities, and family health.
What is Panic Disorder?
Panic Disorder is characterized by recurrent Panic Attacks. Panic attacks present with severe and overwhelming psychological and physical distress, involving some of the below symptoms.
What are the physical symptoms of Panic Disorder?
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Rapid heartbeat
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Shortness of breath
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Muscle tension
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Sweating
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Shaking
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Restlessness
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Dizziness
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Tightness in the chest
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Numbness or tingling
What are the psychological symptoms of Panic Disorder?
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Feeling like you’re having a heart attack
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Feeling like you’re going to die
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Feeling impending doom
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Feeling like you’re going crazy
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Feeling like you’re losing touch with reality
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Fearing you’ll lose control of yourself
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Constant worry about when you’ll have your next panic attack
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Fear you’ll embarrass yourself
What are Phobias?
A specific phobia involves intense and persistent fear of a particular object, situation or activity that is generally not dangerous. The experienced distress is acute and leads sufferers to go to extreme lengths to avoid what they fear.
What are common phobias?
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Fear of driving
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Fear of flying
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Fear of vomiting
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Fear of needles
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Fear of confined spaces
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Fear of being alone
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Fear of leaving the house
What is Agoraphobia?
Agoraphobia is characterized by the fear of being trapped or stuck in circumstances in which escape may be difficult or embarrassing, or help might not be easily available. The fear is acutely distressing and interferes with normal daily activities. The person typically avoids the situation, needs a companion, or experiences extreme anxiety.
What are common situations agoraphobics fear?
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Trembling
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Crowds
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Enclosed Spaces
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Open Spaces
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Public transportation
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Leaving the home
What is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder ?
PTSD can develop after a severe physical or emotional trauma such as a sexual assault, natural disaster, or serious accident. Those with PTSD feel intensely upsetting thoughts and emotions connected to their traumatic experience that persist long after the situation happened.
What are PTSD symptoms?
The symptoms of PTSD can be categorized into four areas.
Intrusion – repeated, unwanted thoughts, nightmares, and flashbacks of the event
Avoidance – steering clear of people, places, activities, and objects that are associated with the event.
Changes in cognition and mood – loss of interest, distorted thinking, difficulties concentrating, loss of certain memories, negative emotions, hypervigilance, social withdrawal, and anhedonia.
Changes in behavior – social withdrawal, anger outbursts, recklessness, sensitive startle response, problems sleeping.
What is Social Anxiety Disorder?
Social Anxiety Disorder involves excessive discomfort in social situations and a fear of experiencing embarrassment, judgment, humiliation, condescension, or rejection in social situations that can negatively impact work, school, and other daily activities. People with this disorder will try to avoid social situations or endure them with great anxiety.
What are commonly feared situations for those with social anxiety?
Commonly feared situations include attending parties, interacting at work, eating in public, or engaging in unscripted interactions.
What are common Social Anxiety symptoms?
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Trembling
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Blushing
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Sweating
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Rapid heartbeat
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Mind goes blank
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Stomachache
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Speaks very softly
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Avoids eye contact
What is Separation Anxiety Disorder?
Separation Anxiety Disorder is is characterized by excessive fear of being away from those we are close to, who are also called attachment persons.
What are signs of Separation Anxiety Disorder?
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Anticipation of potential separation causes mounting fear
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Persistent worry about the negative consequences resulting from separation
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Obsessive focus on the multitude of situations that could lead to separation
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Interferes with attending important activities, like work or school
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Fears of sleeping outside the home and away from attachment persons
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Nightmares about separation
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Headaches, nausea, or vomiting
What is Selective Mutism?
Selective Mutism is a rare and debilitating childhood condition that involves a failure to speak in certain situations in which there is a natural expectation to speak. A child may talk at home, for example, and be nonverbal at school. The absence of spoken communication can significantly interfere with the child’s academic achievement and can stunt their social development and the formation of relationships with others. It is theorized that Selective Mutism may be an early and specific manifestation of Social Anxiety Disorder.
What are behaviors associated with Selective Mutism?
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Clinginess
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Temper Tantrums
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Excessive Shyness
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Social Isolation
What are the impacts of anxiety?
Anxiety may disrupt many areas of a person's life.
• Emotional well-being
• Relationships with others
• Health
• Career or School
• Identity
• Unhealthy coping behavior
Will anxiety go away on its own?
Anxiety may go away when the distressing event ends, or it may lead to an anxiety disorder when their is chronic stress, irrational thinking, or maladaptive coping.
What happens if anxiety is left untreated?
If you’re living with an anxiety disorder, ignoring your symptoms may make them worse. If left untreated, anxiety disorders can worsen and substantially disrupt your life.
Can anxiety be treated?
The good news is that anxiety disorders are some of the most treatable mental health conditions. Most disorders are treated through psychotherapy, medications, or a combination of the two. Research shows that most people that receive therapy for anxiety conditions get better with therapy. The course of treatment depends on the type of anxiety disorder, its severity, the person's age, and the duration of symptoms.
How can I help my anxiety?
A licensed mental health professional can help you walk through the process of finding the therapy that is right for you.
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