a widespread psychological health issue, impacts countless individuals worldwide. African American Therapists In Northern Virginia Anxiety … As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), I have seen the effect of stress and anxiety on countless lives. In this post, I will share an extensive exploration of anxiety through the lens of a current treatment session with a patient, highlighting signs, treatment strategies, and my individual journey as a therapist with my own experiences of anxiety In addition, we will discuss a term paper by Harvard University that sheds light on the complex nature of stress and anxiety.|Anxiety, a widespread mental health concern, affects millions of people worldwide. As a Licensed Clinical Social Employee (LCSW), I have experienced the effect of stress and anxiety on countless lives.}
presentation on strengths-based biopsychosocial techniques to attending to stress and anxiety and while those are terrific you know I thought maybe we ought to look at you know what’s some of the existing research so I went into PubMed which is I do not know it’s play ground for me it’s where you find a great deal of the journal short articles and you can sort and I arranged by short articles that were done and meta-analyses that were done within the past 5 years so that provides us an idea about present research study I imply there’s a great deal of stuff that is still the exact same like some of the medications that were understood to work ten years earlier are still understood to be you know excellent first-line treatments but there are likewise some newcomers that we’ll talk about and there are also some modifications that we’re going to talk about so we’re going to check out some typical causes for stress and anxiety symptoms in order to treat it we truly require to and naturally this does play into the biopsychosocial element we really require to understand kind of what causes it because anxiety that’s triggered by for instance somebody having a racing heart may be different than stress and anxiety that’s triggered for someone who has abandonment issues so we’re gon na deal with the two things differently so we wish to look at some of the common causes we’re gon na look at some typical triggers for anxiety you know what are some of these common themes that we see in practice and I will ask you to share some of the themes that you see that underlie a lot or highlight of your clients stress and anxiety and identify existing best practices for anxiety management including therapy interventions medications physical interventions and supportive treatments so we care due to the fact that anxiety.
can be disabling and a lot of our clients have stress and anxiety a lot of our clients have stress and anxiety comorbid with depression and they’re taking a look at us going how can I feel nervous and stressed and like I can’t sit still and depressed at the same time you understand when you’re depressed you’re expected to want to sleep well a great deal of times people who are have both concerns really wish to sleep but they can’t so I wish to assist clients understand that likewise sometimes anxiety when people are anxious for long enough the body begins type of hanging on to the cortisol the body really acknowledges at a specific 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 individuals will start to feel depressed essentially the brain has actually already said this is hopeless this is you’re you’re powerless to change the circumstance so then people begin feeling hopeless and powerless which is sort of the meaning if you will of depression low-grade chronic stress and anxiety occurred energy and individuals’s ability to focus so if we’re going to help them become their uber selves we need to help them determine how to resolve anxiety not just generalized overwhelming debilitating anxiety but also panic social stress and anxiety and those small stress and anxiety sets off that come along that may not satisfy the threshold for a diagnosis stress and anxiety is a major trigger for dependency regression if you have a client 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 pain I indicate think of when you’re stressed out you tend to have more discomfort like in your neck in your back and things that currently hurt might harm more why since serotonin which is among our significant anti-anxiety neurotransmitters is also one of our major discomfort modulators so when serotonin levels are too low due to the fact that anxiety is high then our discomfort understanding is going to be more intense and individuals can have sleep problems if you’re stressed out your body thinks there’s a hazard you’re not going to have the ability to get into that deep restful sleep you might have you might sleep you might sleep a lot however it’s probably not quality sleep which indicates your neurotransmitters may leave whack your hormones make it out of whack and your body is going to begin viewing your itself in a relentless state of stress when we’re exhausted 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 once again you might be resting kind of like when you have a new child at home those first number of months that my kids were home from the health center I slept but I didn’t sleep well I suggest the slightest little sound and I was awake and I was browsing and you understand I felt it I felt tired and a great deal of brand-new parents do so triggers for stress and anxiety abandonment and rejection and we’re going to talk about methods we may want to handle these things however some of the underlying styles that I’ve seen in a lot of clients and when I do the research study what a lot of what styles that come out consist of low self-esteem
if someone has low self-confidence they’re seeming externally validated frequently they’re looking for somebody else to tell them you’re lovable you’re alright so that can result in stress and anxiety about not having people to tell them you’re alright that makes their relationships tenuous and can make them inefficient cognitive distortions and irrational ideas may lead people to think that if I’m not best for example I am not lovable so we’re going to take a look at some unreasonable thoughts and cognitive distortions unhealthy social assistances and relationships when you’re in a relationship it takes two to tango and even if your customer is reasonably mentally and physically healthy if they are in a dysfunctional relationship they can fear abandonment and rejection if that other individual is constantly saying if you don’t do X I’m going to leave you or if that other person is constantly cheating on them or whatever so relationships can activate desertion anxiety and ineffective social skills can lead to relationship chaos and social exile if our clients remain in relationships even if they’re not completely dysfunctional if our clients are unable to ask for what they need and set proper borders and handle conflict successfully because dispute takes place in every relationship then they might begin to argue more which might result in fearing may lead to relationships ending in the past and them working out every relationship I get into ends which implies I should not be adorable so they begin fearing desertion and rejection so these are 4 areas that we can take a look at one more assessing clients another problem is the unknown and loss of control a lot of times unfavorable self-talk and cognitive distortions can add to that if I do not have control of whatever then it’s all going to be a catastrophe negative others when customers hang out or when individuals socialize with unfavorable people it type of wears on you after a while you notice that people who are tend to be more negative cynical conspiracy minded tend to socialize with individuals who are also negative cynical and conspiracy minded so if you’re hanging out with someone who tends to be distressed then the stress and anxiety can be palpable and it can kind of penetrate physical complaints can lead people to be anxious because they don’t know what’s causing it like I stated previously sometimes if your heart begins to race if you do not understand what’s causing it you can begin thinking I’m having a cardiac arrest or I’m gon na pass away when individuals have anxiety attack for instance they truly think they’re having a cardiac arrest and
it’s I have actually had them they are extremely really unpleasant experiences however when individuals begin having physical grievances and it can be you know 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 disappear they begin thinking of all the worst-case circumstances and going on the internet and getting on WebMD which normally provides you all the worst-case circumstances um so physical complaints are important we need to stabilize the truth that nobody’s pain-free all the time and you understand the fact that you might have a discomfort or an ache or a lump or a bump or you know a cough most likely you know when we take a look at probability the probability of it being something significant is pretty small now do you wish to get it checked out probably but you understand the possibility that is anything to be fretted about is is fairly small and a sense of powerlessness can set off fear of the unknown and loss of control for someone who doesn’t seem 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 hanging on and stating alright this is the one location of my life I can control when I matured you understand I matured 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 know I can control these things and I am going to hold on with white knuckles and if I can’t manage whatever then that frightens me death and loss are other triggers for anxiety and it can be animals or people and pets are important I don’t wish to decrease pets because you know they are little parts of a lot of our households so ensuring we examine that my child’s dog for instance is it’s getting old she’s getting older she’s 14 now I believe and you understand she’s in decent health we took her to the veterinarian and the veterinarian said yeah she’s got a little heart whispering however that’s anticipated for a 14 years of age pet and however 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 people and you understand if she when she crosses the bridge she will and and you understand
I’m okay with that I’m I have a more difficult time handling my daughter’s emotional chaos when that takes place and due to the fact that she’s matured with this canine so you know those are the kinds of things that we wish to discuss with our customers what things are weighing on you that you might not even be thinking of because I understand in the back of my mind there’s constantly that worry about among our donkeys and her pet dog jobs and promos can trigger anxiety if people hesitate they’re gon na lose their task if they’re always scared that you understand they’re gon na walk in and get or get a pink slip fired you know we want to help them look at how practical is that are you doing what you need to do in order to accomplish and keep your job and in some cases it’s challenging to answer I mean the first idea that a lot of us have is well you understand if you’re doing the right thing so just do it however there are those employers out there and I have actually had some really amazing managers a great deal of them and I’ve had 2 really horrendous bosses and those 2 managers I could never I never ever felt like I was able to do anything right and so 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 want to talk with people about does your job cause stress and anxiety what can you do to moderate that stress and anxiety the very same thing with promos individuals may get distressed about whether they’re going to get promoted safety and security you know when you lose security and security you can feel really anxious 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 unsecure and extremely risky really rapidly so we want to assist people determine how safe and protected are you really and a lot of it returns to actually 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 begin to get anxious you understand they have this dream that they’re going to be a physician or I simply finished the discussion on assisting high school trainees transition to college and a great deal of high school students for example start college with these wide eyes and intends to conserve the world and they want to be doctors and engineers and this and that and they get into it and they recognize that it’s a lot more difficult than they believed or they realize that you understand what I truly don’t like this but I’ve already devoted to it so what do I do or I wish to assist people but I can’t I can’t cut it doing this you understand for me I found out in my 2nd year that I wasn’t going to medical school because I wasn’t going to pass calculus which triggered a lot of stress and anxiety it was like fine what am I gon na do now you understand what career ought to I pick so helping people find out do you have dreams that have perhaps type of crashed and burned and you have to find brand-new ones you understand fine that one we have actually got to accept it figure out that it’s not going to be and what can you do now individuals
may likewise have dreams about relationships they enter relationships and they see themselves with this person forever and then this relationship ends and or begins to get rocky and they’re like however that’s my dream what takes place if my that’s got to take place because it’s my dream I do not understand how to work if that disappears we wish to help people have the ability to reword their story and then illness spiders and other phobias type of goes in with death a lot of times when individuals get sick they begin getting distressed 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 kill me and which is uncommon you know there are really couple of spiders that are in fact that poisonous very same thing with snakes reviewing bridges I have actually shown you all that is not one of my illogical worries you know I am just horrified that you know something’s going to happen and I’m going to get pushed off the side of the bridge which is totally unreasonable however we need to assist individuals take a look at those and recognize the ideas that they’re telling themself about those fears and handle that anxiety failure is another trigger for stress and anxiety particularly 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 best they might begin to get nervous due to the fact that they feel like if I’m not best then I’m a failure you know 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 some of the problems that you understand we often see in counseling sessions so what do we do you know somebody can be found in and it like I can’t live in this manner doc anxiety depression and substance disorders as well as a range of physical disorders are typically comorbid so this is the first thing we need to recognize we require to recognize that we’re extremely hardly ever handling a very basic medical diagnosis you understand when somebody can be found in we need to find out you know if they are available in and they’re presenting with anxiety all right let’s discuss that and
Understanding Anxiety: A Client’s Experience:
In my recent session with Emma (name changed for privacy), a 32-year-old lady, I had the chance to look into the detailed layers of anxiety. Emma described experiencing relentless worry, a racing heart, and invasive thoughts. She discovered it challenging to focus at work and often felt a sense of impending doom. These signs were interfering with her every day life, relationships, and general wellness.
Emma’s Treatment Plan:
To deal with Emma’s anxiety, we established a thorough treatment strategy tailored to her unique requirements. Here are some key elements of her plan:
Psychoeducation: Educating Emma about stress and anxiety and its physiological and mental manifestations assisted her gain a much deeper understanding of her symptoms. This knowledge empowered her to recognize and confirm her experiences.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment (CBT): CBT is an evidence-based approach that focuses on recognizing and challenging illogical ideas and beliefs. Emma discovered to reframe negative ideas and develop a more well balanced point of view, gradually lowering anxiety-triggering cognitions.
Relaxation Strategies: Including relaxation strategies such as deep breathing workouts, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness meditation helped Emma regulate her stress reaction and promote a sense of calm.
Direct exposure Therapy: As Emma expressed avoidance habits connected to certain triggers, we slowly exposed her to those scenarios in a regulated way. This direct exposure enabled her to challenge her worries and establish resilience versus anxiety-provoking stimuli.
Self-Care and Lifestyle Modifications: Emma acknowledged the significance of self-care practices in managing her stress and anxiety. She prioritized routine workout, healthy eating, quality sleep, and taking part in activities she enjoyed to promote overall wellness.
My Journey as a Therapist:
My decision to become a therapist was deeply affected by my own struggles with anxiety. My personal journey has actually supplied me with unique insights and empathy when working with customers dealing with comparable challenges. Having experienced anxiety firsthand, I have the ability to associate with my patients’ fears, worries, and the effect anxiety can have on various elements of life.
Harvard’s Research on Stress and anxiety:
An influential term paper titled “Understanding the Intricacy of Anxiety: Insights from a Longitudinal Study” by Harvard University provides important insights into the intricacy of anxiety conditions. The study followed a friend of individuals over a span of ten years and examined various aspects adding to the advancement, upkeep, and treatment of stress and anxiety.
The paper stressed that stress and anxiety disorders arise from a combination of genetic, ecological, and mental aspects. It highlighted the significance of early intervention, evidence-based therapies, and holistic techniques in managing stress and anxiety successfully. The findings further highlighted the significance of a healing alliance and personalized treatment strategies in resolving anxiety. African American Therapists In Northern Virginia Anxiety
Conclusion:
Stress and anxiety is a multifaceted and deeply individual experience that affects people in profound methods. Through restorative interventions like psychoeducation, CBT, relaxation techniques, direct exposure treatment, and self-care practices, individuals like Emma can get control over their stress and anxiety and lead satisfying lives.