Generalized Anxiety
“I can’t find the time to do everything.”
“I don’t have the bandwidth or headspace for that right now.”
“My chest hurts.” “Why is my jaw clenched?”
“I need to be able to sleep.”
If these phrases sound familiar, your mind and body may be letting you know in a not so gentle manner that you may have generalized anxiety.
Do I Have Generalized Anxiety?
Constant worrying, muscle tension, sleep issues, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating are some of the main symptoms of Generalized Anxiety.
The cycle of worrying often includes negative thoughts about current events or future events. You may find yourself worrying and preoccupied with everyday activities or situations. For example, work issues, finances, exams, figuring out how to tackle everything on your to-do list by the end of the day can stir up anxiety . Similarly, life changes such as moving, starting college or a new job are natural situations that also bring up worries. Most people would agree that they have at some point in their life been concerned about all of these things.
Yet, if you have generalized anxiety, you may find that it is not so easy to stop worrying.
You may know the source of the worries and engaged in futuristic thinking, imagining many “what if…” scenarios in your mind about something you are fearing. Or on the other hand, you may actually not know the reason why you are worrying but notice a general sense of nervousness and tension in your body and this might be the first clue that you have anxiety.
Counseling for Generalized Anxiety
Worrying excessively can leave you feeling fatigued and overwhelmed. As a result, it reduces your ability to concentrate and focus on the tasks at hand, interfering with your daily activities and overall wellbeing.
You would like to feel better, break the pattern of worrying and be more present by enjoying moments rather than overthinking them. Wouldn’t it feel nice to enjoy more moments rather than overthink them? Do more and also believe that things will just work out and not fall apart.
There is healing.
There is Hope
Anxiety can be controlled through the use of a variety of strategies. There is not a one size fits all solution. An essential process of counseling is beginning to understand how anxiety manifests for you specifically and how it contributes to your distress.
Counseling may involve looking at ways to learn and implement relaxation techniques. Besides feeling more relaxed, you begin to notice your thought patterns and responses to current anxiety provoking situations. You may find that some of your responses and ways of coping are actually helpful to you. You you may also begin to note others that aren’t serving you and consider areas of change.
Taking the chance to start counseling can help you discover ways to reduce these uncomfortable feelings and receive support. If your goal is to achieve a relaxed and balanced attitude to take on the day, reach out and learn how I can help you.