What Happens In Anxiety Therapy?

Everyone experiences worry sometimes. An upcoming presentation at work or an illness in the family can provoke feelings of anxiety. Sometimes anxiety doesn't go away when the troubling circumstances pass. If you find yourself worried every day, sometimes for no reason at all, you may be suffering from an anxiety condition. Anxiety conditions are very common. They can go hand in hand with other mental health issues such as depression. If you have chronic anxiety, help is available. Anxiety therapy can help you manage your fears so you can live a happy life. Here are four things you might do in therapy:

1. Investigate the root of your fears.

Some people have the misconception that therapy is self-indulgent or that therapists only tell patients what they want to hear. The truth is that therapy is hard work. In anxiety therapy, you will be asked to investigate the root of your anxiety. For many people, their anxiety is connected to traumatic events in their early lives. Finding the cause of your anxiety will allow you to take steps to move beyond it.

2. Practice identifying rational and irrational fears.

Some anxiety is healthy. Feeling anxious in dangerous situations can help you make good choices. Unfortunately, people with anxiety disorders can have a hard time distinguishing rational fears from irrational fears. Your therapist will train you to slow down and examine your worries as they arise. By making a practice of asking yourself if your fears are reasonable, you can learn to ignore anxieties that have no basis in reality.

3. Work on behavioral modifying techniques.

Your anxiety disorder doesn't need to define you. If you want to stop making choices based on your fears, you'll need to work on not letting them control you. In therapy, you will have the opportunity to work on behavioral modifying techniques. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a useful tool for combating anxiety disorders. CBT relies on the premise that by changing your behavior, you can also retrain your mind.

4. Access your therapist for crisis management.

Over time, anxiety therapy can help you learn to manage your anxiety. Well-managed anxiety usually causes people less stress on a daily basis. However, unforeseen negative events can still make your anxiety recur. Your therapist will be available to help you manage crises that arise. Once you establish a therapeutic relationship, you can call your therapist to schedule an emergency appointment if necessary.   

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