ANXIETY COUNSELING IN CINCINNATI

WHAT IS ANXIETY?

As an anxiety therapist in Cincinnati, I like to give anxiety a clear form in the imagination of my clients. I explain anxiety as fear’s close cousin. Both these feelings are a response to feeling in danger, unsafe, or under threat. Fear is a response to a known danger, whereas anxiety is a response to an unknown or ambiguous threat. Meriam Webster defines anxiety as an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it.

WHY DO WE EXPERIENCE ANXIETY?

Anxiety in small doses is essential for optimal human performance. The anxiety we feel before an exam or an important presentation at work is what keeps us vigilant and prepared when it is mild and not debilitating. It is not only normal; it is very useful. Beyond that healthy level of anxiety, anxiety’s benefits disappear, and what most people report is a paralyzing feeling of dread and doom that affects every day functioning. If the anxiety does not go away and is getting progressively worse, this might be a sign of unhealthy levels of anxiety, and might even qualify as an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety counselors hear their clients describe how their anxiety manifests in numerous ways. Some of the most common symptoms reported by clients in anxiety therapy are

Elevated or irregular heart rate
A sensation of restlessness, uneasiness and fear
Sleeping irregularities. Difficulty to go to sleep, or difficulty staying asleep
Abnormal sweating of the forehead or the hands
Felling like you can’t breathe
Fidgeting and being restless
Tingling in the stomach or butterflies
Muscle spasm or tightness

This list is in no way exhaustive. Different people experience different symptoms for anxiety that can range in severity and manifestation.

WHAT ARE COMMON SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY?

HOW AN ANXIETY COUNSELOR CAN HELP?

Because anxiety is rooted in apprehension and fear, as an anxiety psychotherapist, my first priority when working with anxiety clients is to create and foster a sense of safety in my relationship with my anxiety clients. Despite sounding like a very basic thing to do, it is quite challenging for to achieve because clients who are anxious bring their anxiety with them to counseling.