When to See a Therapist for Anxiety: 10 Signs it's Time
Takeaway: If you’re experiencing anxiety, you’re not alone. It’s a common mental health issue that can interfere with daily life and lead to a range of physical and emotional symptoms. However, it IS possible to get to the root of your anxiety and feel better! In this post, I’ll identify the common signs it’s time to start seeing a therapist for anxiety.
"I should be able to deal with anxiety myself...other people do!"
"Seeking support for anxiety is a sign of weakness."
I get it...these are words I used to say to myself!
But here's the truth: the stress of real life can overwhelm our ability to cope. And if treating anxiety were that simple...you probably would've figured it out by now.
I'm here to set the record straight, so let's talk about when to seek professional therapy for anxiety:
Signs that anxiety therapy would help
Symptoms and types of anxiety
Top mental health treatments for anxiety disorders
Tools you can use to manage anxiety
I'll also share how to talk to a therapist about anxiety, what it's like to see an anxiety therapist, and how specialized anxiety therapy can provide significant relief.
Battling anxious thoughts and feelings is HARD - and professional help can make all the difference.
What is anxiety?
The negative thoughts and intense emotions of anxiety are real! Understanding exactly what it is and how it affects your mental health is the first step towards freedom.
Anxiety disorders aren't uncommon: you've probably heard terms like "panic attack," "social phobia," "obsessive compulsive disorder", and "generalized anxiety disorder." Anxious feelings and frightening thoughts are super distressing - and can even impact your physical health.
As a mental health professional, I want you to make informed decisions about your mental health and self care. I'll go over the common symptoms of anxiety disorders - as well as options for treating anxiety!
Types of anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorders can wreak havoc on our mental health. Common types of anxiety disorders and their symptoms include:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a persistent, ongoing worry or dread in multiple life areas (work, health, relationships) that's out-of-proportion to the actual circumstances. It's hard to control the anxious thoughts, and you might experience fatigue, muscle tension, difficulty concentrating, insomnia or other physical health symptoms.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder involves unexpected episodes of overwhelming fear. In a panic attack you might experience a pounding heart, difficulty breathing, dizziness, even chest pain. You worry about when the next panic attack might happen and avoid certain situations/places that might trigger panic attacks.
Social Anxiety Disorder
With social anxiety disorder (formerly social phobia) there's an intense fear of being judged and embarrassed in social and public settings. Extreme self-consciousness makes it hard to speak up in front of others, meet new people, go to a job interview, speak to store employees, etc.
You might struggle with social skills and avoid certain places/social situations to cope with the anxiety. Research suggests that those who've xperienced trauma in childhood may be more likely to experience social anxiety disorder.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD symptoms include unwanted, intrusive, frightening thoughts (fear of acting on violent or sexual impulses, germ contamination, etc.). The resulting repetitive behavioral patterns (excessive hand-washing, checking/re-checking things, etc.) temporarily ease the anxious feelings. This anxiety disorder can be extremely disruptive to daily life functioning.
Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Trauma can be at the root of many anxiety disorders and shares many common symptoms. Trauma can result after (indirectly or directly) experiencing or witnessing a trauma-provoking event. Complex trauma can result from traumatic childhood/adulthood experiences.
Symptoms can include intrusive memories, fear/worry, reactivity, flashbacks, relationship problems, sleep problems, hypersensitivity, negative thoughts about oneself and avoiding people/places/situations that trigger trauma-related emotional distress.
While the stress of anxiety disorders is real (even impacting physical health), there are many therapists who specialize in treating anxiety disorders, as well as trauma.
Treating anxiety disorders
Here are therapy approaches which can be effective in treating anxiety disorders:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
This cognitive therapy for anxiety disorders focuses on identifying and replacing negative thoughts with more realistic and positive ones. The behavioral component of cognitive behavioral therapy helps you engage in more helpful behaviors to change how you feel. This behavior therapy often incorporates relaxation techniques like progressive muscle relaxation.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
This gentle-yet-powerful therapy is particularly effective for anxiety that may be connected to underlying trauma. It works therapeutically with the "parts" of yourself that hold intense emotions and re-connects you with your calmer, healed self. Learn more about IFS-informed therapy here.
Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP)
Exposure therapy involves safe, controlled and gradual exposure to feared situations/stimuli in order to "re-program" the brain to react in a calmer, more grounded way. This therapy can help control symptoms of OCD, phobias and panic disorder.
EMDR & Brainspotting
These related therapies use eye positioning and bilateral stimulation via eye movement, sound or touch to access and heal trauma which may be at the root of some anxiety disorders. The results can be amazing! Learn more here.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
This therapy helps you relate to anxious thoughts and emotions with more acceptance, teaches mindfulness skills to cope with negative feelings and fear-provoking thoughts, and supports you in living in alignment with your life values.
Somatic-Based Therapy
This therapy works with the neurophysiology of the body-mind connection to alleviate and heal distressing emotions and trauma. It involves mindfulness and therapeutic awareness of physical sensations associated with emotions and memories.
While each therapy has it's own distinct approach, mental health professionals with expertise in anxiety disorders generally incorporate the following elements to help you find relief and long-term change:
coping skills to help you feel more in control
mindfulness to alleviate the stress of anxious thoughts and feelings
cultivation of self-compassion to increase well-being
shifting behavioral patterns that contribute to anxiety symptoms
exploration and processing of deeper issues and unconscious processes that give rise to anxiety
Research different kinds of therapy for anxiety disorders to see which ones resonate. Many therapists combine different therapy approaches. Be sure to work with a good therapist with advanced training and experience with anxiety disorders. Therapy should go at a pace that feels safe and individualized to your unique needs and goals!
Should I see a therapist for anxiety?
"How do I know that I have anxiety? Do I really need to see a mental health professional?"
We all have worry that crops up from time-to-time when we're experiencing stress. Yet when anxiety symptoms start taking a toll on your mental health and impacting the way you function in life, it might be time to seek professional support.
10 signs it’s time to start seeing a therapist for anxiety
If you're noticing any of these negative patterns in your mental health and well-being, it could mean that it's time to seek treatment for anxiety:
Persistent Worry and Overthinking
This is worry or fear that's difficult to control and present more days than not. The stress of anxious thinking can feel like an "inner tornado," making it hard to detach from the overthinking cycle. If worry and overthinking has been going on for awhile, consider seeking support.
Impaired Functioning
If anxiety is affecting the way you function at work or in your relationships, or is impacting your ability to carry out daily tasks, take good care of yourself, engage in pleasurable activities or pursue goals, therapy can help you get back on track.
Physical Problems
Muscle tension, fatigue, insomnia, appetite changes, headaches, digestive issues and other health conditions are common with anxiety. Any physical symptoms should be medically assessed, however could be a sign that anxiety is at play.
Panic Attacks
Frequent or ongoing panic attacks are distressing and a sign of unaddressed anxiety. Know the signs of panic and seek treatment as appropriate!
Cognitive Issues
Difficulty concentrating, remembering things or your mind going blank, and anxiety-related insomnia are mental functioning challenges that are often related to anxiety disorders.
Restlessness and Agitation
You may feel "keyed up," on edge or like you always have to be on the go. You have difficulty relaxing and might be increasingly irritable and angry.
Negative Thought Patterns
Anxiety can result in - and be fueled by - persistent negative thoughts, self-doubt, or not-so-rational beliefs ("cognitive distortions"). Breaking out of this cycle and shifting into a more realistic, supportive mindset is one of the gifts of therapy!
Increased Substance Abuse
Using substances to cope with anxiety provides temporary relief at best - but can create a harmful pattern with long term problems. Therapy provides alternative ways to cope and addresses the anxiety that drives substance use.
Lack of Emotional Support
Feeling isolated or without a strong support system can trigger and exacerbate anxiety. Therapy can provide validation, empathy and guidance so you can shift into a place of calm - and build new supports for yourself.
A word about trauma...
There's often a connection between anxiety symptoms and trauma. If you've experienced trauma, trauma-focused therapies (e.g., Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR and Brainspotting, etc.) can help you safely process and heal from the emotional impact and alleviate anxiety.
Remember: seeking professional help means you're actively committed to your mental health and self care, which in itself is a sign of strength and resilience!
Coping with anxiety outside of therapy
One of the most helpful things you can do is seek professional support with a good therapist who has training and expertise in treating anxiety. The following strategies can be used as a complement to therapy to further empower you and give you more control over anxiety:
Breathing Techniques
Breathing techniques activate the body's relaxation response, which can help calm anxiety. Our nervous system goes into "fight or flight" when we're anxious, and the breath can bring our physiology back into balance to ease worry, panic or stress.
Mindfulness Practice
Research suggests quite clearly that regular mindfulness practice changes the brain's reaction to stress, enabling us to react more calmly, without "spiraling out" in negative thoughts and feelings. It grounds us in the present and helps us observe our thoughts and feelings with a greater sense of detachment.
Physical Activity
Regular physical movement (walking, yoga, dance, running, tai chi, etc.) not only improves overall health, it raises the level of anti-anxiety neurotransmitters in the brain. Exercise diverts focus from the brain's "anxiety center" and lowers your overall levels of anxiety-related hormones.
Social Support
Having a trusted network of understanding friends, family members and other caring relationships can reduce your sense of isolation and buffer the negative effects of anxiety. Making a conscious effort to cultivate and maintain relationships can be a significant source of emotional support and improved mental health.
Journaling
Writing down your thoughts and feelings can provide a therapeutic release as you process and explore your thoughts and feelings. In fact, research suggests that spending time journaling can reduce anxiety.
Sleep
Sleep problems are common when you're experiencing stress and preoccupied with negative thoughts. The physiological changes associated with poor sleep can exacerbate mental health issues, so prioritize good "sleep hygiene" and seek professional help if you're struggling with sleep issues.
Avoid or limit caffeine and alcohol
Caffeine and alcohol alters your brain chemistry in a way that can make you more prone to anxiety in the long run. Find healthy substitutes to support your neurochemistry!
Progressive muscle relaxation
This technique gives you more control over your body's "fight or flight" anxiety response - which research suggests can increase relaxation.
These are just a few of the strategies that can be a helpful adjunct to therapy and can be added to your mental health "toolkit"! The right therapist will be able to provide additional, individualized strategies.
Customized anxiety therapy can help you feel confident and calm.
I'm Elisa, and I spent many years battling anxiety.
My mental health was in shambles: panic attacks, fearful thoughts, negative feelings...you name it. I had trouble communicating what I was going through and my family members didn't understand what was happening. It even led to physical health conditions.
When I decided to get professional help, I started with talk therapy and discovered a whole new world of healing and therapy support. Now, I'm an online mental health professional who specializes exclusively in helping people heal anxiety, trauma and burnout.
I'll show you how to deal with your anxiety on a daily basis so it stops hijacking your life - and provide compassionate, expert guidance as we explore deeper issues that fuel your anxiety in the first place. My neuroscience-informed approach works safely and effectively with the physiology of anxiety to heal it at its root.
If you're still wondering "should I see a counselor for anxiety?," let's talk in a free, 30-minute consultation to see if I might be the right therapist for you. We'll look at how anxiety is showing up for you, how my unique approach to therapy can help, and go over any questions you may have.
Be well, and I wish you well on your healing journey!
