Anxiety is a normal and expected part of life. Individuals may experience temporary anxiety when dealing with a problem at work, before making a big decision or taking a test. But when a person experiences disproportionate levels of anxiety on a frequent basis, it is classified as an anxiety disorder. Those battling anxiety often experience symptoms so strong that they can interfere with daily activities and relationships. If you live in South Florida and are experiencing issues with anxiety, schedule an appointment with Abby Bernstein LMHC for integrative and effective Boca Raton anxiety therapy.
Abby specializes in treating generalized anxiety disorder, which affects over six million adults every year in the United States.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Individuals suffering from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) most often display excessive anxiety about a number of different subjects. They can experience feelings of worry over everything from natural disasters and their personal health to family members, money, work and more. Individuals with GAD find it incredibly difficult to manage their worry to the point that it can interfere with their responsibilities and relationships.
In order to be diagnosed with GAD, a person must find it difficult to control their feelings of worry for the majority of days within a six-month period. The disorder often appears gradually and worsens over time. Although the exact cause of generalized anxiety disorder is relatively unknown, evidence exists that links GAD with biological factors, family backgrounds, and stressful life experiences.
Signs and Symptoms of GAD
Anxiety disorders are serious medical conditions that warrant just as much attention and treatment as physical illnesses. They are the most common and pervasive mental disorders in the United States, and most can be treated with intentional therapy and counseling sessions.
Signs and symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder can include both physical and mental duress. People suffering from GAD may have an impending sense of danger or doom, and can experience feelings of nervousness, irritability and being on edge frequently throughout the day. In addition to having difficulty concentrating, they can also be consumed by intrusive thoughts of worry and anxiety.
Physical symptoms can include an increased heart rate, quickened breathing, sweating and trembling. They often feel weak or tired, have trouble sleeping and may even suffer from gastrointestinal problems.
Managing Anxiety
People with GAD don’t know how to manage their worry cycle and often times feel like it is beyond their control. However, they also understand that their worry could be considered more intense than the situation warrants. All anxiety disorders deal with a relationship to tolerating uncertainty, which is why people with GAD try to control situations. They believe that their worrying behavior can prevent bad things from happening and feel a great risk in not worrying.
Boca Raton Anxiety Therapy
There are a number of treatments available to help manage the symptoms of GAD. And while supportive therapy sessions can help, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to more specifically target thoughts, symptoms and behaviors of those suffering from GAD more effectively.
Abby Bernstein offers Boca Raton anxiety therapy that utilizes CBT to address symptoms of anxiety while also addressing the underlying issues that contribute to worrying and anxiety thinking. Cognitive behavioral therapy is an evidenced-based theory that specifically focuses on the correlation between thoughts, emotions and feelings. It can help individuals make mental links between their thoughts and actions. The power of CBT in terms of GAD treatment is powerful in that it challenges how patients’ think in relation to their behavior. It has been clinically proven to treat GAD in addition to obsessive compulsive disorder and a range of eating disorders.
When you’re ready to manage your anxiety and get your life back on track, schedule an appointment with Abby Bernstein LMHC. Her personalized Boca Raton anxiety therapy sessions will help you manage your thoughts and behaviors in a healthy way.