Anxiety Disorders

According to data from the National Institute of Mental Health, over 19% of adults in the US have met criteria for an anxiety disorder in the last year. It’s also estimated that more than 31% of adults in the US experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime. Anxiety can look different depending on the individual – some people’s anxiety feels so scary that it makes them want to hide away and avoid any new situation or interaction that could potentially await; others’ anxiety presents crippling physical symptoms that make them feel like their head could explode, they could vomit on their own shoes, or their heart could quite literally pound out of their chest at any moment, and others’ anxiety makes their brain so noisy and overwhelmed by worries that they seem snappy, irritable or angry. Regardless of how it shows up, anxiety makes life more difficult and less enjoyable than it needs to be. Below are some of the diagnostic criteria for the most commonly diagnosed anxiety disorders.

You don’t have to spend your days unintentionally borrowing worry from the next day, week, or year, feeling so paralyzed by your brain constantly telling you that you’re being judged or criticized for every word you speak, living in fear while not even quite knowing what it is you’re afraid of, or trying to convince your stomach to stop twisting and turning and your heart to stop pounding out of your chest to no avail. It’s not ‘just the way you are’, it isn’t just an unwanted gift you inherited from a parent that you’re permanently cursed with. We can help! We appreciate being given the opportunity to get you back to feeling like yourself again, or maybe to help you discover a sense of calmness and feeling content that you don’t ever remember experiencing before. Life will always throw us curve balls but we are very assured in our ability to help equip you with the tools to confidently navigate challenges and live the life you deserve.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder involves marked and persistent fear or anxiety in social situations where individuals may face possible scrutiny by others. This fear or anxiety must be disproportionate to the actual threat posed by the situation and persist for at least six months. Individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder often fear embarrassment, humiliation, or negative judgment by others. They may either avoid social situations or endure them with intense distress. Anticipating a social situation almost always provokes high anxiety. They often feel as though others are talking about them or laughing at them, and experience intense worry that they may do or say the wrong thing.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or GAD, is characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry or anxiety that persists for at least six months. This worry occurs on most days and is challenging to manage. In addition to excessive worry, individuals with GAD experience some or all of the following symptoms:

- Restlessness or feeling on edge
- Easily becoming fatigued
- Difficulty concentrating or experiencing a blank mind
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Sleep disturbances