Clarity on Anxiety Therapy

Treatment for Anxiety, Stress, and Panic Attacks

Anxiety is frequently undetectable to others. You know this if you experience it. Often, no one around you knows what is going on because your outward appearance can be maintained as calm and controlled, while internally you may be experiencing racing thoughts, difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, irrational fears or a constant feeling that something bad is going to happen. These are among the many symptoms that anxiety sufferers deal with day to day.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

Get to know and understand your anxiety! People are commonly confused about why they are experiencing these feelings. Sometimes the reasons are clear if you are dealing with obvious stressors or difficult life circumstances. However, many times it is hard to identify a specific reason for the anxiety, which can lead to even more stress and frustration. At Clarity Therapy, we will work with you to recognize and learn more about the feelings you are experiencing, and develop coping strategies to manage the symptoms that are negatively affecting your life. We can also help you get in touch with your "healthy" anxiety to utilize it as the protective instinct and warning system that your body actually needs for survival.

Understanding Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health conditions where you feel too much worry, nervousness and fear. These disorders can affect your daily life, relationships and overall well-being. Anxiety disorders include social anxiety, relationship anxiety, postpartum anxiety and panic disorders. Understanding anxiety disorders is key to developing treatment plans and therapy options.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

There are several types of anxiety disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): This anxiety disorder manifests as excessive and persistent worry about everyday things like work, health or finances.
Social Anxiety Disorder: People with social anxiety fear social situations and worry about being judged or evaluated by others.
Panic Disorder: Characterized by panic attacks, this disorder includes sudden episodes of intense fear and physical symptoms like heart palpitations and shortness of breath.
Postpartum Anxiety Disorder: New moms can have excessive worry and fear after having a baby, making it challenging to care for themselves or their baby.
Phobias: These are irrational fears of specific objects, situations or activities like heights, flying or spiders.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): People struggling with OCD have recurring intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and compulsion to perform specific rituals or behaviours to reduce anxiety.

Symptoms of Anxiety

Anxiety disorders can look like this, affecting different areas of your life:

Physical Symptoms: Rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling and shortness of breath are common physical symptoms of anxiety.
Emotional Symptoms: Fear, worry and nervousness can dominate your emotional state.
Behavioral Symptoms: Avoiding situations or activities and compulsion to perform specific rituals or behaviors are common responses.
Cognitive Symptoms: Negative thinking patterns, rumination and intrusive thoughts can affect your cognitive functioning.