A common way to picture anxiety is a bell-shaped curve: a moderate amount of anxiety in some situations can actually help us succeed. Anxiety is, of course, totally normal during periods of adjustment and change, like attending a new school, starting a new job, or anticipating a big meeting or presentation. However, for many people anxiety is consistently present at much higher levels and impacts social, academic, and professional functioning in drastic ways.
Depression can keep us stuck in the past, but anxiety is already way ahead in the future. Anxious concerns usually arise from uncertainty about how something will go, and our brain usually comes up with all the awful things that might happen. These worries are about our own future experiences, but also about the future of those around us. Many people experience anxious thoughts that lead them to believe terrible things will happen to the people they love. This leaves them living in a sense of fear and constantly distracted by their negative thoughts.
Anxiety is experienced and made worse by our thoughts and feelings, but also physically. Think about the experience of being anxious, which may include your heart racing, feeling like you can’t breathe, shaking/trembling, or sweating. When this happens, our thoughts tend to become more catastrophic and our anxiety skyrockets.
Some people who experience anxiety may be less aware of these thoughts and situations but experience pain, stomach aches, and headaches related to underlying anxious distress. In these cases, it is important to become more aware of your experience and understand what thoughts and feelings may be contributing to these physical complaints.
The most common type of anxiety affecting young children is separation anxiety. During early separations this is totally normal and part of growing up. However, if separation anxiety continues, it may be a sign of a more chronic anxiety disorder.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based, effective treatment for helping clients of all ages manage anxiety. CBT is based on the relationship between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. By becoming more aware of this relationship and identifying specific thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, clients are supported in making small changes in their thinking and behavior that can have a positive impact on their tendency to become anxious. Clients are challenged to think through worst-case scenarios in different situations and to weigh the evidence that they will get through them.
In some cases, medication may be recommended, and it may only be needed temporarily, depending on the specific symptoms, how much they impact functioning, and how much a client benefits from learning and using skills and strategies in therapy.
