Having Anxiety in 2022

We certainly live in an anxious time. How can you not worry these days? Pandemics, politics, war, and inflation are just a few problems facing us as a country. The negative seems to outshine the positive for sure. Now more than ever Americans with anxiety disorders are struggling. Over 40 million adults in the U.S. (19.1%) have an anxiety disorder! Approximately 7% of children aged 3-17 experience issues with anxiety each year. That is a lot of people!

For those without anxiety, imagine waking up with with a constant "worry alarm" going off in your head. You get home, feed the kids, clean the house, and put the kids to bed only to find that you cannot shut the worry alarm off. You toss and turn all through the night. You wake up and guess what??....it's "Groundhog Day" (80s reference for my younger readers LOL) and the alarm starts ringing again. Others may have out of the blue panic attacks. Some clients cannot leave their home or have irrational fears that limit their ability to function. What makes the condition more troublesome is that the symptoms may wax and wane. Clients can have good days, weeks, or months and then (surprise!) the anxiety comes back like a perpetual monkey on your back.

The good news is that medication and psychotherapy can help calm the "waves" of anxiety. However, accepting help is not as easy as some think. Due to long-term impact of anxiety, clients develop an interpersonal controlling style. In an effort to reduce anxiety, they tend to micromanage every detail of their day and have difficulty accepting the idea that treatment could fit into their lives. Many clients panic at the idea of having to sit down with a mental health provider and be vulnerable. They fear that the "wave" of anxiety may sink the ship. This may cause frustration with loved ones who feel powerless to help. That powerlessness can feed resentment and more relational problems which can make anxiety a family illness.

Any mental health provider worth their salt will understand the dynamics of anxiety and offer solutions. Personally, I always allow the clients space to collaboratively decide what is best for their anxiety treatment. I don't put pressure on my clients and make them feel empowered in the treatment process. Clients may consider medication or we may begin psychotherapy alone. I view myself as a lighthouse guiding a ship (the client) to the shore. I also LISTEN to my clients. Often clients will already know what works/doesn't work for them. I respect their opinion and build off what worked well in the past. Who else knows your body and mind better than you do?

Are you not sure if your anxiety needs treating? Here is a link to Mental Health America's Online Anxiety Screening Tool: https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools/anxiety/

Are you or a loved one in need of anxiety care? Feel free to reach out to my office at 518-704-3866 for a free consultation phone call. I would love to help on the journey towards freedom from anxiety.

Eddie