Anxiety Counseling

Anxiety is a natural human reaction that serves an important basic survival function. It acts as an alarm system that is activated whenever a person perceives danger. When the body reacts to a potential threat, a person feels physical sensations of anxiety: a faster heartbeat and breath rate, tensed muscles, sweaty palms, nausea, and trembling hands or legs. These sensations are part of the body’s fight-flight response, which is caused by a rush of adrenaline and other chemicals.

This reaction prepares the body to make a quick decision to either stay and fight that threat or try to escape from it. It takes a few seconds longer for the thinking part of the brain (the cortex) to process the situation and evaluate whether the threat is real and if it is, how to handle it. If the cortex sends the all-clear signal, the fight-flight response is deactivated and the nervous system can relax.

If the brain reasons that a threat might last, feelings of anxiety and the physical symptoms listed above may linger, keeping the person alert. The physical reactions or symptoms of this are often a fast heart rate, rapid pace of breathing, sweating, and sometimes a decrease in energy.

Anxiety can also be interpreted by some individuals as nervousness, worry, or self-doubt. Occasionally, the causes of anxiety are easy to identify, while other times it may not be. Nearly every person feels some level or form of anxiety at some point in their life. More importantly, overwhelming, recurring, or out-of-the-blue dread can deeply impact or affect people. When anxiety interferes like this, talking to a therapist such as Nancy Travers, LCSW is a great option to regain control of the situation.

Some may also consider anxiety a normal reaction to a stressor.  There are also individuals who experience anxiety that is persistent, seemingly uncontrollable, and overwhelming. If it’s an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it can be disabling.  Some people don’t ever seek treatment for anxiety and they spend their whole life in agony with little to no understanding of what is holding them back.

What Causes Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Although the exact cause of GAD is not known, a number of factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, and environmental stressors, appear to contribute to its development. Genetics: Some research suggests that family history plays a part in increasing the likelihood that a person will develop GAD. This means that the tendency to develop GAD may be passed on in families.

Brain chemistry: GAD has been associated with abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are special chemical messengers that help move information between nerve cells. If the neurotransmitters are out of balance, messages cannot travel through the brain properly. This can alter the way the brain reacts in certain situations, leading to anxiety. Environmental factors: Trauma and stressful events, such as abuse, the death of a loved one, divorce, or changing jobs or schools may lead to GAD. The use of and withdrawal from addictive substances, including alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, could also worsen anxiety.