When your mind never shuts off, it’s hard to truly rest, focus, or feel present. It can disrupt work, your relationships and your sleep. Going over the same thing over and over, constant worry, it can be exhausting and cause numerous barriers to your quality of life.
In therapy, we’ll get curious about the thoughts, expectations, and habits keeping your system in overdrive. Together, you will learn how to:
- Regulate your nervous system for consistent calm.
- Set boundaries without the crushing weight of guilt.
- Manage the mental load that comes with high-pressure living.
- Slow down and turn off the worry and spirals of thoughts.
Let's work together to turn down the noise and reclaim your bandwidth.
Is it stress of an anxiety disorder?
It can be hard to tell if what you're feeling is just normal stress or something more, like an anxiety disorder. We all experience anxiety sometimes, but an anxiety disorder involves feelings that are more intense, last longer, and start to interfere with your daily life.
If you're wondering whether your feelings might be related to an anxiety disorder, here are some common signs you might be experiencing.
Core Signs of Excess Worry
The central feature of many anxiety disorders is persistent and excessive worry. Ask yourself if you're experiencing the following:
Excessive Worry: Do you worry most days about a variety of things—like work, money, health, or family—even when there's no immediate reason to?
Difficulty Controlling Worry: Do you find it really hard to stop worrying once you start, feeling like your worries are taking over your mind?
Feeling "On Edge": Do you often feel tense, restless, or keyed up, like something bad is about to happen?
Physical Symptoms
Anxiety isn't just in your mind; it causes real physical symptoms because of the "fight-or-flight" response.
You might notice:
Muscle Tension: Do you frequently have tense muscles, neck pain, or headaches?
Fatigue: Do you feel tired or exhausted easily, even if you've had enough sleep? (Constant worry is draining!)
Sleep Problems: Do you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or do you wake up feeling unrested?
Stomach Issues: Do you frequently have an upset stomach, nausea, or irritable bowel symptoms?
Increased Heart Rate: Do you sometimes feel your heart pounding, or experience shortness of breath or sweating without exertion?
Changes in Behavior and Daily Life
Anxiety disorders can change the way you interact with the world and keep you from doing things you enjoy.
Avoidance: Are you avoiding people, places, or situations because you're afraid they will trigger anxiety or a panic attack? (For example, avoiding social gatherings, public speaking, or certain travel.)
Irritability: Do you feel unusually impatient, easily frustrated, or quick to snap at others?
Difficulty Concentrating: Is it hard to focus on tasks or follow conversations because your mind is preoccupied with worries?
Panic Attacks: Are you having sudden episodes of intense fear that peak within minutes, accompanied by symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, or a fear of "going crazy" or dying?
When to Seek Help
If you identify with several of these signs, and they have been happening for six months or more and are significantly interfering with your job, school, relationships, or social life, it may be time to talk to a healthcare professional or a mental health expert.
You don't have to wait until things are unbearable. Seeking help is a sign of strength and is the first step toward finding effective ways to manage your anxiety.