Anxiety Counseling

Both biology and environment determine if a person will have anxiety. In other words, anxious behavior can be inherited, learned, or both. For example, research shows that anxious parents are likely to have anxious children. However, parents may also model anxious behavior. If so, they might instill that same behavior in their children. Having a stressful upbringing can also increase a person’s chances of having anxiety. This is because anxiety becomes a way to anticipate danger and stay safe.

Anxiety can also develop due to unresolved trauma and no history of previous trauma or anxiety counseling. Unresolved trauma may leave a person in a heightened state of physiological arousal. When this is the case, certain experiences can reactivate the old trauma. This is common for people with post-traumatic stress (PTSD). People with PTSD often receive both trauma and depression counseling.

Anxiety is at the root of many overall wellness and mental health conditions, including panic attacks and phobias. It is often directly related to other conditions, like obsessions and compulsions, PTSD, and depression. In addition to generalized anxiety, below are other types of anxiety that many are challenged with on a day-to-day basis that may warrant anxiety counseling:

• Separation anxiety: Can be characterized by reluctance to leave home or be apart from parents and anxiety when separated from parents. 
• Selective mutism: Selective mutism means not speaking at all in only some situations. This may cause issues with academic, work, or social success.
• Panic: Panic disorder is diagnosed by recurring panic attacks, including physical symptoms of anxiety. 
• Specific phobias: Phobias are fear surrounding a certain object or situation, which the person avoids. 
• Social anxiety: People with social anxiety feel fear or anxiety in social situations. The fear is often out of proportion to the threat, and people with social anxiety may avoid social situations. 
• Agoraphobia: Agoraphobia can include fear of being in open or enclosed spaces, leaving one’s house, and being in crowds or using public transportation.
• Medication/substance-induced anxiety: This condition is diagnosed by anxiety that seems to be directly caused by exposure to certain substances, like caffeine or alcohol. The anxiety could also be caused by a medication

Children, like adults, can experience anxiety. However, children may show different symptoms than adults. Knowing how to identify anxiety in children can help parents or guardians address it early. Then, parents may decide to find a child therapistor psychologist to help their child learn how to manage it.

If a child feels anxious more often and more intensely than most children their age, they may have some type of anxiety. A child who has anxiety might have difficulty going to school. They may also avoid social events or extracurricular activities, like sports. Some kids with anxiety are behind for their age in areas like making friends or being independent. Anxiety in children may appear as crying, clinging to parents, or tantrums. 

Kids with anxiety may show certain behaviors that mimic obsessions or compulsions. Continual picking or pulling at skin or hair can be an anxious behavior. They may also show signs of separation anxiety. Signs of separation anxiety include clinging to parents, crying, or refusing to go to school or friend’s houses. Children can also experience generalized anxiety and may not be able to identify why they feel anxious, which can make the anxiety counseling process more unpredictable in terms of treatment duration. As children enter adolescence, they may be more likely to develop anxiety. Social anxiety often begins around age 13, but many exhibit full or partial symptoms much earlier. Up to 25.1% of adolescents ages 13 to 18 may be affected by an anxiety condition. 

Older children or teens may develop food-related anxiety, which can lead to disordered eating. If left unchecked, this can cause serious health complications. Studies show that up to 91% of female teens have tried to control their weight with food. Meanwhile, around 40% of female teens show signs of disordered eating. Some researchers say that eating issues in males are also increasing. While food-related anxiety can occur on its own, it often co-occurs with other anxiety-related conditions, such as obsessions and compulsions. Disordered eating may also develop in teenagers as a coping mechanism for handling anxiety, stress, or trauma.

There is no quick fix for anxiety. Overcoming an anxiety disorder takes time and commitment. Anxiety counseling involves facing your fears rather than avoiding them, so sometimes you’ll feel worse before you get better. The important thing is to stick with treatment and follow your therapist’s advice. If you’re feeling discouraged with the pace of recovery, remember that therapy for anxiety is very effective in the long run. You’ll reap the benefits if you see it through.

You can also support your own anxiety therapy by making positive choices. Everything from your activity level to your social life affects anxiety. Set the stage for success by making a conscious decision to promote relaxation, vitality, and a positive mental outlook in your everyday life.