Anxiety

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is generally characterized by feelings of tension, worry, and physical symptoms like increased blood pressure or sweating. We all experience anxiety about things in our lives from time to time, but you might need help with anxiety when you find that it’s interfering with your life. Signs of anxiety include:

• Difficulty controlling your worry

• Trouble concentrating

• Increased irritability

• Feeling keyed up or on edge

• Trouble sleeping

Here are some common sources of anxiety:

• General anxiety related to everyday worries, such as what might happen in the future or the wellbeing of your family

• Doing things in front of others or fear of being judged by others

• Panic attacks

• Specific situations such as thunderstorms, animals, etc.

How can therapy help with anxiety?

If you are struggling with anxiety, therapy can help. Dr. Tripp works with people to understand the source of their anxiety, and typically uses cognitive-behavioral strategies such as graduated exposure to their fear. You can think of exposure as “facing your fears.” This involves gradually working up to the source of your fear, by starting at a manageable task and building up to more fearful situations. For example, for someone who has a fear of dogs, we may start by looking at photos and eventually get to the point of petting a dog. This helps you face your fear in a way that builds your confidence and helps you meet milestones along the way.