Your Key to Anxiety Recovery
Understanding Anxiety in CT
Anxiety affects close to 20% of the U.S population. It is very common and can range from social anxiety, phobias, to OCD. Anxiety impacts not only your mental health but your entire life from relationships to your career. It can get triggered from just about anything, from certain thoughts, feelings, or situations. Once anxiety is activated, you can start having unwanted negative self-talk, intrusive thoughts, memories about the past; in other words, you begin to go down the proverbial “rabbit hole.”
Anxiety can show up in several ways, both physically and cognitively from nervousness, restlessness, or tension, increased heart rate, rapid breathing (hyperventilation), sweating, excessive worry, difficulty concentrating, and racing thoughts.
Benefits of Online Therapy for Anxiety in CT
Online therapy is a safe and convenient way to receive professional help to receive the guidance and tools you need to manage your anxiety. There are so many therapists in CT to choose from and finding the right therapist with the personality and expertise that most resonates with you can be tricky. At Embrace Calmness Counseling, we offer online therapy in CT so finding the time to meet with your therapist is a smooth and easy process. You don’t have to leave the house and drive to an office. All you need is access to the internet and a safe place for you to meet your therapist.
Online therapy in CT can be a game-changer, removing all kinds of barriers like transportation or scheduling conflicts that might have prevented you from seeking help. We provide a convenient and flexible option, to help prioritize your mental health without adding extra stress.
How CBT Can Help with Anxiety
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a treatment modality that focuses on the relationship between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The goal is to help individuals identify and challenge their negative thought patterns and beliefs that lead to anxiety. CBT uses techniques such as cognitive restructuring, which helps individuals challenge and reframe irrational thoughts, and sometimes exposure therapy, which involves gradual exposure to anxiety-provoking situations to reduce fear and avoidance.
Research has consistently shown CBT to be highly effective in treating various anxiety disorders. For example, a study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found that CBT was more effective than medication in treating panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Another study in the same journal found that CBT was effective in reducing social anxiety disorder symptoms and improving social functioning. Overall, CBT has been shown to be a valuable tool in helping individuals manage and overcome anxiety disorders, offering long-lasting benefits and improved quality of life.
The Role of Mindfulness in Anxiety Recovery
Mindfulness is another tool to reduce and manage anxiety. It can help individuals stay grounded in the present moment or the “here and now.” Techniques include mindful breathing, body scans, and meditation which can reduce the fight or flight mode commonly found in anxiety. Regular mindfulness practice can also increase self-awareness, helping individuals recognize and respond to anxiety triggers more effectively.
It is recommended that practicing mindfulness daily for 20 minutes can greatly reduce feelings of anxiety and produce what is known as “generalization effect” which means over time, the relaxation experienced during the mindfulness exercise can generalize to the rest of your day. Some of the benefits of mindfulness include increased energy and productivity, improved concentration and memory, reudction of insomnia and fatigue, prevention of psychosomatic disorders like hypertension, migraines, and headaches, increased confidence and reduced self-blame and increased availability of your feelings.