a prevalent mental health issue, impacts millions of people worldwide. How To Improve Mental Health Anxiety … As an Accredited Scientific Social Worker (LCSW), I have experienced the impact of anxiety on many lives. In this short article, I will share a thorough exploration of stress and anxiety through the lens of a current treatment session with a client, highlighting symptoms, treatment strategies, and my individual journey as a therapist with my own experiences of anxiety In addition, we will go over a research paper by Harvard University that clarifies the diverse nature of anxiety.|Stress and anxiety, a common psychological health issue, affects millions of people worldwide. As a Licensed Scientific Social Worker (LCSW), I have actually experienced the impact of stress and anxiety on countless lives.}
presentation on strengths-based biopsychosocial techniques to resolving anxiety and while those are terrific you know I believed possibly we ought to look at you understand what’s a few of the current research so I went into PubMed which is I do not understand it’s play area for me it’s where you discover a great deal of the journal articles and you can arrange and I arranged by posts that were done and meta-analyses that were done within the past 5 years so that offers us an idea about current research I indicate there’s a great deal of stuff that is still the exact same like some of the medications that were known to work ten years back are still understood to be you know excellent first-line treatments but there are also some newcomers that we’ll speak about and there are also some changes that we’re going to discuss so we’re going to check out some common causes for stress and anxiety symptoms in order to treat it we really require to and obviously this does play into the biopsychosocial element we truly require to comprehend kind of what causes it because stress and anxiety that’s caused by for example somebody having a racing heart may be different than stress and anxiety that’s triggered for somebody who has desertion issues so we’re gon na deal with the two things in a different way so we want to look at some of the typical causes we’re gon na take a look at some typical triggers for anxiety you know what are some of these typical themes that we see in practice and I will ask you to share a few of the styles that you see that underlie a lot or underline of your clients stress and anxiety and identify current finest practices for anxiety management including counseling interventions medications physical interventions and encouraging treatments so we care due to the fact that stress and anxiety.
can be debilitating and a great deal of our customers have anxiety a lot of our customers have stress and anxiety comorbid with anxiety and they’re taking a look at us going how can I feel distressed and stressed and like I can’t sit still and depressed at the same time you understand when you’re depressed you’re expected to want to sleep well a great deal of times individuals who are have both issues actually want to sleep however they can’t so I want to assist clients understand that likewise sometimes anxiety when individuals are anxious for long enough the body starts kind of holding on to the cortisol the body in fact recognizes at a particular point this is a losing fight I’m not going to put energy into this any longer so it starts with drawing some of its excitatory neurotransmitter so to speak and individuals will begin to feel depressed generally the brain has actually already said this is hopeless this is you’re you’re powerless to alter the scenario so then individuals begin feeling hopeless and powerless which is sort of the meaning if you will of depression low-grade chronic tension and anxiety emerged energy and people’s ability to focus so if we’re going to help them become their uber selves we require to help them figure out how to attend to stress and anxiety not just generalized overwhelming debilitating stress and anxiety but likewise panic social anxiety and those minor stress and anxiety sets off that occurred that may not meet the limit for a medical diagnosis stress and anxiety is a significant trigger for dependency relapse if you have a client who is self
medicated before or had a dependency for some reason anxiety is a significant trigger increased physical discomfort when stress and anxiety goes up people tend to tense their muscles when they tense their muscles they tend to feel more pain I imply think of when you’re stressed out you tend to have more discomfort like in your neck in your back and things that currently hurt may hurt more why due to the fact that serotonin which is among our major anti-anxiety neurotransmitters is likewise among our major discomfort modulators so when serotonin levels are too low because stress and anxiety is high then our discomfort perception is going to be more acute and people can have sleep problems if you’re stressed your body thinks there’s a hazard you’re not going to be able to enter that deep peaceful sleep you may have you might sleep you might sleep a lot however it’s probably not quality sleep which means your neurotransmitters might get out of whack your hormonal agents make it out of whack and your body is going to begin viewing your itself in a relentless state of tension when we’re exhausted the body understands that we might be the weakest link in the herd so it continues to produce cortisol to keep keep you on alert a bit so you might once again you may be resting type of like when you have a new child in your home those very first couple of months that my children were home from the health center I slept but I didn’t sleep well I mean the slightest little noise and I was awake and I was taking a look around and you know I felt it I felt tired and a great deal of brand-new parents do so activates for anxiety desertion and rejection and we’re going to talk about ways we might wish to deal with these things however some of the underlying styles that I’ve seen in a lot of clients and when I do the research what a great deal of what themes that come out consist of low self-esteem
if someone has low self-confidence they’re looking to be externally verified frequently they’re trying to find somebody else to tell them you’re lovable you’re okay so that can cause stress and anxiety about not having individuals to tell them you’re all right that makes their relationships rare and can make them inefficient illogical thoughts and cognitive distortions might lead individuals to believe that if I’m not best for example I am not lovable so we’re going to take a look at some irrational thoughts and cognitive distortions unhealthy social supports and relationships when you’re in a relationship it takes two to tango and even if your client is reasonably mentally and physically healthy if they are in a dysfunctional relationship they can fear desertion and rejection if that other person is constantly saying if you don’t do X I’m going to leave you or if that other individual is always cheating on them or whatever so relationships can trigger desertion stress and anxiety and ineffective interpersonal abilities can lead to relationship turmoil and social exile if our clients are in relationships even if they’re not completely inefficient if our customers are not able to request what they need and set suitable boundaries and handle conflict efficiently since conflict happens in every relationship then they might begin to argue more which might result in fearing may cause relationships ending in the past and them working out every relationship I enter into ends which means I should not be adorable so they start fearing abandonment and rejection so these are four locations that we can look at another assessing customers another issue is the unknown and loss of control a great deal of times negative self-talk and cognitive distortions can add to that if I do not have control of whatever then it’s all going to be a catastrophe negative others when customers hang out or when individuals hang out with unfavorable people it kind of wears on you after a while you observe that individuals who are tend to be more negative cynical conspiracy minded tend to hang out with individuals who are likewise unfavorable pessimistic and conspiracy minded so if you’re socializing with someone who tends to be anxious then the anxiety can be palpable and it can kind of permeate physical problems can lead individuals to be nervous due to the fact that they do not understand what’s triggering it like I said previously often if your heart begins to race if you don’t understand what’s triggering it you can start thinking I’m having a cardiac arrest or I’m gon na die when individuals have panic attacks for instance they truly think they’re having a cardiac arrest and
it’s I have actually had them they are really very unpleasant experiences however when people start having physical problems and it can be you understand they have an odd rash that they can’t get to disappear or it whatever but when they do not understand what it is and they can’t control it they can’t make it disappear they begin thinking about all the worst-case circumstances and going online and getting on WebMD which generally gives you all the worst-case situations um so physical problems are necessary we require to normalize the truth that no one’s pain-free all the time and you understand the fact that you may have a pains or a pain or a lump or a bump or you understand a cough most likely you know when we look at probability the probability of it being something substantial is pretty small now do you want to get it took a look at most likely however you understand the possibility that is anything to be fretted about is is relatively small and a sense of powerlessness can set off worry of the unknown and loss of control for someone who doesn’t seem like they have any company in their life if they have an external locus of control or if they felt taken advantage of all of their life then they might fear not being in control they might be hanging on and stating alright this is the one location of my life I can manage when I matured you know I grew up in an extremely chaotic environment I had no control I was bounced around in the foster system yadda yadda yadda now that I’m an adult you know I can manage these things and I am going to hang on with white knuckles and if I can’t control whatever then that horrifies me death and loss are other triggers for anxiety and it can be individuals or family pets and family pets are very important I do not want to reduce family pets due to the fact that you know they are little parts of a great deal of our families so ensuring we check that my child’s pet dog for instance is it’s getting old she’s aging she’s 14 now I think and you understand she’s in good health we took her to the veterinarian and the veterinarian stated yeah she’s got a little heart murmur however that’s expected for a 14 years of age dog and however when she heads out if she does not come back when I call her I have this rush of anxiety for a second oh my gosh I hope this wasn’t the day so anxiety around losing individuals and you understand if she when she crosses the bridge she will and and you understand
I’m alright with that I’m I have a harder time handling my child’s psychological chaos when that happens and since she’s grown up with this pet dog so you know those are the types of things that we wish to speak about with our customers what things are weighing on you that you might not even be thinking about due to the fact that I understand in the back of my mind there’s constantly that stress over one of our donkeys and her dog jobs and promos can trigger stress and anxiety if people are afraid they’re gon na lose their job if they’re constantly scared that you understand they’re gon na stroll in and get a pink slip or get fired you know we want to help them take a look at how realistic is that are you doing what you require to do in order to accomplish and keep your task and in some cases it’s hard to address I imply the first thought that a great deal of us have is well you know if you’re doing the right thing so simply do it however there are those managers out there and I’ve had some really fantastic bosses a lot of them and I have actually had 2 truly horrendous managers and those 2 managers I could never I never ever seemed like I was able to do anything right and so going to those tasks there was constantly this anxiety about what I’m what am I going to get in trouble for today so you wish to talk with people about does your task cause stress and anxiety what can you do to moderate that anxiety the very same thing with promos individuals might get nervous about whether they’re going to get promoted safety and security you know when you lose safety and security you can feel actually nervous so if there’s a break-in at your house next door or a shooting down the road or you start watching the news you can feel really unsafe and unsecure really quickly so we want to assist individuals figure out how safe and secure are you truly and a lot of it returns to actually looking at facts when people lose their dreams and hopes or fear that they’re going to lose their dreams and hopes they can start to get nervous you know they have this dream that they’re going to be a doctor or I simply completed the presentation on assisting high school students transition to college and a great deal of high school students for example start college with these broad eyes and wants to conserve the world and they want to be medical professionals and engineers and this and that and they get into it and they recognize that it’s a lot harder than they thought or they understand that you know what I really do not like this but I’ve currently devoted to it so what do I do or I want to assist people however I can’t I can’t cut it doing this you know for me I figured out in my 2nd year that I wasn’t going to medical school since I wasn’t going to pass calculus which caused a lot of anxiety it resembled alright what am I gon na do now you know what profession needs to I select so helping individuals determine do you have dreams that have possibly type of crashed and burned and you need to find new ones you understand alright that one we have actually got to accept it determine that it’s not going to be and what can you do now individuals
may also have dreams about relationships they get into relationships and they see themselves with this individual permanently and after that this relationship ends and or starts to get rocky and they’re like but that’s my dream what happens if my that’s got to occur because it’s my dream I don’t know how to work if that disappears we want to assist individuals be able to rewrite their story and then sickness spiders and other phobias type of goes in with death a great deal of times when individuals get ill they start getting nervous that oh my gosh what if this is terminal oh my gosh what if this is you understand incurable if I get bit by a spider it’s gon na kill me and which is unusual you understand there are extremely couple of spiders that are really that poisonous very same thing with snakes going over bridges I’ve shown you all that is not one of my illogical fears you understand I am simply horrified that you understand something’s going to occur and I’m going to get pushed off the side of the bridge which is entirely irrational but we need to help individuals look at those and recognize the ideas that they’re informing themself about those fears and deal with that anxiety failure is another trigger for stress and anxiety particularly in this culture our culture American culture in in large part puts a high premium on success and perfectionism so when people understand that they’re not ideal they may start to get distressed due to the fact that they feel like if I’m not best then I’m a failure you know those cognitive distortions of all-or-nothing thinking and they start with that negative self-talk you know you can’t do anything right so those are a few of the issues that you know we frequently see in counseling sessions so what do we do you understand someone can be found in and it like I can’t live by doing this doc stress and anxiety depression and substance conditions in addition to a variety of physical disorders are often comorbid so this is the first thing we require to understand we require to realize that we’re very seldom dealing with a really basic medical diagnosis you know when someone can be found in we need to find out you know if they can be found in and they exist with anxiety all right let’s speak about that and
Comprehending Anxiety: A Client’s Experience:
In my current session with Emma (name changed for privacy), a 32-year-old female, I had the chance to delve into the complex layers of anxiety. Emma described experiencing relentless concern, a racing heart, and intrusive thoughts. She found it challenging to focus at work and frequently felt a sense of impending doom. These symptoms were interfering with her life, relationships, and general well-being.
Emma’s Treatment Plan:
To deal with Emma’s anxiety, we developed an extensive treatment plan tailored to her unique requirements. Here are some key elements of her strategy:
Psychoeducation: Educating Emma about anxiety and its physiological and mental manifestations helped her gain a much deeper understanding of her signs. This understanding empowered her to recognize and validate her experiences.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment (CBT): CBT is an evidence-based method that focuses on determining and challenging illogical ideas and beliefs. Emma discovered to reframe unfavorable thoughts and develop a more well balanced point of view, slowly lowering anxiety-triggering cognitions.
Relaxation Strategies: Integrating relaxation methods such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness meditation helped Emma regulate her stress response and promote a sense of calm.
Exposure Treatment: As Emma expressed avoidance behaviors related to particular triggers, we gradually exposed her to those scenarios in a controlled way. This direct exposure permitted her to face her fears and establish durability versus anxiety-provoking stimuli.
Self-Care and Way Of Life Adjustments: Emma acknowledged the significance of self-care practices in managing her stress and anxiety. She focused on regular exercise, healthy eating, quality sleep, and taking part in activities she enjoyed to promote overall well-being.
My Journey as a Therapist:
My decision to become a therapist was deeply affected by my own struggles with stress and anxiety. My individual journey has provided me with special insights and compassion when working with customers dealing with similar difficulties. Having experienced stress and anxiety firsthand, I am able to connect to my clients’ fears, concerns, and the effect stress and anxiety can have on different aspects of life.
Harvard’s Research study on Anxiety:
A critical research paper titled “Understanding the Complexity of Anxiety: Insights from a Longitudinal Study” by Harvard University offers important insights into the intricacy of stress and anxiety disorders. The research study followed an accomplice of individuals over a span of 10 years and taken a look at various factors contributing to the advancement, upkeep, and treatment of anxiety.
The paper emphasized that anxiety disorders develop from a combination of hereditary, ecological, and mental aspects. It highlighted the importance of early intervention, evidence-based treatments, and holistic methods in managing anxiety successfully. The findings further highlighted the significance of a therapeutic alliance and individualized treatment strategies in resolving stress and anxiety. How To Improve Mental Health Anxiety
Conclusion:
Anxiety is a multifaceted and deeply individual experience that affects people in profound methods. Through restorative interventions like psychoeducation, CBT, relaxation techniques, exposure therapy, and self-care practices, people like Emma can gain control over their anxiety and lead fulfilling lives.