“I am not able to communicate with people because I have severe social anxiety. Every time I feel what they will say if I did something stupid or how will they behave. They just assume I am being rude” says Reema.
“I have severe social anxiety. If I initiate a conversation with you, it takes every ounce of courage that I have” exclaims Vikram.
These voices of anxiety disorder patients have been suppressed due to the stigma associated with mental illness. They were bereft of the best online anxiety treatment.
In reality, we do not know what the other individual is going through.
He/She may seem calm and happy outside but inside there is a volcano of emotions waiting to erupt.
But there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Individuals suffering from anxiety can visit a clinical psychologist or go for the best online anxiety treatment.
What is Anxiety?
It is a common and normal experience where we tend to feel anxious when we are faced with a threat.
It is actually an important process because anxiety prepares our body to manage the threat or to either fight it out or run away.
What are Anxiety Disorders?
Anxiety can sometimes persist and be disabling and if this persists, the normal anxiety experience becomes an anxiety disorder.
Different Types of Anxiety Disorders
- GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER (GAD)
- It is the most common disorder among anxiety disorders to be diagnosed.
- People with GAD suffer from intense and persistent worry.
- They can feel anxious or worry about a number of events related to work, life, and family.
- It is associated with these symptoms:
- Restlessness
- Fatigue
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Irritability
- Muscle Tension
- Insomnia
They can be treated through:
- Mindfulness Meditation
- Brisk Exercise
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapies
- Medications
- SEPARATION ANXIETY
- It is most common in children than adults.
- The thought of separation causes a high amount of stress.
- People with separation anxiety worry that something unexpected could separate them from their attachment figure.
- One feels of being alone in nightmares.
- Kids with separation anxiety may be clingy and insist on sleeping with their parents at night.
- Children often grow out of separation anxiety disorder, but if it persists for a longer period of time, then they should be provided help.
- SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER
- It refers to the fear of public situations and exposure to unfamiliar people.
- They tend to avoid situations in which they are in the spotlight because they are worried that they will be embarrassed or judged by others.
- The thought or the anticipation alone of an upcoming social situation causes major anxiety-related symptoms such as:
- Panic attacks
- Severe Stomach Pain.
- PANIC DISORDER
- It is a disorder in which an individual experiences panic attacks multiple times in their lifetime.
- They are intense bursts of fear followed by physical symptoms such as:
- Cold sweats
- Muscle stiffness
- Shallow breathing
- Light-headedness
- Numbness
- Fear of death
- Therapy along with medications can help in handling panic disorder.
- It is the fear of public places.
- It is triggered by fears like becoming a victim of a crime or of contracting a disease or illness.
- Agoraphobia anxiety sufferers close themselves up in their homes where they are comfortable and familiar with their environment.
- They become over-dependent on other people to compensate for their inability to cope in public.
- It can be developed at any age and can be extremely exhaustive.
- The treatment used is exposure therapy and medications.
- SPECIFIC PHOBIA
- These are persistent and extreme fears about a specific object or situation and cause stress to the individual.
- Phobias arise due to traumatic incidents.
- OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)
- Anxiety that stems from trauma can be quite disabling as well as people can experience flashbacks and nightmares of previous trauma.
- This condition is called PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
- People can also have an avoidance of things that remind them of the trauma.
HOW CBT (COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY) CAN TREAT ANXIETY
- Anxiety
Thoughts and Instances are triggered by a past event
- Something bad is going to happen.
- Future based or catastrophic
- Will not be able to cope.
- Not able to focus on a particular thing, every time there is fear.
Feelings: Anxious
- Tense.
- Heart racing.
- Breathing fast.
- Light-headed
- Sweaty.
Behavior: Avoid or Escape Situations
- Staying home.
- Make excuses.
- Leave early.
How Online CBT Therapy for anxiety breaks and cures this vicious cycle and pattern of the patient?
Thoughts: Learn STOPP skills.
- Challenge our thoughts.
- Not believe what our mind says.
- Not pay attention to our thoughts.
- Notice the positives.
- Learn new skills.
Behavior: Observant activity
- Make a plan to gradually do things that we normally avoid doing.
- Start small and build up.
- Stick with it in those situations.
- Learn coping skills
Feelings: Less anxious and more composed
- We will be calm.
- Anxiety abates when we do the above activities.
- Social Anxiety
Thoughts we experience are: Triggered by social situations.
- Something bad is going to happen.
- I will look like a fool.
- Others will think I am stupid.
- Looking for signs of what others think critically.
Feelings: Anxious
- Tense.
- Heart racing.
- Breathing fast.
- Light-headed
- Sweaty.
Behavior: Avoid or Escape Situations
- Staying home.
- Make excuses.
- Do not go or Leave early.
- Smoke
- Hide in the corner.
- Fidget.
How does Online CBT for social anxiety break and cure this vicious cycle and pattern of the patient?
Thoughts: Learn STOPP skills.
- Challenge our thoughts.
- Not believe what our mind says.
- Not pay attention to our thoughts.
- Notice the positives.
- Learn new skills.
Behavior: Mindful activity
- Make a plan to gradually do things that we normally avoid doing.
- Start small and build up.
- Stick with it in those situations.
- Learn coping skills.
Feelings: Less anxious and more composed
- We will be calm.
- The anxiety reduces when we perform the above activities.
- Depression
Thoughts we experience are:
- Negative focus.
- Feeling gloomy.
- Being Self-critical meaning that everybody hates me, I do not what to do, I keep on messing things ups.
- Regret doing stuff in the past.
Feelings: Depressed
- Tired.
- No energy.
- Not motivated.
- Not interested.
- Slowed down.
Behavior: Withdraw & Isolate
- Staying home
- Cutting off from others.
- Not socializing.
- Not doing much.
Let us look at how the best therapy for depression and anxiety breaks this cycle and pattern of the patient?
Behavior: Start exploring
- Go out more
- Connect with others.
- Learn coping skills
- Carry on a hobby or recreational activity which you used to enjoy doing.
- Daily plan to achieve the goals, connect with people, and enjoy life.
Thoughts: Positive
- Challenge our thoughts.
- Not believing or paying attention to negative thoughts.
- Notice the positives.
- Learn new skills.
Feelings: Mood uplift
Energy increases.
Break the silence and seek help at a clinic near you or where the best online anxiety treatment is provided. Your mental health is extremely important as your physical health. Make the choice today to overcome your social anxiety and say NO to suffering in silence.
Feel free to reach out to us for counseling and psychotherapy sessions from our trained psychologists, and psychotherapists.