What is Anxiety? by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT
What is it?
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress or a perceived threat. In small amounts, anxiety can be helpful and keep an individual safe, but if the anxiety is severe or frequent, it can have a major impact on an individual’s life.
Anxiety includes both physical and cognitive symptoms. Some common physical symptoms are physical restlessness and physical discomfort, such as tension or uneasiness (DSM, 2017). Some common cognitive symptoms are worried thoughts, trouble controlling the worries, trouble concentrating, trouble focusing, feeling irritable, feeling tired, or feeling fatigued (DSM, 2017).
Anxiety occurs along a continuum, from mild to severe. The amount of symptoms, the frequency that they occur, and the intensity indicates where the individual is along the continuum.
Why does anxiety matter?
Sleep trouble: Many individuals with anxiety experience trouble falling or staying asleep. This can occur when the individual is overcome with thoughts at night or unable to physically rest. Want to know more about anxiety and sleep?
Ineffective responses: One response to anxiety when it occurs is avoidance. It’s not uncommon to make attempts to ignore the anxiety, distract from it, or avoid addressing it. Interestingly, not addressing the anxiety can feed into it, lower the individual’s tolerance for distress, and have serious impacts on the individual’s life. Want to know more about anxiety and avoidance?
References:
American Psychiatric Association. (2017). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: Dsm-5.
You don’t have to do this alone. If you are interested in receiving therapy with me, let’s schedule a free 15-minute phone consult.
(NOTE: This video was filmed when my office was at a previous location. I am now in Irvine, CA)
My office is located in Irvine, which is near Newport Beach, Orange, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Tustin, Seal Beach, and beyond. I work with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and Asian American & Pacific Islanders.
Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. The topics being discussed are meant as a self-help tool for you own use. It is not psychotherapy or counseling. This information is to be used based on your own judgment. If you need to speak with a professional, you should find one local to you and contact them directly.
**IF THIS IS AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE CALL YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY NUMBER OR GO TO YOUR NEAREST EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. **