Anxiety
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is an emotional response of fear or worry that shows up in both physical and cognitive ways. Anxiety is a natural emotion so occasional anxiety can be a normal part of everyone’s life. However, anxiety can be diagnosed as a disorder when the following symptoms show up:
- Excessive anxiety or worry lasting 6 months or longer for more days than not.
- Difficulty controlling your worry.
- Restlessness or feeling on-edge.
- Feeling easily fatigued.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Irritability.
- Having headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches, or unexplained pains
- Sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Panic attacks.
- Fear of specific objects or situations.
How is Anxiety Treated?
Anxiety is treated in a variety of ways including medication, therapy, or both.
Two well-researched treatments for anxiety offered at Vibrant Hues include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT). These approaches are considered the gold standard for the treatment of anxiety.
CBT for Anxiety consists of addressing how you think about and react to anxiety-provoking situations as well as learning to decrease your natural physiological response through relaxation. Exposure therapy is also often used in treatment of anxiety, and focuses on addressing avoidance and building your confidence in coping with anxiety-provoking situations.
ACT for Anxiety also focuses on thoughts, but uses techniques such as mindfulness and building distance from your thoughts to address anxious responses. ACT’s goal is to help you move through your life accepting anxiety’s presence but continuing to work toward your values.
Getting Started
1. Schedule a Consultation
Select a provider you’d like to work with and schedule a 20 minute consultation.
2. Complete the Prescreener
Complete our intake form electronically.
3. Start Meeting with Your Therapist
If you’re local to Eugene you can come to our office or participate via teleheatlh. We also see clients throughout Oregon via telehealth.