Anxiety Counseling

“Just cheer up!” “I’m sure you’re fine!” “Have you tried exercise?” “Can’t you just tell me what’s wrong?” “Just focus on the good in the situation” “You have a lot to be thankful for” “Try to find the silver lining” “You don’t look like you have anxiety…”

You’ve probably heard of at least one of these expressions if you experience anxiety. You know that your friends and family are well-intentioned and want you to feel good. However, little do they know, if any of those suggestions worked, your anxiety would be gone by now!  

Many people experience the “normal” jitters when giving a presentation, going on a first date, or sending your kids to school for the first time. But what happens when anxiety interferes with your day-to-day functioning? When it starts to inhibit you from doing the things you are passionate about, from spending time with your children or being successful at your job. Anxiety gets in the way of life and it can feel really frustrating.

Symptoms of Anxiety

Anxiety manifests differently in everyone. Some of the symptoms include:

• Stomach aches, headaches, and/or cardiac symptoms without an identifiable cause
• Difficulty reaching decisions
• Intrusive/racing thoughts
• Unshakeable sensations of worry or dread
• Excessive picking at your skin or nails
• Having to use the bathroom constantly
• Feeling like your skin is crawling
• Change in sleep patterns: insomnia or excessive fatigue
• Irritability out of the realm of your “normal”
• Muscle tension
• Compulsive behaviors (checking the door at night) which feel good in the moment but can cause damage over the long term

The good news is that you are not alone and the team at Lifeologie Counseling Grand Rapids is here to help! We have tons of ideas for you to manage and decrease the symptoms of your anxiety. Give us a call today!