Reducing Worry Through Therapy
It unfortunately how many of us
feel as if we’re always on the verge of burnout. We feel as if
we have to constantly worry about ou r children, our jobs and our relationships.
At times, we may feel as if we’re spinning out of control.
It’s as if we’re walking on a high wire without a safety net
below. We get frustrated and angry with ourselves because we
don't think we're achieving our potential. We sometimes become
lost in a sea of worry.
There was a time when seeking
therapy for such feelings of anxiety would have been
considered socially unacceptable. Just a few decades ago many
people considered therapy to be an indulgence because mental
health counseling had such an stigma attached to it. However,
today we see celebrities including Brooke Shields, Anne Heche,
Marie Osmond, and Jane Pauley who’ve spoken openly about
seeking counseling for their problems. Thus Cognitive
Behavior Therapy is no longer considered the domain
of the crazy and the weak.
Therapy can come in
a variety of forms. It can involve face-to-face
counseling, self-help books, CDs and online forums. It’s been
said there are as many as 100 therapy programs available
today. These programs share some common traits. First, they
assess how an individual is thinking and identify any
disruptions in their thought patterns. It’s important to get
these thoughts out into the open in order to deal with them
more effectively.
Second, the programs attempt
to determine an individual's basic beliefs and whether these
beliefs are founded on reliable principles. For
instance, let’s say you’ve become anxious about flying.
Through talk therapy, it’s determined this fear can be traced
back to your concerns about your grandmother who once had an
unpleasant flying experience en route to Oklahoma. You might
have been worried about your grandmother's safety and that, in
turn, has led to an irrational fear of flying.
The next
step is to gather evidence in order to combat negative
thinking. For instance, you might look for a statistic
indicating how many crashes a given airline has during a year.
When you discover how infrequently accidents occur, your
belief that flying is dangerous may be eliminated. The
one surefire way to fight negative thinking is to counteract
it with reliable facts.
Another technique you
can use to combat anxiety is to develop coping mechanisms. In
other words, in order to not let your worry get the best of
you, you might try prayer and meditation, exercise, dancing,
reading a good book or soaking in a hot tub. You should keep a
list of relaxation techniques handy so you can turn to them
any time you’re feeling particularly stressed
out.
You’ll have to get into the habit of trying to
relax, which can be quite difficult, especially for those with
high-stress jobs. In order to deal with this, you might
consider taking a class in relaxation techniques. Once you’ve
utilized these techniques, you’re likely to find yourself
better able to concentrate ... better able to manage your
feelings ... and better able to cope.
There are
literally millions of people who have been assisted through
cognitive behavioral therapy. While herbal remedies
and prescription medications can alleviate symptoms, they
don’t address the root causes of anxiety. Until we begin to
think positively, we can’t hope to attack the crux of our
anxious feelings.
So, the question now is how do you
find a therapist that's right for you? To begin with, consult
some of your trusted friends. Chances are someone in their
family has been to a counselor. You'll want someone who’s easy
to talk to, and can share your innermost thoughts and
feelings. If you try a therapist and you feel uncomfortable,
by all means switch to someone else. Sometimes, finding the
right counselor is a matter of trial and
error.
Going through therapy can be a difficult
experience. You may have to delve deep into areas
that you’re not completely comfortable within yourself.
However, you’ll discover that it can be highly rewarding in
the long run. You may find that you gain greater insight into
your thought patterns, that you’re better able to communicate,
and that you’re feeling much less anxious.
There’s no
reason to apologize for undergoing therapy. Seeking help is
actually a sign of strength.
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