Northbrook anxiety treatment

Does this sound familiar?

“I can’t get my thoughts to stop going round and around”

“I wake up with a feeling of dread and I don’t know why”

“My husband is late home from work, he was supposed to be here 30 minutes ago but hasn’t called as he usually does. Oh God, he must have had an accident!”

We all have worries, fears and concerns. Most people spend time worrying about job concerns or relationship worries or maybe about a specific upcoming event i.e. a test or a month with higher bills than usual. What sets worry apart from anxiety is the inability to be able to switch the worries off and go on to enjoys other aspects of your life.

Sometimes people are anxious about a specific thing such as a phobia about dogs or certain situations can cause social anxiety but when you experience a constant and exaggerated sense of tension, an inability to relax and you can’t pinpoint a reason why you feel so stressed it could be you are experiencing Generalized Anxiety Disorder, as called GAD.

Not everyone with GAD experiences the same symptoms but most people have a combination of of the following emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms.

GAD Symptoms relating to your Emotions

• Constant worries running through your head that you can’t switch off
• Intrusive thoughts about things that make you anxious; you try to avoid thinking about them, but you can’t, they keep popping in to your head
• An inability to tolerate uncertainty; you need to know what’s going to happen in the future
• A pervasive feeling of apprehension or dread

 GAD Symptoms that affect your Behavior

• Inability to relax, enjoy quiet time, or be by yourself
• Difficulty concentrating or focusing on things
• Putting things off because you feel overwhelmed
• Avoiding situations that make you anxious

 GAD Symptoms that are Physical

• Feeling tense; having muscle tightness or body aches
• Having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep because your mind won’t quit
• Feeling edgy, restless, or jumpy
• Stomach problems, nausea, diarrhea

So why do people get generalized anxiety? Research is looking at how brain chemicals effect your emotions and how your genes may give you at a predisposition to getting GAD. I think, and many psychologists agree, that it is a mix of DNA, your environment and psychological factors that affect whether you get it or not. Anyone can develop GAD too, even children and when I talk to my clients who have GAD and ask them about their first memory of experiencing anxiety, they often trace it back to late childhood or teenage years. But it can first occur any time between childhood and middle age with women being twice as likely to experience it than men.

If you’ve struggled with anxiety and fears for a long time, it is very likely that you are experiencing Generalized Anxiety Disorder. But what if your symptoms are relatively short-term? Some medical conditions and/or medications can actually cause anxiety or perhaps you have recently experienced a traumatic event or situation? It is important to see a mental health professional to get an accurate diagnosis and also to assess whether you are experiencing other problems that often co-exist with GAD i.e. depression, substance abuse, phobias etc. The bottom line though is that all these problems are very treatable and you don’t need to be feeling like this. Reach out and get some help.

When clients first come in to see me, the main concerns that come up again and again are:

1. How can I feel less stressed, angry and overwhelmed?

2. What should I do if I feel panicky?

3. How can I stop worrying about everything: my children, partner, friends, work, my “to do” list….
   

So I put together a booklet with some strategies I am always giving to my clients to help them begin to feel less anxiety and to worry less.

I hope that you will find it helpful too.

Add your first name and email address in the box below and you will be sent the steps to download your FREE book.

If you would like to work with me and learn more ways to reduce overthinking and other coping strategies that reduce anxiety, please phone me at 847 791-7722 or email me below.

Dr. Allen specializes in helping people treat their anxiety using CBT. If you would like to read more about her please visit her About Sarah page Dr. Sarah Allen Bio. To read media articles she was been interviewed for visit  her Media Interviews page.

 

 

 

If you have had a difficult day take some time to stop and relax. When we “go, go, go” then head straight to bed, our thoughts aren’t ready to stop and keeping our thoughts racing. Here are some good ways to slow down so your mind doesn’t keep you awake.

• Have a warm bath (not hot) as this will help your body reach a temperature that’s ideal for rest.

•  Writing “to do” lists for the next day can organize your thoughts and clear your mind of any worrying thoughts that pop in to your head (more about that later…)

• Relaxation exercises, such as light yoga stretches, help to relax the muscles. Don’t exercise vigorously though, as it will have the opposite effect.

• Relaxation CDs can help as they use a hypnotic voice to guide you through muscle relaxation and soothing music and sound effects to relax your brain.

• Watching TV or any computer or phone screen keeps the brain engaged and active so it is harder to fall asleep. It is better to read a book or listen to the radio as that relaxes the mind by distracting it from the present worries.

I hope you find these 5 tips useful. If you often feel stressed and would like to read more about ways to improve your mood please take a look at my free booklet below by entering your name and the email address you want the booklet sent to. I also have many articles on ways to improve your emotional well being on my blog which I hope you will also find helpful .

 

Dr. Sarah Allen specializes in empowering women to live the life they want. She sees clients in her Northbrook office or via telephone or Skype sessions. Visit www.drsarahallen.com for more blog posts on a variety of issues relevant to women. She can also be reached at (847) 791-7722 or by the form below.