You're worrying about worrying.
So many of our clients come in with their primary worries but the thing that's making them feel truly terrible is their concern that they're worrying wrong! They come to therapy because they are having panic attacks and feel ashamed and overwhelmed about it. Or they feel like it's not normal to spend most of the day worrying about one thing or another. So let me be perfectly clear- there’s nothing wrong with you and everyone worries sometimes. Maybe you don't want to experience anxiety the way you do. I can understand that. But beating yourself or telling yourself you're broken or weak or helpless only makes the anxiety worse. Try reminding yourself that yes, you're feeling anxious. People get anxious. You are strong-you've made it this far. And you’re resourceful-you're reading an online therapy blog about anxiety, after all. This anxiety sucks and you have what it takes to get through this.
You may need help (and our anxiety therapists are here).
Or you may need time.
You may need to learn some skills to manage anxiety or to recieve anxiety help.
So if you're anxious, know that it's a problem that has been studied and written about and treatment planned for hundreds of years and that worrying about it isn't going 1 speed your progress. Getting anxiety help in North Carolina.
Staying still with ANxiety keeps you stuck
This can be a very tricky subject for people with eating disorders and as someone who treats people with anxiety with and without eating disorders I need to be explicit here. If your treatment team has you on exercise restriction, skip to #3. If you don't trust yourself to exercise and stay in recovery, skip to #3. you can come back to this another time.
Joyful movement For Anxiety Help Matters
Joyful movement, which is the kind of exercise I promote, is important for all of us who can do it healthfully. Joyful movement is whatever you actually enjoy doing as exercise while you're doing it. Not what you feel great after doing. Almost every exercise will give you that even if you cussed through every minute of it.
Your version of joyful movement may change. If you stop enjoying one way of exercising, stop doing it and try other things. You've heard a million times in a million ways that exercise is good for you. It's amazing for stress and anxiety if you're actually enjoying it.
Not prioritizing sleep
This isn't rocket science, but so many people struggle with putting themselves to bed for the night. If you don't struggle with insomnia and you're genuinely enjoying yourself, it's ok to stay up late every now and again.
But scrolling your phone and watching just one more episode on Netflix isn't the life-giving kind of pleasure I'm referring to. Often these behaviors are an attempt to rebel or take control of your time. But it screws you and you know it. I could give you tips about setting a bedtime alarm, etc. but ultimately you know you need to go to bed. So set a time and try it as an experiment for a week to see how it impacts your anxiety.
Ignoring your problems
I know it feels easier at the moment. Here's the honest truth: NONE of us want to be with our feelings of shame or worry or doubt or anger or not-enough-ness. Often ignoring our feelings leads to denial and inaction. We can agree that that's not making any appreciable positive change, right?
Let’s say you're worried about money so you do your best ostrich impression and stop looking at your bank account. You cross your fingers and hope for the best when you pay your bills or buy your coffee. If your finances are a mess, they rarely get sorted by ignoring them. Similarly, without time, attention, and intention, your problems are more likely to compound than diminish. And yes, this includes ignoring the important but hard conversations you have been putting off.
Eating low carb and/or low fat
The long and short of it is that our bodies need carbohydrates to produce serotonin and fat to absorb that serotonin. In addition to the neurobiological components, the choice to go low carb, low fat, or on any kind of diet, indicates that there’s not a lot of self-acceptance going on. That's going to contribute to anxiety. Luckily we have lots of experience helping people extract themselves from diet culture, too.
You'll notice I didn't come for your caffeine. That's not because it doesn't impact anxiety. It's because I'm not a hypocrite.
Begin Anxiety Treatment in North Carolina Today!
If your anxiety is more intense than you'd like it, we're here to assist in getting you the anxiety help you need. At our Asheville and North Carolina online therapy practice, we offer a wide array of services. Our anxiety therapists Allison and Elaine are here to walk through the struggles that come along with anxiety and eating disorders with you. If you’re ready to begin therapy, call or email and we'll help you learn what works for you. Follow these simple steps to get started:
Start feeling relief!
OTHER MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AT ASHEVILLE EATING DISORDER TREATMENT CENTER
We are here to provide the best support for you. We offer effective online therapy anywhere in North Carolina or at our Asheville counseling practice. Additional mental health services at the Asheville Eating Disorder Treatment Center include anxiety treatment, counseling for teens with eating disorders, and eating disorder treatment for adults. If you’re ready to experience relief, we are here to help you and your teen!