Anxiety 101: What you need to know
Anxiety is the most common mental health struggle we experience, yet it can be hard to know what makes for a clinical level of anxiety versus the everyday average worry that comes with being a human in a complex world. This week, I’m going to break it down a bit, to help you understand it better. According to the American Association of Anxiety and Depression, “Anxiety is a biological reaction—the body’s way of telling us something isn’t right. But if anxiety becomes overwhelming and persistent, or if it interferes with regular daily activities, or even makes them impossible, it may be an anxiety disorder.”
Years ago, when I was doing my clinical training hours, I was lucky enough to train with a clinical supervisor who was highly specialized in Anxiety Disorders and committed to teaching new clinicians how to conceptualize anxiety in all of it’s different forms and (most importantly) how to help our client’s learn to live well with worry. She taught me so many key ideas, but one of the ones that sticks out the most is the idea of “Little A,” and “Big A Anxiety.”
Little A anxiety can describe somebody who worries frequently but doesn’t experience high levels of distress- somebody who’s anxiety gets loud, but not loud enough to cause significant dysfunction in their life. On the other hand, Big A anxiety is…exactly what it sounds like, a real a hole. It's disruptive, hard to live with and takes up a lot of our time and energy. Whether it be Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety, OCD, Generalized Anxiety, or Separation Anxiety this kind of anxiety makes its presence well known. We may not know exactly what flavor of anxiety we are lucky enough to call our own (joking), but we certainly know it’s dropping little bombs everywhere, and we know it’s making life so much harder.
“Anxiety is the over estimation of risk paired with the under estimation of our ability to cope!”
Kaitlin’s Therapeutic Approach to Helping People With Anxiety
Anxiety is something that I have a ton of experience helping people overcome, and something that I’ve experienced throughout different seasons of my life. I have experienced panic attacks, Postpartum Anxiety, and I still have symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) from time to time. While I’ve been around long enough to know that there is never only one way to approach anything in life, and the same goes for anxiety, I do know what’s been effective for myself and the clients I work with.
When it comes to getting loose from the tight grip that anxiety can hold on us, many of us respond well to a mix of therapy, medication and lifestyle changes or enhancements. Evidence-based therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness, and most recently brain-based therapies (Neurofeedback, EMDR, LENS, etc) are the most commonly used therapeutic approaches. Consistent (ish) Movement, good nutrition, healthy and supportive relationships, and spiritual practices are also key to us having the reserves and energy needed to cope with the emotional roller-coaster that is life with anxiety.
Anxiety (Not so) Fun Facts According to the ADAA:
-Did you know that almost every human has experienced at least one panic attack in their lifetime? Although, having a panic attack does not mean you have panic disorder!
-Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in the U.S.
-Anxiety disorders can develop for a number of reasons, including genetics, brain chemistry, and life events.
-Over 40 million adults experience an anxiety disorder each year
-Only about 1/3 of those suffering receive treatment
-About 8% of children and teenagers experience an anxiety disorder
So Now What?
If this post resonated and you’re looking for help, I highly suggest reaching out for support for yourself or your loved one. Taking the first step is often the hardest part, but once you do you’ll find that not only are you FAR from alone, but also you have the ability to learn the skills, tools, and mindset needed to live well with anxiety and uncertainty! If you are based in the Bay Area and want to be in seen in-person or virtually, please feel to reach out to Bay Area Modern Therapy. You can read Kaitlin’s latest book, A Little Less Of A Hot Mess: The Modern Mom’s Guide to Growth and Evolution here (on sale for the holiday).
