About Anxiety
Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental health problems. The good news is, anxiety disorders can be successfully treated–by better understanding anxiety and learning how to better manage symptoms, you can find the relief you need and live the life you want. So it’s important to be able to recognize when you might be experiencing anxiety that is causing you distress or creating a barrier to enjoying the life you deserve.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Everyone experiences anxiety sometimes. But over 20% of Canadians experience an anxiety disorder.
When anxiety causes excessive fear, worry, or distress that is out of proportion to your actual situation, you might be suffering from an anxiety disorder. With an anxiety disorder, your brain might interpret real or imagined events as far more dangerous or risky than they really are, causing intense feelings of unease and likely interfering with personal, academic, or professional aspects of your life, and can even impact physical health conditions.
Anxiety disorders can affect adults and children alike, and often co-occur with other mental health challenges such as depression, eating disorders, or substance use. The good news is that anxiety disorders are successfully treated with appropriate mental health care, once recognized. A first important step is developing a better understanding of what you’re experiencing.
When anxiety causes excessive fear, worry, or distress that is out of proportion to your actual situation, you might be suffering from an anxiety disorder. With an anxiety disorder, your brain might interpret real or imagined events as far more dangerous or risky than they really are, causing intense feelings of unease and likely interfering with personal, academic, or professional aspects of your life, and can even impact physical health conditions.
Anxiety disorders can affect adults and children alike, and often co-occur with other mental health challenges such as depression, eating disorders, or substance use. The good news is that anxiety disorders are successfully treated with appropriate mental health care, once recognized. A first important step is developing a better understanding of what you’re experiencing.
Separation anxietyFear, worry or nightmares about being away from home, a parent, or someone or something special to you, and severe distress when you get separated can happen in childhood or adulthood. Social anxietyAn extreme fear of social situations, excessive worry about potential criticism or rejection, can lead to isolating and avoidant tendencies. |
Specific phobiaExtreme fear of exposure to something specific like an animal (e.g. snake, dog), environment (e.g. heights, water), medical procedure (e.g. needles), or situation (e.g. flying, small spaces). Panic attackA sudden surge of fear, distress, and perceived loss of control that may come with physically feeling nauseous, dizzy, sweaty, or like you're dying. |
Generalized anxiety
Persistent and excessive fear or worry about various day-to-day events or situations, often with difficulty concentrating, or controlling the worried thoughts, even when you or others label them as "unreasonable" for the situation.
What you can do
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Reponse Prevention (ERP) are some of the most common therapeutic approaches used in counselling for the successful treatment of anxiety disorders.
CBT can involve helping you approach and work through your anxious thoughts and feelings so that you can shift toward more rational ones. ERP can involve gradual and controlled exposure to anxiety-provoking thoughts, or situations in a safe way, so that you become increasingly able to respond to those thoughts, objections, or situations, with less distress or anxiety.
These approaches can help you develop a sense of internal mastery when it comes to your ability to self-regulate, so that you can confidently come to a state of greater ease and physiological relaxation, regardless of the situation at hand. This might include safe and controlled exposure to the anxiety provoking thoughts, feelings, or situations, and relearning strategies that support physiological relaxation. These strategies work by helping your body and mind better cope with anxiety-provoking content, and can lead to the sustainable prevention of recurring distressful automatic reactions that can lead to intense anxiety or panic attacks. Can you imagine what your life might be like without the barrier of intense anxiety?
An important first step is to clarify whether you might be experiencing an anxiety disorder. From there, match with a qualified mental health therapist with expertise in treating anxiety disorders, so that you can confidently work toward sustainable relief and start living the life you want.
CBT can involve helping you approach and work through your anxious thoughts and feelings so that you can shift toward more rational ones. ERP can involve gradual and controlled exposure to anxiety-provoking thoughts, or situations in a safe way, so that you become increasingly able to respond to those thoughts, objections, or situations, with less distress or anxiety.
These approaches can help you develop a sense of internal mastery when it comes to your ability to self-regulate, so that you can confidently come to a state of greater ease and physiological relaxation, regardless of the situation at hand. This might include safe and controlled exposure to the anxiety provoking thoughts, feelings, or situations, and relearning strategies that support physiological relaxation. These strategies work by helping your body and mind better cope with anxiety-provoking content, and can lead to the sustainable prevention of recurring distressful automatic reactions that can lead to intense anxiety or panic attacks. Can you imagine what your life might be like without the barrier of intense anxiety?
An important first step is to clarify whether you might be experiencing an anxiety disorder. From there, match with a qualified mental health therapist with expertise in treating anxiety disorders, so that you can confidently work toward sustainable relief and start living the life you want.
Anxiety AssessmentSometimes folks affected by anxiety have lived with it for so long, that they assume feeling worried or anxious is just how life is. For others, anxiety or panic is a noticeable change from their previous baseline. An assessment can help you clarify your experiences and discover ways to shift your normal to a healthier baseline, or regain your inner peace.
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Anxiety CounsellingCounselling can help adults, kids, and teens better understand their experiences of anxiety or panic and learn how to effectively self soothe, address the worried thoughts, and pacify the internal alarm bells. It's okay to feel what you're feeling, we can find a solution together. The first step is talking about it. We're here for you.
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An expert on your side makes anxiety easier to faceFrom determining an accurate diagnosis to supporting you through specifically tailored treatment, we are committed to helping you find real, sustainable, and meaningful relief from anxiety and panic. You can do it, we can help. The first step is reaching out. From there, we can face this together.
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Get in touch> Email: [email protected] > Alberta (call, text): (587) 557 - 8573 > B.C. (call, text): (250) 252 - 5221 > Ontario (call): (289) 622 - 6727 > Fax: (587) 557-8573 |
Quick links |
If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, please call or text the Suicide Crisis Helpline at 9-8-8. If someone's safety is at risk call 9-1-1, or visit your nearest hospital emergency room.
