There are times when a bit of anxiety is understandable and even to be expected. Take, for example, an upcoming test or evaluation, having to meet tight financial obligations or perform in an unfamiliar situation. But there are also times when anxiety becomes severe, when it feels overwhelming and begins to get out of control. This is when the anxiety interferes with life in painful ways.
The focus of the anxiety can vary from job, to family, to health, to money. The common factor here is that the worry doesn't make much practical sense, that it is disproportionate to its focus.
The symptoms of anxiety can include:
Instead of just masking the symptoms or avoiding the triggers, psychotherapy helps you deal with anxiety at a more basic and effective level. In an environment of support and understanding, you can begin to put your anxiety into words. As you speak your fears, you begin to identify the triggers for your feelings and the psychological reasons that make you respond to these triggers the way that you do.
Once these reasons are identified, they can be addressed and treated.