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Mental Health HomepageConditions LibraryConditions CategoryConditions CategoryTherapy Helped Me: Identify My Anxiety
Table of Contents:OverviewLooking for an AnswerFinding the Help I NeededTherapy Takeaways
Anxiety DisorderRead Time: 5 Minutes
Published On: May 14, 2018
Reviewed On: May 14, 2014
Updated On: November 2, 2023
OverviewThis post is part of our#TherapyHelpedMeseries for Mental Health Awareness Month. Talkspace shares stories of how therapy helps people of all backgrounds work through the daily challenges of modern life.
Overview
This post is part of our#TherapyHelpedMeseries for Mental Health Awareness Month. Talkspace shares stories of how therapy helps people of all backgrounds work through the daily challenges of modern life.
Looking for an AnswerWhere does a reclusive nerd look for knowledge? The internet, of course! Even though everyone likes to joke that “nobody lies on the internet,” I actually found quite a bit of helpful information, which began to add context and meaning to my predicament. Through social media, I found a mental health community that taught me important terms like “mental health,” “depression,” “self-care,” and “anxiety.”ANXIETY. Oh my god. There it was: the dark, menacing figure that had been dartingjustout of frame, like the gruesome antagonist of the horror movie that was my life. Laid bare in the open. It had a name. It had weaknesses.I found people who had a hard time leaving their houses. I found people who had a hard time making phone calls. I found people who also felt loads of shame about how difficult normal, everyday things were. After years of pain and isolation, I discovered I was far from alone.So, I then tentatively made an action plan. If this ANXIETY thing was what I was experiencing, I wanted a certified professional to figuratively stamp it on my forehead.
Looking for an Answer
Where does a reclusive nerd look for knowledge? The internet, of course! Even though everyone likes to joke that “nobody lies on the internet,” I actually found quite a bit of helpful information, which began to add context and meaning to my predicament. Through social media, I found a mental health community that taught me important terms like “mental health,” “depression,” “self-care,” and “anxiety.”
ANXIETY. Oh my god. There it was: the dark, menacing figure that had been dartingjustout of frame, like the gruesome antagonist of the horror movie that was my life. Laid bare in the open. It had a name. It had weaknesses.
I found people who had a hard time leaving their houses. I found people who had a hard time making phone calls. I found people who also felt loads of shame about how difficult normal, everyday things were. After years of pain and isolation, I discovered I was far from alone.
So, I then tentatively made an action plan. If this ANXIETY thing was what I was experiencing, I wanted a certified professional to figuratively stamp it on my forehead.
Finding the Help I NeededI went online, found a therapist who accepted my insurance, and made an appointment. The psychologist I found was a woman in her 60s with kind eyes, double-pierced ears, and a warm office with especially comfortable couches. What was most wonderful about her was shebelieved me. She listened to my story and validated my struggles. There was no skepticism or blame.She asked what I wanted out of therapy, and I told her I needed a name for what I was experiencing. Pretty much right off the bat; “You show many symptoms ofGeneralized Anxiety Disorder.”Now, the usual person would be like, “Oh. I AM ILL.” But my reaction? Absolute relief. And why? I couldn’t blame myself anymore! I had no concrete reason to be frustrated with myself. All that shame about my difficulties was entirely unwarranted. There was, and is, alegitimate reasonwhy I struggle.Also, I had a name for the problem. What does a name grant you? Excellent benefits like treatment programs, access to people with similar issues, tried and true coping mechanisms, a way to communicate, and a label for daily struggles. “I am scared to leave my house” was merely a manifestation of an anxiety disorder. Another piece of my monster.
Finding the Help I Needed
I went online, found a therapist who accepted my insurance, and made an appointment. The psychologist I found was a woman in her 60s with kind eyes, double-pierced ears, and a warm office with especially comfortable couches. What was most wonderful about her was shebelieved me. She listened to my story and validated my struggles. There was no skepticism or blame.
She asked what I wanted out of therapy, and I told her I needed a name for what I was experiencing. Pretty much right off the bat; “You show many symptoms ofGeneralized Anxiety Disorder.”
Now, the usual person would be like, “Oh. I AM ILL.” But my reaction? Absolute relief. And why? I couldn’t blame myself anymore! I had no concrete reason to be frustrated with myself. All that shame about my difficulties was entirely unwarranted. There was, and is, alegitimate reasonwhy I struggle.
Also, I had a name for the problem. What does a name grant you? Excellent benefits like treatment programs, access to people with similar issues, tried and true coping mechanisms, a way to communicate, and a label for daily struggles. “I am scared to leave my house” was merely a manifestation of an anxiety disorder. Another piece of my monster.
Therapy TakeawaysTherapy after the diagnosis was very helpful as well. My therapists have used a combination of approaches to get me functioning again.What Has Worked Best for MeMindfulness:Becoming aware of my fear, labeling it as fear, realizing it is separate from me, leaning into the feeling and understanding I can survive through itCognitive behavioral therapy:Recognizing negative thoughts, mentally catching and correcting assumptions, setting short-term goals and planning how to cope through stressful situationsReframing:Reviewing past trauma and putting it in context, validating past difficulties and hurts and understanding how past occurrences affect current feelings and behaviorI am nearly thirty now, a self-proclaimed therapy veteran, and life is so much better. Even though I sometimes have terrible days where it’s difficult to remember why I choose to fight, most days areactuallygood. I work, I have close relationships, and I create.Through what I have learned in therapy, I have managed to invent my own purpose for being here. I now have a life I actually want to live.
Therapy Takeaways
Therapy after the diagnosis was very helpful as well. My therapists have used a combination of approaches to get me functioning again.
What Has Worked Best for Me
I am nearly thirty now, a self-proclaimed therapy veteran, and life is so much better. Even though I sometimes have terrible days where it’s difficult to remember why I choose to fight, most days areactuallygood. I work, I have close relationships, and I create.Through what I have learned in therapy, I have managed to invent my own purpose for being here. I now have a life I actually want to live.
Kate Allan
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