Left untreated, anxiety can be debilitating. You can find yourself unable to go into a grocery store or shopping center at all due to a crippling fear of “confrontation” or “socializing.” You’re not alone. According to The Bay Area CBT Center, 1 in 13 adults and 1 in 8 children in the United States suffer from an anxiety disorder. The first step to dealing with this type of disorder is getting a diagnosis, which can be overwhelming at first.
Traditionally, you see your primary care doctor, who sends you a referral. Then you have to drive 30-45 minutes to the therapist’s office in the middle of the day to have a 50-minute appointment, and then drive back to work. But it’s not a one-off appointment. Nope, you make that drive weekly or biweekly for several months or even years, depending on what your treatment plan looks like.
But thanks to the Internet, there’s an easier way. You might still have to get a referral from your doctor, depending on what your insurance requirements are, but you won’t be spending all that time, energy, and gas getting to and from therapy anymore. No, let me introduce you to a magical invention called online therapy. Telehealth is a powerful tool if you’re trying to mitigate the effects of anxiety.
Benefits of Online Therapy for Treating Anxiety
Online therapy is a different experience than in-person therapy. You’re meeting over a secure platform through a screen, in the comfort of your own space. Some patients find it to have fewer barriers to entry, as well.
Asking for time off work for a doctor’s appointment can be daunting. However, asking for an hour (50 minutes actually) might be an easier swing emotionally, if you can’t manage to find an appointment on one of your days off. You can even tack 20 minutes onto your lunch break, so you’re only taking 20 minutes of unpaid time (or using 20 minutes of vacation time).
If you struggle to leave your house, in-person therapy might feel too intimidating, and you won’t be able to address the problems because they feel too large. If going to new places is scary, online therapy might be the solution. Telehealth keeps the barrier of entry lower. All you have to do is find a secure space, maybe an office room in your building, your car, or a bedroom if you’re off or working from home that day.
Where did anxiety come from?
Understanding the root cause of your anxiety will help you combat its negative thought patterns and set you up for success. According to the Mayo Clinic, the exact cause of anxiety isn’t known, but it’s usually triggered by a traumatic experience in people who are already prone to anxiety. Inherited traits are also determining factors. Also, anxiety has quite a few risk factors: Trauma, stress due to an illness, stress buildup, personality, other mental health disorders, drugs or alcohol, or if you have blood relatives with an anxiety disorder. All these things can be dealt with in therapy and help mitigate symptoms of anxiety.
How does telehealth help decrease anxiety?
Therapists are wonderful humans who help you through both everyday situations and also into the inner workings of your mind. They ask you questions like “How can you take back your power?” and “Where do you feel your anxiety in your body?” to help you make critical choices about your life and allow you to start managing your anxiety better. Online therapy provides you access to those clinicians.
Telehealth also gives you a toolbox of resources to use to fight anxiety when it comes onto the battlefield, including but not limited to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, deep breathing techniques, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness. Online therapists help you address schemas, internal systems, and different identities you have about yourself to better control the anxiety.
It occurs on a predictable day and time. You set a schedule for this appointment. The predictability helps reduce anxiety about the appointment and the structure it provides gives relief to those suffering from anxiety.
Schedule a Consultation
Take control of your anxiety. Whether your anxiety is a family trait, or it’s been activated by a traumatic memory, you deserve peace and tranquility throughout this life. Thankfully, we have online therapists dedicated to helping people with anxiety find relief and start living. If you struggle with anxiety in the state of Texas, we can help. To schedule a consultation, fill out this form today:
