Anxiety Therapy for Women in Fort Collins

Anxiety is a psychological and physiological response to stress characterized by feelings of apprehension, fear, and unease. It can arise in response to specific situations, such as public speaking or exams, or it may occur without a clear trigger, leading to generalized anxiety. This emotional response serves as a natural alarm system that alerts us to potential dangers or challenges.

Symptoms of anxiety can vary widely but typically include both emotional and physical components:

Symptoms of anxiety can manifest in various ways, reflecting the complexities of the experience. Common symptoms include:

• Racing thoughts or difficulty focusing

• Persistent worry about future events or outcomes

• Rumination and preoccupation with specific fears

• Hypervigilance, leading to excessive awareness of surroundings

• Irritability and heightened emotional responses

• Intense feelings of dread or impending doom

• Heightened fear of losing control in specific situations

• Feelings of detachment or unreality

• Muscle tension or physical discomfort

• Increased heart rate or palpitations

• Shortness of breath, choking sensations, or tightness in the chest

• Sweating, shaking, or trembling

• Gastrointestinal disturbances (nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain)

• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia and restless nights

• Avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations or triggers

• Restlessness or difficulty sitting still

• Compulsive behaviors or rituals, especially in OCD

Anxiety happens as a result of intricate interactions between biological, psychological, and environmental factors. Biologically, the amygdala in the brain plays a critical role in processing fear and triggering the fight-or-flight response, an evolutionary mechanism designed to keep us safe from danger. When this response becomes overactive, it can lead to heightened sensitivity to stressors and excessive worry.

Psychologically, past experiences, personality traits, and cognitive patterns influence how individuals perceive and respond to stress. Traumatic events or chronic stress can create a predisposition to anxiety. Environmental factors, such as high-pressure situations, relationship conflicts, or societal expectations, also contribute to anxiety.

Importantly, anxiety is not a personal failing; rather, it is an adaptive response that can sometimes become maladaptive. While it serves a protective purpose, helping us navigate potential threats, it can also lead to problems when it becomes chronic. Understanding anxiety through a compassionate lens helps us recognize its legitimacy and encourages effective coping strategies and support for those who experience it.

Many clients often ask me if their anxiety will ever truly go away, and it's completely natural to wonder, especially when anxiety feels overwhelming and affects your ability to connect, focus, and be present in your life. The first step toward managing anxiety is recognizing its essential purpose. Anxiety is a natural survival mechanism that alerts you to potential threats and helps prepare you to face challenges. While you may hope for it to vanish completely, this isn’t biologically possible—and, in truth, you wouldn’t want it to. Our ancestors relied on this response to remain vigilant and survive.

The frustration often arises not from anxiety itself but from feeling trapped in a constant state of hyperarousal. This prolonged state can lead to burnout and depression, which many people with anxiety experience. Instead of aiming to eliminate anxiety, I encourage my clients to reframe their understanding of it. By exploring the root causes of your distress and cultivating compassion for how anxiety has tried to protect you, you can learn to identify when it’s helpful and when it’s time to shift back to a more regulated state.