What is anxiety, and when does it become a problem?

Anxiety is a natural emotional response characterized by feelings of worry, fear, and nervousness. It becomes a problem when it is constant, overwhelming, and starts affecting aspects of daily life like work and relationships.

How can I recognize if my anxiety needs evaluation?

If you experience persistent dread or worry, trouble sleeping or eating, restlessness, increased heart rate, sweating, trembling, or trouble concentrating, and if these feelings impact your daily life, it might be time to seek evaluation.

What are considered 'normal' levels of anxiety?

It’s normal to feel anxious occasionally, like before a big event or during stressful times. However, constant worry and fear might indicate an anxiety disorder.

What is the treatment for anxiety like?

Treatment usually involves psychotherapy (talk therapy), medications, or a combination of both. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a common form of therapy that helps in managing anxiety.

What should I do if I'm over 65 and experiencing anxiety?

Even though the new recommendations for anxiety screenings don't include patients over 65, it’s important to discuss any anxiety symptoms with your doctor. Anxiety in older adults can often be overlooked as a sign of aging.

Does a positive screening for anxiety always mean I need treatment?

A positive screening should be followed up with further evaluation to determine the need for treatment. This includes considering the duration and severity of symptoms and any past treatment history.

Anxiety Therapist Los Angeles

anxiety therapy in west hollywood near los angeles

What is aNXIEty and how do you treat it?

Oliver Drakeford LMFT, CGP is an anxiety therapist, Los Angeles based, and has a decade of experience working with anxiety disorders.

Anxiety is a common emotion experienced by everyone from time to time. Feeling anxious before a big presentation or when waiting for an important call is normal. However, when anxiety starts to take control, causing life challenges, panic and distress, it's essential to seek help from anxiety specialists. Anxiety disorders can manifest in various ways, and understanding them is the first step towards finding effective treatment.

With over ten years of dedicated practice in Los Angeles, I am a seasoned Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in anxiety in individuals, couples, and families. My role as a Certified Group Psychotherapist, Clinical Director, and Supervisor has enriched my understanding and treatment of anxiety and panic attacks, allowing me to mentor upcoming therapists in this field. My participation in the Psychoanalytic Certification at LAISPS underlines my commitment to research-driven, evidence based treatment approaches. The approach I take is deeply influenced by this research, ensuring that both my clients and trainees benefit from the most current and effective therapeutic strategies.

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TYPES OF ANXIETY

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

In psychotherapy GAD is is very common and is characterized by chronic and excessive worry about everyday life events. This constant worry can lead to physical symptoms such as fatigue and sleep disturbances as well as low self-esteem and lack of confidence

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD involves persistent obsessions and compulsive actions to alleviate anxious emotions. Common obsessions include fear of harm or contamination, while compulsions may include repetitive behaviors like cleaning or checking. Therapy is essential in the treatment of OCD and to overcome this serious issue.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder results in intense, debilitating fear and panic attacks. Symptoms can include chest pain, nausea, shortness of breath, and fear of losing control while having panic attacks.

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

SAD causes extreme fear in social or performance situations, leading to physical sensations like sweating and heart palpitations and a general social phobia that makes it hard to overcome difficulties in social situations.

Specific Phobias &
Agoraphobia

Phobias are a type of anxiety disorder characterized by an intense, irrational fear of specific objects, situations, or activities. Unlike general anxiety disorders, phobias are usually connected to something particular. The fear experienced by individuals with a phobia is disproportionate to the actual danger posed and often leads to avoidance behavior.

Existential Anxiety

This type of anxious worry is a profound form of distress that arises when an individual confronts certain fundamental questions of existence. It's often triggered by thoughts about life's meaning, freedom, isolation, and death. Without anxiety treatment or therapy this can lead to a sense of doom and loss of control.

Primary Obsessional Disorder

This disorder entails intrusive thoughts, which may accompany OCD but can also manifest independently. These thoughts encompass a range of fears, such as the fear of causing harm to oneself or others, acting on inappropriate sexual impulses towards children or pets, blurting out inappropriate remarks in social settings, or engaging in behaviors that conflict with one's sexual orientation, even when they are not gay or lesbian.

Illness Anxiety Disorders

Also known as Health Anxiety and formally referred to as Hypochondriasis, it falls under the category of somatoform disorders. Persistent concerns regarding one's health primarily characterize it. This condition can arise due to a person's history of chronic illness, leading them to become hyper-vigilant about the possibility of falling ill again. Alternatively, it may develop as a symptom within a disorder or as an independent condition from mood disorders.

Emotophobia

Emetophobia refers to the fear of vomiting. Individuals with emetophobia are easily triggered by various circumstances or the sight of others becoming sick, leading to feelings of nausea and anxiety. They tend to avoid situations or people they perceive as more likely to vomit in their presence. This avoidance can encompass scenarios such as being around small children, being in environments where alcohol consumption occurs, being on boats where motion sickness is possible.

How Anxiety Therapy Can Help in Los Angeles CA

There are a wide range of psychotherapy treatments for anxiety, but finding a therapist and many anxiety specialists who can help is not easy. Finding the right person for you to seek support is a crucial step towards managing and overcoming anxiety disorders. involves identifying underlying thought patterns and behaviors contributing to distressing emotions. Therapy aims to change these patterns to restore peace and calm in your life.

I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Los Angeles as well as a Certified Group Psychotherapist; I've worked as a mental health professional for nearly ten years in treating this disorder in Los Angeles. In addition to this, I'm a Clinical Director and Clinical Supervisor and work to help clients and newer therapists learn to understand and manage various anxiety disorders, including social anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, and more. If you or someone you know is struggling in life with anxious feelings, eating disorders or other mental health issues, reach out to us today for a free phone consultation to learn more about the services we offer.

My office is located on Santa Monica Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood and Los Angeles, close to Culver City, Beverly Hills and Brentwood for in-person therapy. Alternatively, I can provide online therapy sessions or telehealth. If you are in the Los Angeles area, don't hesitate to schedule a free 15-minute consultation call with me. I strive to create a safe and supportive environment to provide services that help you create a better, healthier relationship with anxiety and your self.

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Expert Insights: Understanding the Differences Between Worry, Stress, and Anxiety

If you're like me you might use these words interchangeably, but actually, there's a bit of a difference between worry, stress and anxiety that your therapist should help you understand and distinguish between.

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WORRY

Worry, in essence, is the mental manifestation of anxiety. It occurs when our minds fixate on negative thoughts, uncertain outcomes, or potential problems. It's important to note that worry is confined to the realm of thoughts; it's the cognitive component of anxiety. Unlike physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a racing heart or sweaty palms, worry is all about what's happening in our heads.

At its core, worry is a survival mechanism. It's our brain's way of trying to protect us from potential threats. Worry can stimulate the brain into problem-solving when we face a problem or a challenging situation. It's like a mental alarm bell that says, "Hey, pay attention, there might be trouble ahead!"

In its early stages, worry can be constructive. It prompts us to take action, to plan, and to prepare for the future. It's a normal brain function meant to help us navigate life's obstacles and ensure our safety.

The Dark Side Of Worry

However, worry can quickly become counterproductive when it spirals into repetitive, obsessive thoughts. This is when it stops being a helpful tool and becomes a hindrance. Instead of assisting us in finding solutions, it traps us in a loop of anxiety and apprehension.

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STRESS

Stress, in its essence, is the body's natural response to external challenges or demands. This response is characterized by a cascade of physiological reactions, including the release of adrenaline and cortisol, two key stress hormones. In this article section, we'll explore stress in-depth, from its definition to how it operates within our bodies.

Stress begins with an external stressor, which could be anything from a looming deadline at work to a challenging personal situation. When we encounter these stressors, our bodies kick into gear, initiating a series of physical reactions designed to help us cope with and respond to the challenge at hand.

Diving into Stress Types

Acute Stress: This type of stress is short-lived and typically subsides once the stressful situation is resolved. It's the rush of energy you might feel when facing a sudden deadline or a surprise challenge. While acute stress can be intense, it's usually a temporary heightened alert state.
Chronic Stress: Unlike acute stress, chronic stress is persistent and continues over an extended period. Ongoing life difficulties, such as financial struggles or long-term relationship issues can cause it. Chronic stress can take a toll on both our physical and mental well-being, potentially leading to various health problems.

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ANXIETY

Anxiety is a complex amalgamation of cognitive worry and physiological stress responses. Unlike stress and worry, anxiety manifests in both the mind and the body. It's also often triggered by what our minds perceive as threats that may not actually be present.

Anxiety can be likened to a response to a false alarm. For instance, interpreting a colleague's casual glance as a sign of disapproval can set off the full-blown physiological stress response, even when there is no genuine threat looming. Disapproval in evolutionary terms was a threat to our safety as it means potential alienation from the tribe. Our survival instincts of anxiety were helpful back then, but not so much now.

Exploring Anxiety Varieties

Normal Anxiousness: Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal facet of everyday life. It can be a natural response to new experiences, challenges, or uncertainties. Normal anxiousness is a reminder that we're alert and attentive to our surroundings.
Anxiety Disorders: On the other end of the spectrum, anxiety disorders represent a more severe manifestation of anxiety. These conditions involve persistent and excessive worry and stress that can significantly impact a person's daily life. Anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder, require specialized attention and treatment.

Tailored Anxiety Therapy Techniques in Los Angeles: My Unique Approach for Your Journey

There's an infinite number of ways for a therapist to think about anxiety and how to help a client understand and master anxiety treatment. Here are some of the ways I go about providing therapy to someone with anxiety - please note that these are very general ideas and may not apply to you at all, but that doesn't mean these are the only anti-anxiety approaches or practical tools up my sleeve!

I use various modalities to understand and treat certain anxious thoughts that lead to this disorder, I use a combination of evidence based methods

1. Reality Based Anxiety

Reality-related anxiety stems from the tangible stresses of daily life, such as financial worries or being on time. Anxiety around things like this is often quite appropriate - before a test for example, we should feel some heightened alertness and anxious feelings. The problem is when the amount anxiety around these things becomes too much and causes too many symptoms or interrupts our daily functioning.

I work with clients experiencing anxiety to effectively manage reality-related anxiety by assessing and calibrating the level of importance we are putting on these stressors and providing coping skills and tools for new clients to manage anxious feelings.

2. Existential Anxiety

Existential anxiety arises from pondering life's big questions: the meaning of existence, death, freedom, and isolation. Particularly prevalent during adolescence, this anxiety type can lead to significant distress, often seen in teenagers and those who have experienced trauma.

Therapy is effective in this area in helping clients navigate through the distress that arises from these big life questions. By providing support and guidance exposure therapy, we can work together to explore fears and I can assist individuals in finding meaning and purpose, addressing their fears of isolation and freedom.

3. Anxiety from the Inner Critic

The inner critic, a voice formed from our early interactions with caregivers and influential figures, can be a source of anxiety. This critic internalizes both the nurturing and disciplinary aspects of upbringing. An overly harsh inner critic can lead to anxiety over minor missteps or anticipatory anxiety about potential failures.

In therapy, I work with my clients to recognize and mitigate the harshness of the inner critic and understand the subtle and devious ways it can stir up anxious feelings.

4. Anxiety from Repressed Emotions

Freud originally linked anxiety to repressed sexual urges, but contemporary understanding extends to many repressed emotions, like anger or frustration. It's widely accepted that not acknowledging or expressing these emotions can lead to internal tension and anxiety.

I work with clients to do mindfulness practices that facilitate healthy understanding and expression of repressed emotions, by exploring the unconscious blocks and working through any resistances to feelings. By addressing unexpressed feelings, I help clients reduce internal tension and anxiety.

5. Attachment-related anxiety in Infancy

Rooted in Freud's early theories and the basis of modern attachment theory, this anxiety stems from fears related to early caregiver relationships: fear of losing the caregiver, fear of loss of love, and fear of losing the caregiver's engagement. Addressing attachment-related anxiety involves recognizing and soothing deep-rooted anxieties, often through techniques like re-parenting the internal frightened child. In my practice, I help clients work through fears related to early caregiver relationships, mirroring the dynamics of these early anxieties.

Five Facts About Anxiety And Anxiety Therapy

Anxiety disorders affect more than 264 million people worldwide, according to a study published in The Lancet Psychiatry. This makes anxiety the most prevalent mental health condition globally.

Researchers have discovered a link between anxiety and inflammation in the body. A study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found that people with anxiety had higher levels of inflammatory markers in their blood than those without anxiety.

Anxiety levels may be influenced by gut bacteria. A study in the journal Psychopharmacology found that taking probiotics led to a reduction in anxiety symptoms in participants.

People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have a harder time regulating their emotions, particularly when it comes to disengaging from negative information. This was shown in a study published in the Journal Emotion.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) was highly effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety in children and adolescents.

What Are Some Unusual Signs Of Anxiety That A Therapist Might Spot?

1. Digestive issues: Anxiety can manifest as indigestion, burping, passing gas, diarrhea, or heartburn.

2. Auditory disturbances: Tinnitus, or a ringing in the ears, can be a sign of stress and anxiety. This may present as buzzing, ringing, humming, or other sounds.

3. Skin sensations: Anxiety can cause a burning sensation on the skin, lips, tongue, or eyes, which may feel like sunburn, prickling, or shooting sparks as well as other

4. Cardiac symptoms: Heart irregularities such as skipped heartbeats, palpitations, or a racing heart can indicate anxiety. It is important to seek medical attention to rule out other causes.

5. Sensory disturbances: Physical numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, arms, legs, or face, as well as feelings of weakness, may be indicative of anxiety.

6. Respiratory symptoms: Excessive yawning during anxiety attacks can stem from hyperventilation, leading to a feeling of insufficient oxygen intake.

7. Olfactory hallucinations: An olfactory hallucination, known as phantosmia, may occur with anxiety, causing the person to smell something that isn't there or perceive neutral smells as unpleasant.

Interactive and Multimedia Resources for Anxiety Management

Your Interactive Journey to Anxiety Relief with resources, assessments and other ideas to lower anxiety and start your journey into a less anxious life.

ANXIETY ASSESSMENT

Click here for a free Anxiety Screening Tool that might help you clarify if you could benefit from anxiety therapy.

WEBSITE &

SUPPORT

This website is an authority on anxiety and might have useful handouts and readings for you to download

BOOK RESOURCES

"Everything Isn't Terrible" By Dr Kathleen Smith is a great read on understanding generalized or chronic anxiety. Highly recommend.

MINDFULNESS

EXERCISE

Positive Psychology has a lot to offer in general but these are some great minduflness tools to use that can help

Voices of Success: Client Testimonials

"I could tell that he was present and listening to what I had to say. His insights were spot on and put things into perspective, which is exactly what I needed and wanted."

"The absolute best. Oliver Drakeford is the most talented and knowledgeable therapist I've ever crossed paths with."

"He listens intently, remembers virtually everything you tell him, synthesises all your information, makes connections and pops out some startlingly helpful feedback"

Therapy In West Hollywood

Anxiety Therapist Los Angeles

What is aNXIEty and how do you treat it?