Saturday, June 20, 2009

Anxiety - Therapy and Counseling

By Gordon Dalwood

As any sufferer can attest to, having to deal with anxiety and panic attacks can be notoriously difficult and because this condition can virtually destroy the quality of a person's life, seeking professional treatment is vital. In this case, the most common approach is to seek counseling and therapy from a duly qualified mental health professional.

Therapy and counseling are utilized to get to the psychological roots of the anxiety. The goal here is once the root of the problem is discovered it can be possible to reverse the ravages of the problem. However, one needs to have realistic expectations about these sessions in order to get the most out of them.

First and foremost, one needs to realize that a counseling session is not intended to deliver a quick cure for one's anxiety issues. Some have the notion that a counselor will reveal a number of secrets that will alleviate anxiety once and for all. Actually, it does not work this way. The counseling session will seek to reverse the problems associated with anxiety in incremental steps. With time, patience, and consistency, great progress can be made with reversing the excess anxiety.

What approach does the counselor take in the sessions? There is not a single, simple answer. The use of uniform psychological testing must be given to find the best diagnosis for the individual. Professionals in the mental health field have varying approaches during the sessions which will include what questions are asked.

Furthermore there is no right or wrong answers to the questions a therapist might ask a patient. Instead, you need to answer all the questions honestly, and in as clear and direct a manner as humanly possible. Likewise, it's vital that you be truthful in all your responses and that you avoid withholding anything. If you do hold back, it will inevitably undermine the success of your therapy sessions.

Also, it is important to point out that counseling sessions are not one way streets. That means it is not just the therapist that asks questions and you respond. You should always ask questions of your counselor in order to learn more about your condition and to help reduce your problems with anxiety.

During times when you're not undergoing counseling or therapy, it's always advisable to maintain a personal log book in which to make notes with regards to your progress since starting with therapy. One of the biggest benefits of a log book is that it will often allow you to establish what triggers an anxiety and panic attack. The bottom line is, by keeping a log book; you'll be in a position to gauge how well you're responding to therapy.

Counseling remains probably the most common treatment of anxiety. For many, these sessions not only help reduce anxiety, they can also reverse various other psychological problems that are discovered during the session. As such, the process is highly recommended to those looking to gain control of their life once again. - 14130

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