Anxiety Specialist
-
- Tweet
Psychology Beverly Hills
Psychologists & Therapists located in Beverly Hills, CA
Anxiety typically affects 31% of adolescents and 19% of adults, but the numbers skyrocket during certain life events. Dr. Payam Kharazi and the team of clinicians at Psychology Beverly Hills specialize in helping individuals who struggle with anxiety. Don’t keep hoping you’ll get anxiety under control when effective therapy is available. If you have questions, call the office in Beverly Hills, California, to set up a free phone consultation. You can also schedule an in-person or telehealth appointment using the online booking tool.
Anxiety Q & A
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is the feeling of dread or fear that appears when you face a threat. Every type of threat, from worry about future concerns to a more extreme type of situation that puts your life in danger, triggers an automatic response in your brain.
Your brain sends out hormones that energize your body so you can face the threat or escape. Normally, your hormones return to their normal state, and your anxiety goes away after the threat is gone. Consequently, it’s normal to feel anxious from time to time, like during a major life event or transition. However, anxiety becomes problematic when it is persistent and when no real threat or danger exists. This often indicates that you have an anxiety disorder.
Persistent, unmanaged anxiety holds you back from realizing your goals and can interfere with your relationships or performance at work or school. Over time, ongoing anxiety also leads to emotional problems and takes a toll on your physical health.
What symptoms develop due to anxiety?
Along with feelings of dread and fear, you may also experience symptoms such as:
- Nervousness
- Irritability
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Headaches
- Tense muscles
- Fast breathing
- Trouble sleeping
- Rapid heartbeat
- Difficulty concentrating
- Rumination/overthinking
Anxiety is often the reason people skip school or call in sick from work. For many, anxiety becomes so overwhelming that they purposefully avoid the people and places that trigger their anxiety.
How is anxiety treated?
Psychotherapy (talk therapy) is a proven technique for learning to manage and overcome anxiety. After your initial consultation and learning about your concerns and challenges, the team at Psychology Beverly Hills works with you to develop a treatment plan that meets your needs.
The team often integrates techniques from many types of therapy. Two approaches they frequently use when treating anxiety include:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT teaches you to recognize and change the thinking patterns that contribute to your anxiety. The techniques used during CBT can also improve social skills, which is a common problem for many people with anxiety.
One type of CBT, exposure therapy, helps you overcome anxiety through a structured process of gradually exposing you to the thing you fear.
Somatic therapy
When you experience fear, dread, trauma, or other strong emotions, they affect your central nervous system and cause chronically high levels of stress hormones. These physical responses lead to changes in your body. Somatic therapy takes a mind-body approach that helps you learn to feel and release the tension that remains in your body.
You can overcome anxiety with help from the compassionate team at Psychology Beverly Hills. To schedule an appointment, call the office or use the online booking feature today.
