Anxiety Counseling by Rockville Maryland Therapist Suzanne Corcoran

Anxiety

Fearful feelings are perfectly normal reactions to many circumstances of everyday life. We

can classify fear as being a response to a clear threat of physical danger, such as a having near
miss on the highway when avoiding a car accident.

We can also experience more intangible threats. Going on a job interview or giving a speech

may produce reactions we can classify as anxiety. We all fret about something from time to time,
and a little anxiety in some cases may even actually help us perform some tasks more successfully,
keeping us "on our toes."

But sometimes anxiety can get in the way and overwhelm us to the point where we have

worried thoughts repeating themselves endlessly. These feelings of anxiousness can be extreme
and out of proportion to the real threat and they can last for long periods of time. When we have
anxiety levels that we cannot manage by ourselves then we are said to suffer from generalized
anxiety disorder.

Symptoms of anxiety may include:

•

Constant worrying about things that are not likely to occur

•

General fatigue, lack of energy or problems sleeping

•

Avoidance of crowds, open spaces, long travel by plane, train or car

•

Trouble concentrating, "blanking out"

•

Uncontrollable repeated behaviors like washing of hands or checking door locks

•

A fullness feeling in the throat or chest

•

A sensitive startle reflex

•

Sudden racing of the heart, difficulty breathing, dry mouth, teeth grinding, sweating or

dizziness

•

Muscle aches, soreness, tension, twitching or trembling

•

Anxiety symptoms are often combined with symptoms of

depression

Suzanne Corcoran has extensive experience with working these symptoms in individuals in

her psychotherapy counseling practice in Rockville, Maryland. She can help you determine if you
have a generalized anxiety disorder and can help you with the right anxiety management techniques
that can work for you.