5 Ways Therapy Help Can Manage Anxiety

San Diego based Therapy for Men Across California

Anxiety is an epidemic. Hundreds of thousands of men are affected by anxiety every day. Many men struggle to be open about the feelings they are feeling or the thoughts they are experiencing. Traditional masculinity has led to men believing that there's something wrong with them for needing help; that it's somehow more masculine and strong to deal with things on our own. Not only can that be unhealthy and unproductive, but it creates a breeding ground for negative thoughts and isolation. Many “modern men” are seeing the benefits of therapy and recognize how going through life without excessive worry and panic has led them to being better partners, fathers, and friends.

Here are some ways that therapy can be helpful in reducing anxiety:

1. Identifying triggers for anxiety

   Anxiety can manifest itself in many forms. Some people are able to identify their triggers immediately and know exactly how & why they feel anxious. In this case, a therapist can work with you to help identify strategies to manage those triggers and experience things without the weight of anxiety on your shoulders. Others feel like anxiety comes out of nowhere and doesn’t have any specific triggers. If this is the case, a client and therapist will work together to identify possible physiological triggers, while also building insight and reflection on what contributes to the anxiety spiking.

2. Changing behaviors
   There are a lot of behaviors that can contribute to anxiety. Avoidance, ruminating on thoughts, and procrastinating are a few. Utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy we can work together to help change some of those troubling behaviors.

3. Creating coping strategies

   Having a toolbox full of coping skills to combat anxiety is key in being able to effectively manage it. My collaborative approach with clients allows us to come up with strategies that are able to be utilized in several different life domains (work, home, etc). 

4. Interrupting negative thought patterns

   There are several thinking errors that can exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Ones I frequently see in my practice include: “black and white thinking,” where the client believes that things are either “this” or “that” without being able to see the gray in situations or “disqualifying the positive” where the client feels as though their experiences do not count for one reason or the other. Together we will help interrupt these negative thoughts and replace them with more positive, affirming ones.

5. Building supports

   Many men have spent the majority of their live believing that they need to handle their mental health on their own. I believe that letting go of those traditional masculine values and embracing vulnerability can be a major key in reducing many negative thoughts and feelings. Being able to ask for help from friends, family, and partners can be an incredibly powerful tool in living a happy, healthy life.

I see that many men who don't know how to cope with effectively manage and cope with their anxiety. Finding the right therapist is the first step in moving toward a more positive, healthy life. Please reach out to me for a free 15 minute consultation and we can discuss how to work toward increasing your emotional well-being. I look forward to hearing from you!