Anxiety

Anxiety isn’t always panic attacks and pacing. Sometimes it’s the invisible hum in your chest, the tightening jaw, the stomach ache that never quite goes away. It’s checking the news and feeling like you’re bracing for impact, again.

Anxiety disorders affect over 40 million Americans. And while anxiety can be part of other emotional struggles like depression, it often runs solo, silently wreaking havoc on sleep, focus, digestion, and peace of mind.

Contributors to anxiety may include:

• Chronic stress or trauma

• Family history or genetic predisposition

• Medical conditions

• Neurochemical imbalances

• Political chaos, global crises, and the 24-hour news cycle

• Social injustice, systemic oppression, and identity-based harm

• The pressure to be productive, likable, or emotionally invincible in a collapsing world

Anxiety can be a signal, your body’s way of saying something isn’t working.

Symptoms may include:

• A sense of dread or impending doom

• Irritability or emotional reactivity

• Trouble focusing

• Racing thoughts

• Restlessness or feeling “keyed up”

• Pounding heart, sweating, or shortness of breath

• Stomach upset, nausea, or dizziness

• Insomnia or disrupted sleep

• Headaches

• Avoidance of people, places, or responsibilities

You don’t have to suffer in silence.

Therapy can help you understand the root of your anxiety, untangle your triggers, and develop grounding tools that actually work. Oaks Counseling Center offers trauma-informed approaches, including CBT, EMDR, mindfulness-based therapy, and practical support for people navigating anxious systems — both internal and external.

Whether your anxiety is longstanding or new, mild or crushing, we’ll work with you to find steadiness again. Reach out to schedule a consultation. Contact Janet at 818-518-7674