Individuals experiencing anxiety symptoms, such as a racing heart or trouble breathing, may benefit from targeted therapy sessions. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one approach that helps identify patterns associated with anxiety and shows how to change behaviors to produce productive results. CBT for anxiety helps individuals manage stressful situations, and an anxiety coach teaches them how to develop long-term coping skills. Here is more information on the role of CBT in managing anxiety symptoms:
Identify Anxiety Patterns
Some individuals have unhelpful thoughts that trigger anxious responses, and CBT for anxiety helps them understand why this happens. This is beneficial for people who are constantly in high-stress situations, such as a demanding job or college degree. A mentor for high achieving young men and women teaches them to recognize signs of anxiety, including trouble making eye contact or feeling restless. CBT also helps individuals know which of their reactions are unhealthy. These may include:
- Avoiding stressful situations or procrastinating completing a task
- Not talking to unfamiliar people or abruptly leaving conversations
- Constantly checking things like locks to make sure nothing is wrong
- Overthinking and imagining worst-case scenarios
Create Helpful Behaviors
Once individuals realize certain reactions don’t improve their anxiety, they can work with a coach to challenge those behaviors. CBT doesn’t reduce anxiety symptoms; it helps people respond with balanced reactions. Individuals learn how to change thought processes by examining the situation rather than automatically believing their worst predictions will occur. A coach helps individuals realize that uncomfortable or anxious feelings don’t always mean something is wrong. This allows them to accept their anxiety symptoms.
Build Long-Term Skills
Continual CBT sessions help people learn to tolerate discomfort. CBT allows them to understand that while they can’t control situations, they are able to become confident in their ability to cope with anxiety. Practicing sustainable habits enables individuals to reach this acceptance. Some may record thought patterns in a journal, and others reflect on behavioral experiments. When new situations arise that produce anxious feelings, individuals have the capability to work through their thoughts and not let anxiety dictate the outcome.
CBT allows individuals to build long-term skills to manage anxiety; they apply the techniques they learned during sessions to real-life situations. An anxiety coach helps them understand which skills to use during specific situations, so they know how to react. After facing the stressful situation, the individual discusses what actually occurred with a coach and how it may have differed from their worst expectations. This gives the individual a chance to adjust their behavioral responses so they don’t make the anxiety worse.
Use CBT for Anxiety
Managing anxiety symptoms involves changing thought processes to help individuals avoid becoming overwhelmed during stressful situations. CBT for anxiety allows people to recognize unhealthy patterns, so they can learn how to change them into positive ones. To support CBT sessions for youth, an ADHD coach for high school boys and girls is able to teach them to regulate their emotions and learn to focus on the situation. Work with a coach today to use CBT skills to better manage anxiety.
