Understanding Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health concerns in the United States. From persistent worry and racing thoughts to physical symptoms like a racing heart or difficulty sleeping, anxiety can affect nearly every aspect of a person's life. Although occasional anxiety is a normal human experience, persistent or overwhelming anxiety can interfere with relationships, work, sleep, and overall well-being.
The good news is anxiety is treatable, and with the right support, people can learn to manage their symptoms and regain a sense of control.
Anxiety in America: The Numbers Tell a Story
Anxiety affects millions of Americans, making it an important public health concern.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH):
19.1% of U.S. adults experienced an anxiety disorder within a given year.
31.1% of U.S. adults experience an anxiety disorder at some point during their lifetime.
Women experience anxiety disorders at higher rates than men, with 23.4% of women and 14.3% of men experiencing an anxiety disorder within a given year.
Among adults experiencing an anxiety disorder, approximately 22.8% experience serious impairment in their daily functioning.
These statistics demonstrate that anxiety is not uncommon, nor is it a personal failing. It is a mental health condition that can affect people across different backgrounds, ages, and life circumstances.
More recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also highlights the ongoing impact of anxiety. In 2024, approximately 18.5% of U.S. adults reported that a healthcare professional had diagnosed them with an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
It is important to distinguish between these statistics: a lifetime diagnosis, a past-year disorder, and symptoms of anxiety are different measurements. Together, however, they illustrate how widespread anxiety is in the United States.
What Does Anxiety Actually Feel Like?
Anxiety can look different from person to person.
For some individuals, anxiety manifests as persistent worry about the future, relationships, finances, health, or everyday responsibilities. For others, it may appear as physical discomfort, irritability, difficulty concentrating, or an overwhelming sense that something bad is about to happen.
Common symptoms of anxiety include:
Excessive or persistent worry
Racing thoughts or difficulty quieting the mind
Restlessness or feeling constantly on edge
Difficulty concentrating
Muscle tension
Increased heart rate or shortness of breath
Sleep disturbances
Irritability
Avoidance of situations that trigger anxiety
Anxiety can also create a cycle that becomes increasingly difficult to break.
For example, someone who experiences anxiety in social situations may begin avoiding gatherings. Although avoiding the situation may provide temporary relief, it can reinforce the belief that social situations are dangerous or unmanageable.
Over time, avoidance can limit opportunities, strain relationships, and make anxiety feel even more overwhelming.
When Does Anxiety Become a Problem?
Anxiety is a natural response to stress and uncertainty. It can help us prepare for challenges, recognize potential risks, and respond to important situations.
However, anxiety may become problematic when it is persistent, disproportionate to the situation, or begins interfering with daily functioning.
An anxiety disorder may involve ongoing worry, intense fear, panic attacks, or avoidance that significantly impacts a person's quality of life.
Common anxiety disorders include:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Persistent and excessive worry about multiple areas of life, often accompanied by difficulty controlling the worry.
Panic Disorder: Recurrent panic attacks and ongoing concern about experiencing additional attacks or their consequences.
Social Anxiety Disorder: Significant fear of social situations involving possible judgment, embarrassment, or scrutiny.
Specific Phobias: Intense fear of particular objects or situations, such as flying, heights, or certain animals.
A mental health professional can help determine whether symptoms are consistent with an anxiety disorder and identify the most appropriate treatment approach.
How Can Therapy Help With Anxiety?
Therapy provides individuals with an opportunity to understand their anxiety, identify underlying patterns, and develop practical strategies for managing symptoms.
Rather than simply telling someone to stop worrying, therapists work collaboratively with clients to understand how anxiety operates in their lives and what may be maintaining it.
Evidence-based approaches to anxiety treatment include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the most widely used and researched approaches for treating anxiety.
CBT helps individuals identify the connections between their thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviors.
For example, a person experiencing anxiety about an upcoming presentation may think:
"I'm going to embarrass myself, and everyone will think I'm incompetent."
A therapist may help the individual examine the evidence supporting that thought, consider alternative perspectives, and develop more balanced ways of responding to uncertainty.
CBT also incorporates practical skills that can help individuals recognize anxiety patterns and respond more effectively.
Exposure Therapy
Avoidance often reinforces anxiety.
Exposure therapy helps individuals gradually approach situations, sensations, or experiences that trigger fear or anxiety in a structured and supportive environment.
For example, someone experiencing social anxiety may begin by practicing brief conversations before gradually working toward more challenging social situations.
Exposure therapy is not about overwhelming someone or forcing them into uncomfortable situations. Instead, it involves carefully planned experiences that help individuals develop confidence and learn that anxiety can be tolerated.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy focuses on helping individuals change their relationship with anxious thoughts and feelings.
Rather than trying to eliminate every uncomfortable emotion, ACT encourages individuals to recognize their thoughts without automatically treating them as facts.
Through mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based action, individuals can learn to engage in meaningful activities even when anxiety is present.
This approach can be particularly helpful for people who feel exhausted from constantly trying to control or suppress their anxiety.
Mindfulness and Nervous System Regulation
Anxiety can activate the body's stress response, contributing to physical symptoms such as muscle tension, increased heart rate, and restlessness.
Therapists may incorporate mindfulness and grounding techniques to help individuals develop greater awareness of their emotional and physical experiences.
Examples include:
Diaphragmatic breathing
Grounding exercises
Mindfulness practices
Progressive muscle relaxation
Identifying early signs of anxiety
Developing strategies for managing stress
These interventions can help individuals respond to anxiety more intentionally rather than feeling controlled by it.
The Role of Trauma-Informed Therapy
For some individuals, anxiety is connected to previous experiences of trauma, chronic stress, or prolonged periods of feeling unsafe.
Trauma can influence how the brain and body respond to perceived threats, sometimes resulting in hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, emotional dysregulation, or difficulty trusting others.
Trauma-informed therapy recognizes that anxiety may be connected to experiences that have shaped a person's sense of safety and security.
Depending on the individual's needs, treatment may incorporate approaches such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive behavioral interventions, or other trauma-focused therapies.
The goal is not to assume that all anxiety is trauma-related, but to recognize that understanding a person's experiences and history can be an important part of effective treatment.
You Don't Have to Wait Until Anxiety Becomes Overwhelming
Many people delay seeking therapy because they believe their symptoms are not severe enough, that they should be able to manage everything independently, or that asking for help means something is wrong with them.
In reality, therapy can be helpful at different stages of life and varying levels of distress.
Working with a therapist may help individuals:
Better understand their anxiety triggers
Develop healthier coping strategies
Improve emotional regulation
Reduce avoidance behaviors
Strengthen relationships
Improve sleep and concentration
Build confidence in managing uncertainty
Develop a greater sense of control over their lives
Treatment is not about eliminating every anxious thought or feeling. It is about developing the skills and support needed to prevent anxiety from controlling your life.
Finding Support for Anxiety in Reno, Nevada
At Elements Counseling & Wellness, we recognize that anxiety can affect every part of a person's life.
Our therapists work with individuals to understand their experiences, identify patterns contributing to anxiety, and develop individualized treatment plans that support meaningful and lasting change.
Whether you are experiencing persistent worry, panic attacks, social anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, or difficulty managing everyday stress, therapy can provide a space to explore what you are experiencing and learn practical strategies for moving forward.
You deserve support that recognizes your experiences, respects your individual needs, and helps you build a life that is not defined by anxiety.
You do not have to navigate anxiety alone.
If anxiety is interfering with your daily life, contact Elements Counseling & Wellness to learn more about our therapy services and how we can help.
Written by:
Alicia Arnold, M.A.
Licensed Marriage and Family therapist
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