How Are Anxiety and Trauma Related To Each Other?
Thoughts from an Anxiety Therapist on How Anxiety and Trauma Are Related
Anxiety and trauma are both difficult experiences that can have a profound impact on our lives. Though they are different, there is a strong connection between the two. Those who struggle with anxiety may have experienced trauma in their past, and trauma can often lead to anxiety. Understanding how they are related can help you to navigate your journey to healing.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is often defined as an experience that is so overwhelming that it shatters our sense of safety and causes us to feel powerless. When we experience trauma, we may feel like the world is a dangerous place and that we are not safe. This can lead us to feel that we are constantly on edge and that we need to be on guard all the time.
Trauma can be caused by a single event, such as a car accident, abuse, or a natural disaster. It can also be caused by repeated experiences. Such as growing up in a chaotic or unstable environment. Or experience neglect, physical abuse, or emotional trauma. Trauma can affect our trauma responses and have a lasting impact on our mental and emotional health.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a condition that is characterized by persistent and excessive worry. It can be caused by many things, such as an event that happened in the past, a fear of something happening in the future, or stress from work or school. It also looks different for everyone.
Anxiety symptoms vary from person to person. It can be mild where it causes some discomfort, or it can be severe where it interferes with our daily lives. For some, anxiety may only happen in specific situations or around certain people. For others, it may be constant.
The Connection Between Anxiety and Trauma
Anxiety and trauma are related because trauma can cause you to develop anxiety. When you experience trauma, it can change the way you see the world and yourself. You may start feeling that the world is dangerous and your brain may be having trouble coping with the experience and turning off your fight or flight response. This can lead to anxiety.
You may start avoiding certain situations or people that remind you of the trauma and make you anxious. This can make it difficult to do things that you used to enjoy or make it hard to go to work or school. This is why understanding how your current or past trauma is affecting your anxiety is so important.
So, How Do You Manage Anxiety and Trauma?
If you are struggling with anxiety and trauma, anxiety treatment can help you see the connection between your past traumas and the anxiety that you're currently experiencing. Then in therapy, you will explore that connection so you can develop tools to manage your anxiety symptoms and understand your triggers so you can avoid them or be better prepared when they do happen.
Learning how to implement these skills in everyday life can help you face challenges with the support of your online therapist. Your therapist knows that your trauma and anxiety are due to the experiences you have lived. They will help support you through this difficult time by providing guidance and understanding. While also finding a treatment that will help you with both your anxiety and trauma.
Are You Ready to Start Trauma Therapy and Anxiety Treatment in Pleasanton, California?
Anxiety and trauma can affect your everyday life. It might make you feel hopeless if you don't know where to start. However, I am here to support you and your mental health to get you to a place where you're living your best life. If you're ready to take the first step towards trauma therapy and anxiety treatment, all you need to do is:
Contact me to schedule a free consultation
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Other Therapy Services Offered by Kim Salyer, LMFT
As an online therapist, I know that trauma and anxiety may not be the only struggles you have. So, at my therapy practice based in Pleasanton, CA, I offer a variety of services through teletherapy. I provide CPTSD Treatment and PTSD treatment. As well as emotional trauma therapy and depression treatment. I also specialize in using EMDR therapy to treat trauma. If you have any questions about my services or how I could help you, please reach out!