Do you often feel restless, agitated, or overwhelmed with worries and thoughts of what might go wrong? Anxiety can interfere with your ability to succeed at work or in school, sabotage family life, challenge romantic relationships, and make for difficult interpersonal interactions.
Key points
- Different people experience anxiety in different ways
- Anxiety tends to respond well to treatment
- You can learn to recognize the symptoms of anxiety
- Choose an effective treatment path for anxiety
In this Article
Anxiety therapy at Birch Tree Psychology
Do you often feel on edge, overwhelmed by worry, or unsure how to calm your mind? Maybe you find yourself stuck in negative thoughts, struggling with motivation, or questioning your relationships. If this sounds familiar, you may be experiencing an anxiety disorder. The good news is that anxiety is highly treatable, and you’re not alone in facing it.
Anxiety is more common than you think
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health challenges in the U.S. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 20 percent of adults experience one in any given year. While anxiety levels were already increasing before the pandemic, COVID-19 amplified this trend. Disconnection, stress, and uncertainty have all contributed to rising emotional struggles across age groups.
Daily life today poses more challenges than ever. Remote work, fewer in-person connections, social media pressures, and an overload of screen time all create the conditions for anxiety to thrive. Many people find themselves turning to unhelpful coping habits like alcohol or avoidance, which only deepen the cycle.
Why anxiety can linger or intensify over time
Anxiety is a normal response to danger—it helps us react when we need to act fast. But when anxiety becomes constant or is triggered by everyday situations, it can become disruptive. Over time, the brain learns to stay in a heightened state of stress. Without tools to interrupt this cycle, anxiety can become the default.
Types of anxiety disorders
Anxiety doesn’t look the same for everyone. Some people feel nervous in social situations, while others dread worst-case scenarios or have sudden panic attacks. Common anxiety-related disorders include:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Ongoing worry, irritability, fatigue, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances.
Social Anxiety: Intense fear of judgment in social or performance situations, often leading to avoidance or isolation.
Panic Disorder: Sudden episodes of physical symptoms like chest pain, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, or feeling out of control.
Phobias: Extreme fear of specific situations or objects, such as flying, enclosed spaces, or heights.
What causes anxiety disorders?
Anxiety can develop from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Family history, childhood stress, trauma, chronic health conditions, and high caffeine or substance use can all increase risk. Sometimes, anxiety arises from seemingly small triggers that build up over time.
Effective treatment is available
At Birch Tree Psychology, we offer individualized therapy to help you better understand your anxiety and learn how to manage it. Our team uses evidence-based methods tailored to your needs so you can feel more in control and supported in your daily life.
We may draw from approaches such as:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Helps identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors that feed anxiety.
Exposure Therapy: Gently guides you to face your fears in manageable ways, building confidence and reducing avoidance.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Combines mindfulness and values-based actions to help you reduce distress and reconnect with what matters.
Medication: In some cases, medication can support therapy by helping regulate mood and improve daily functioning. This may be part of a broader care plan that includes sleep, nutrition, and exercise.
Start your path toward healing
Anxiety doesn’t have to run your life. At Birch Tree Psychology, we offer therapy that helps you reconnect with calm, confidence, and clarity. We provide in-person sessions in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, as well as virtual therapy for residents in participating PSYPACT states. Reach out today to get matched with a therapist who understands what you’re going through and can help you move forward.
More information
Anxiety Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder
Henning, M., Subic-Wrana, C., Wiltink, J., & Beutel, M. (2020). Anxiety Disorders in Patients With Somatic Diseases. Psychosomatic Medicine.
Nelson, H., Cantor, A., Pappas, M., & Weeks, C. (2020). Screening for Anxiety in Adolescent and Adult Women. Annals of Internal Medicine.
What’s the difference between stress and anxiety? American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/anxiety-difference