“Can therapy cause more anxiety?”
I want to get therapy for anxiety. Can therapy cause more anxiety?
9 Answers
Sometimes as you engage in psychotherapy and begin to learn relaxation techniques, the body and mind are not used to the “calm” sensations which can trigger feelings of unfamiliarity. This will pass as you work closely with your psychotherapist. It’s an important step to seek treatment and support… anxiety untreated typically continues to worsen.
Technically it could cause more anxiety, however I do believe this is an active part of the healing process. It is not easy to deal with our innner feelings and therapy sort of forces the client to work with those feelings, which in turn could cause some anxiety and/or be uncomfortable. You will find that over time, the sessions will likely become beneficial and easier, as you get used to the process and know what to expect.
Dr. Diane Bridgeman
Psychologist
Yes, it is not unusual for one to experience anxious thoughts when in therapy given the nature of the process, yet when these feelings come up, talking with the therapist is very helpful and together you can assess why at specific times, or on specific issues you might feel more anxious. It may help for you to note when you feel your anxious feelings and see if there is a pattern as to time of day, level of sleep, around certain interactions, etc. The therapist will help you process the patterns you note and will probably recommend, healthy sleep habits, regular exercise, time in nature and with friends, meditation apps, etc. Overall therapy may elicit some anxiety while overall it will help you recognize, identify and deal with anxiety and generally feel better overall. Dr. Bridgeman
It sure can. While there are therapies specific to treating anxiety, often psychotherapy for new patients is scary and quite uncomfortable. Being around a stranger sharing problems and concerns you often do not tell even your closest friends and family can lead to quite a bit of anxiety. The goal for therapy is to establish hope, trust, and safety in a professional context. A hope is that with established trust with your provider, that initial anxiety will go down.
Yes it can. Sometimes during the process of therapy you find out things you did not realize and your anxiety can increase temporarily. The therapist will work with you and will help you reduce your anxiety. The increase in anxiety is short-term and will not last.
If your anxiety increases, you really want to communicate this with your doctor. Anxiety can increase, and often does, because therapy often involves looking at events and relationships in your life, but exploring them with another person - to improve, expand and garner added insights.
The goal - at least my goal - is to improve my patients quality of life. I do not like it when my patients leave more anxious then when they come in the door, but I have certainly received text messages the day after a particularly intense session where my patients report feeling a bit "off" or "raw." We schedule a time to speak, and explore what they have been ruminating on. The aspects of the session they are replaying, and not finding a sufficient answer.
With a well structured treatment plan, and well planned out sessions (so that the session does not end abruptly), anxiety can be greatly reduced.
The goal - at least my goal - is to improve my patients quality of life. I do not like it when my patients leave more anxious then when they come in the door, but I have certainly received text messages the day after a particularly intense session where my patients report feeling a bit "off" or "raw." We schedule a time to speak, and explore what they have been ruminating on. The aspects of the session they are replaying, and not finding a sufficient answer.
With a well structured treatment plan, and well planned out sessions (so that the session does not end abruptly), anxiety can be greatly reduced.
Yes, in some cases, therapy can initially cause anxiety, especially during the early stages of treatment. This is known as "therapist-induced anxiety" or "therapist-induced discomfort." It's important to understand that therapy involves addressing deep emotions, exploring difficult thoughts, and discussing challenging experiences, which can sometimes lead to feelings of discomfort, vulnerability, or anxiety.
If therapy consistently causes severe or distressing anxiety, it's important to communicate this with the therapist. They can adjust their approach, provide additional support, or explore alternative therapeutic methods that might be more suitable for your needs. It's also possible that the anxiety being experienced is related to the content being discussed and could potentially be a valuable aspect of the therapeutic process, but it should be managed within the individual's comfort level.
If therapy consistently causes severe or distressing anxiety, it's important to communicate this with the therapist. They can adjust their approach, provide additional support, or explore alternative therapeutic methods that might be more suitable for your needs. It's also possible that the anxiety being experienced is related to the content being discussed and could potentially be a valuable aspect of the therapeutic process, but it should be managed within the individual's comfort level.
People with anxiety tend to react to unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and situations in a more extreme way and may try to manage those reactions by avoiding triggers. Unfortunately, this type of avoidance only serves to reinforce fears and worries. Most modern types of therapy address negative thinking and avoidance to help you manage your anxiety.
See these helpful links:
https://www.allaboutcounseling.com/library/what-to-do-if-therapy-gives-you-more-anxiety/
and
https://counselorssoapbox.com/2017/04/24/therapy-can-make-stress-and-anxiety-disorders-worse/
https://www.allaboutcounseling.com/library/what-to-do-if-therapy-gives-you-more-anxiety/
and
https://counselorssoapbox.com/2017/04/24/therapy-can-make-stress-and-anxiety-disorders-worse/
