Anxiety
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. REBT is often an effective therapy to address anxiety. Anxiety can affect your academic success (test-taking anxiety), your ability to get past procratination and succeed professionally, and your ability to stay focused and balanced.
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
REBT is an effective treatment path for anxiety
Overview: how anxiety affects you everyday
Do you frequently experience anxiety, unease, a lack of motivation, or relationship issues? Do you often get intrusive thoughts? Do you regularly feel insecure and question what others think of you? Your emotional challenges may be powered by an anxiety disorder. Fortunately, anxiety often responds well to treatment.
If you struggle with anxiety, you are not alone
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than one in five US adults between 18 and 60 experiences an anxiety disorder each year – making anxiety one of the most common mental health conditions in the world.
In recent years, researchers have noted a steady rise in anxiety across all age groups. Economic uncertainty, social disconnection, constant exposure to news and social media, and the fast pace of modern life all contribute to higher levels of stress and worry. Many people report feeling overextended, isolated, or unable to fully “switch off,” even in their downtime.
Modern lifestyles can create a perfect storm for anxiety. Remote work, limited in-person interaction, fewer community ties, and increased screen time can all heighten feelings of loneliness and tension. Without healthy coping strategies, people may turn to alcohol, food, or other habits to self-soothe. Learning healthier ways to manage stress — and knowing when to reach out for support — is key to maintaining emotional balance.
Anxiety levels, once elevated, tend to stay high or get higher
Everyone is hard-wired to react to anxiety. When our brain perceives hazards, such as a bear emerging from the woods or a speeding car approaching, anxiety helps us respond to the challenge. When we are concerned about missing a plane, we sprint to the gate. When we need to meet a deadline at work, we can get an extra burst of energy.
When we don’t respond effectively to an anxiety trigger, or if the trigger persists over time, we can get stuck in stress-induced mental pathways. We can develop unhealthy and negative coping patterns that keep us stuck and feeling anxious even after the initial trigger has passed.
Do you recognize anxiety in your life?
Anxiety can appear differently in different people and at different times in their lives. Generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, social anxiety, and phobias are all anxiety-related disorders.
Your symptoms may depend on the specific anxiety disorder that you experience.
Social anxiety can make it difficult for you to speak up at work or school, engage in social situations, or even have trouble leaving the house.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) usually involves persistent feelings of anxiety or dread. Other symptoms include feeling on edge or restless, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, irritability, headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches, or other pain without a clear source.
Panic attacks may include experiencing an accelerated heart rate, sweating, trembling, chest pain, or feeling out of control.
Phobias are intense fears that are out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the object or the situation. Some examples of phobias include fear of flying, heights, or being in an enclosed space.
Causes and risk factors
While outside events, family history, or stressful environments may influence how vulnerable someone feels, REBT emphasizes that these factors do not directly cause anxiety. Instead, anxiety is created and intensified by rigid, extreme, or unrealistic beliefs about those events.
From an REBT perspective, anxiety is maintained by patterns such as:
Catastrophizing (“Something terrible will happen, and I can’t handle it.”)
Demanding certainty or safety (“I must know everything will go perfectly.”)
Low frustration tolerance (“I can’t stand feeling uncomfortable or unsure.”)
Self- or world-condemnation (“If I mess up, it means something is wrong with me.”)
These beliefs — not the events themselves — shape whether someone experiences healthy concern or unhealthy anxiety. Predispositions or stressful circumstances may make anxiety more likely to show up, but the emotional disturbance comes from the meaning someone assigns to the situation and the internal dialogue that follows.
Treatment for anxiety
Anxiety is highly treatable, especially when treatment focuses not only on symptoms but also on the beliefs that keep those symptoms in place. At Restartt, therapy is structured, active, and skills-focused. The work centers on understanding how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors interact, then challenging rigid, self-defeating beliefs—the “I must,” “I should,” and “I can’t mess up” messages that drive worry, perfectionism, and avoidance. Over time, this approach helps reduce excessive anxiety and build emotional discipline, so concern becomes more realistic and manageable rather than overwhelming.
Treatment for anxiety at Restartt is rooted in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, supported by cognitive behavioral therapy, rational emotive imagery, motivational interviewing, and strength-based strategies. Together, these methods help you notice and question unhelpful thinking, rehearse more balanced responses, and practice concrete tools between sessions. Some people may also benefit from consulting with a medical provider about medication as one part of their overall care. A thoughtful, integrated approach—combining skills-based therapy, healthy routines, and supportive relationships—can make it possible to manage anxiety more effectively and move toward a life that feels more grounded, confident, and fulfilling.
You don’t have to keep living in constant worry.
If anxiety is making every decision feel heavy, every thought feel urgent, or every day feel like a battle with your own mind, support is available. With the right tools and a structured approach, it is possible to quiet the noise, regain control, and move through your life with more confidence and calm.
Restartt helps you challenge the beliefs that fuel your anxiety and build practical skills you can use in real time—not just in sessions.
You deserve clarity. You deserve peace. You deserve to feel like yourself again.
Reach out today to take the first step toward lasting relief.
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
