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What Anxiety Feels Like (and How Therapy Can Help)

Anxiety is a natural response to stress, but it can feel overwhelming when it becomes frequent, intense, or difficult to control. Many people describe anxiety as constant worry, racing thoughts, or a feeling of being “on edge” even when nothing is wrong.

 We want you to know that you are not alone. Support is available, and we are here to help you through every step of your journey. In fact, anxiety is one of the most common reasons people seek therapy. 

Signs and symptoms of Anxiety

Anxiety presents itself in many ways. A few examples of symptoms of anxiety include:

  • A “butterflies” feeling in the stomach 
  • Racing or pounding heartbeat 
  • Nausea 
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty catching your breath 
  • Chest tightness or discomfort 
  • Feeling lightheaded or hyperventilating 
  • Digestive changes, such as urgent urination or diarrhea 
  • Sweaty palms
  • Cold sweats and/or chills
  • Hot flashes


These are also the common symptoms of the fight/flight/faint/freeze response. This happens when a huge amount of adrenaline is pumped into your body, allowing you to deal with the event in front of you.

When you feel anxious, you also may present with:

When you are feeling anxious, it can affect not only your thoughts and emotions, but also your behavior, sleep, and ability to feel present in the moment.

Behavioral and physical signs of anxiety

Anxiety may show up through restlessness or physical habits such as muscle tension, nail biting, skin picking, fidgeting, or difficulty sitting still. Some people notice changes in their voice, such as trembling, speaking quickly, or feeling like their words get “stuck.” Nervous laughter or giggling can also occur as a response to stress.

Heightened alertness and feeling “on edge”

Anxiety can activate a heightened state of alertness, where you may feel easily startled, overly aware of your surroundings, or as though you are constantly scanning for potential threats. This is part of the body’s natural stress response, but it can feel exhausting when it is ongoing.

Sleep and concentration difficulties

It is also common that individuals who struggle with anxiety experience difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep due to a racing mind. Anxiety can also affect concentration, making it harder to focus, stay organized, or complete tasks.

Emotional and thought patterns

Anxiety can cause significant shifts in how you feel throughout the day. You may move between feeling calm, tense, fearful, or overwhelmed. It is also common to experience persistent worry, overthinking, or rumination; often imagining worst-case scenarios or feeling a strong need to prepare for or avoid certain situations.

At times, anxiety may feel overwhelming or confusing, as if your thoughts are moving faster than you can manage.

Avoidance and fear of anxiety itself

When anxiety feels intense, it can lead to avoiding certain people, places, or situations. Some people also begin to worry about experiencing anxiety itself, which can increase stress and make symptoms feel more frequent.

Causes of Anxiety

Anxiety is connected to the body’s natural survival system and can be triggered by overthinking, emotional stress, life challenges, or physical sensations that are perceived as danger. For many people, anxiety develops from a combination of internal and external stressors that build over time. 

How we treat Anxiety

At Tampa Therapy and Wellness, we often use an integrative approach to treat anxiety. We use techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), psychotherapy, Mindfulness, ACT, EFT, and other types of therapy. 

Typical outcomes of Anxiety treatment

After completing treatment, patients can expect to recover 90 to 95% from anxiety, returning to an optimal level of well-being. Since anxiety is connected to the body’s flight/fight/freeze/faint system, once it is activated, it cannot return to a base level of zero. However, it can return a healthy level of functioning that should not interfere with your overall well-being.

Typical outcomes of Anxiety treatment

With effective anxiety treatment, many people experience significant relief from their symptoms and an improvement in their overall well-being. The goal of therapy is not to eliminate anxiety completely, as anxiety is a normal and necessary part of being human. Instead, therapy helps you manage anxiety in a healthy way so it no longer interferes with your daily life, relationships, work, or sense of peace.

If you are struggling with anxiety, seeking support from a therapist can be an important first step. While starting therapy may feel uncomfortable or even anxiety-provoking, our therapists strive to create a safe and supportive environment where you feel understood and accepted. Together, you can identify the underlying causes of anxiety, develop effective coping skills, and build practical tools to help you feel more confident, grounded, and in control.

FAQ about Anxiety

How long will this treatment for anxiety last?

Anxiety is a spectrum, and everyone experiences it in different ways. The duration of treatment depends on the type and intensity of anxiety experienced. It is usually resolved within a couple of months.

Can my anxiety come back?

Yes. Life happens. Situations may occur that will trigger anxiety. Understanding where the anxiety is coming from and how it has been triggered will help you work through it. You will also be able to use the skills and techniques learned in therapy to help calm your anxiety if triggered.

Do I have to take medication for Anxiety?

Depending on the cases, we might recommend patients to see a psychiatrist and start on medication for situational anxiety – not as a treatment per se. Research says that the best treatment for anxiety is psychotherapy alone. Anxiety can also be treated without medication.

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