Anxiety Therapy
Conditions
Generalized
Anxiety Disorder
It’s normal to feel anxious when faced with new or challenging situations. For some people, at any age from 12 on, anxiety becomes overwhelming. It can cause physical and emotional symptoms that interfere with everyday life, making it hard to focus on school, work, parenting, and relationships. At Dayrise Wellness, understanding the causes and treatments of anxiety is a vital step in helping teens, young adults, and adults manage their mental health.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural emotional response that everyone experiences from time to time. It shows up as unease, worry, or fear triggered by many kinds of circumstances. For many people, the intensity becomes debilitating. At Dayrise Wellness, we see anxiety affect daily functioning at every stage of life, from the early teen years through adulthood.
Anxiety looks different at different ages. Teens and young adults often feel it around school, friendships, identity, and what comes next. Adults often feel it around work, money, family, health, and the weight of responsibility. Both can feel just as heavy, and both respond to treatment.
Signs of Anxiety
- Racing heart rate
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating or trembling
- Restlessness or feeling on-edge
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble sleeping
- Muscle tension
- Upset stomach or nausea
- Avoidance of certain situations, people, or activities that may trigger anxiety.
Causes of Anxiety
Anxiety rarely has a single cause. Family history, temperament, past experiences, and current pressures all play a part, and the mix looks different from one stage of life to the next.
Causes of anxiety in teens and young adults
Adolescence and early adulthood are transformative periods filled with opportunities, growth, and challenges. Many pressures contribute to anxiety at this stage, including academic expectations, social interactions, and transitions related to personal growth. Some of the most common are:
Academic Pressure: Teens and young adults often face immense academic pressure, striving to meet high expectations from schools, parents, and peers. The stress of exams, grades, college applications, and the pursuit of future goals can contribute to anxiety.
Social Expectations: The desire to fit in, form meaningful connections, and establish a sense of identity can be sources of anxiety for many young people. Navigating social situations, peer relationships, and the fear of judgment or rejection can intensify these feelings.
Transitions and Change: Adolescence and early adulthood are marked by significant transitions, such as moving to a new school or college, starting a job, or leaving the comfort of home. These changes can disrupt familiar routines and create uncertainty, leading to anxiety.
Performance Anxiety: Whether it’s in sports, creative pursuits, or public speaking, the fear of failure or judgment can trigger performance anxiety in teens and young adults. The pressure to excel or meet perceived expectations can contribute to heightened stress and anxiety.
Technology and Social Media: The ever-present influence of technology and social media can both connect and isolate teens and young adults. The constant comparison, cyberbullying, and the fear of missing out can exacerbate anxiety and impact mental well-being.
Family Dynamics: Family dynamics and relationships play a significant role in the development of anxiety. Factors such as high parental expectations, family conflicts, or a history of anxiety disorders within the family can contribute to anxiety symptoms in teens and young adults.
Causes of anxiety in adults
Adults carry a different set of pressures. The most common are:
Work and Career Strain: Long hours, job insecurity, high expectations, and trouble switching off keep the nervous system on alert. Many high-functioning adults look fine from the outside while feeling exhausted and on edge.
Money and Financial Stress: Debt, housing costs, and uncertainty about the future can create a steady background worry that is hard to quiet.
Caregiving and Family Responsibility: Raising children, supporting aging parents, or managing a household often leaves little room to rest, and the mental load can build over years.
Relationship Strain: Conflict, separation, divorce, or loneliness can all trigger or deepen anxiety.
Major Life Changes: Job loss, a move, becoming a parent, a new diagnosis, or the loss of someone close can bring on anxiety, even when the change was wanted.
Health and Hormonal Changes: Chronic illness, pain, and hormonal shifts such as those after childbirth or during perimenopause can bring on or intensify anxiety. Worry about health can also feed the cycle.
Past Experiences and Family History: Unresolved trauma, a difficult childhood, or a family history of anxiety can leave the nervous system quick to react, even in a stable adult life.
Types of Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety disorders encompass a range of conditions characterized by excessive and persistent worry, fear, and apprehension. Understanding the various types of anxiety disorders can help individuals and their loved ones recognize the specific symptoms and seek appropriate support.
General Anxiety Disorder or GAD
Generalized Anxiety Disorder is marked by chronic and excessive worry about various aspects of life, such as work, school, relationships, health, and everyday situations. People with GAD often experience physical symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, muscle tension, fatigue, and nausea.
Social Anxiety Disorder or SAD
Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by excessive fear of social situations and interactions, leading to avoidance. People with SAD may experience feelings of intense self-consciousness, worry about being judged or embarrassed, and difficulty connecting with others.
Panic Disorder
Panic Disorder is characterized by recurring panic attacks, sudden episodes of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by physical symptoms like chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and a sense of impending doom. Panic attacks can occur unexpectedly or in specific situations, leading to an increased fear of future attacks.
Specific Phobias
Specific Phobias are intense and irrational fears of specific objects, activities, or situations. Common phobias include fear of public speaking, heights, animals, or enclosed spaces. Symptoms may include sweating, trembling, heart palpitations, and a desire to flee from the feared object or situation.
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Separation Anxiety Disorder is characterized by excessive worry and distress when separated from loved ones or familiar environments. People with Separation Anxiety Disorder may experience physical symptoms like nausea, headaches, and difficulty breathing, as well as persistent fears of losing or forgetting important people in their lives.
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is characterized by a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or embarrassing, leading to avoidance of activities and situations. People with agoraphobia may be afraid of crowds, being in public places, or being outside their comfort zone.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
While Obsessive-Compulive Disorder or OCD is primarily considered a separate disorder, it often involves significant anxiety. OCD is characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) performed to alleviate anxiety. Common signs of OCD include excessive washing or cleaning, checking behaviors, and intrusive thoughts.
Anxiety Treatments
If left untreated, anxiety can lead to serious health problems. Fortunately, Dayrise Wellness offers effective treatment options, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for anxiety. This therapy enables us to change negative thought patterns and learn to identify and manage triggers. We also provide mindfulness techniques and holistic approaches that address mental, emotional, and physical well-being, which helps to reduce anxiety symptoms and improve our coping skills.
In sum, by fostering an understanding of anxiety within ourselves and seeking appropriate treatment, we can take significant steps towards managing our mental health effectively at Dayrise Wellness.
Therapy:
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is a widely recognized and effective therapy for anxiety disorders. It focuses on changing negative thought patterns, learning to identify and manage triggers of anxiety, facing fears, and improving coping skills.
Exposure Therapy: Exposure therapy is a specific form of CBT that involves controlled and gradual exposure to anxiety-inducing situations or triggers. This type of therapy helps individuals confront their fears and learn to manage anxiety in a safe environment.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): DBT is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on acceptance and change, helping individuals become aware of challenging emotions and learn to manage them in healthy ways.
Learn about more of our therapy services offered here
Medication:
In some cases, medication may be prescribed to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety disorders. Medication is typically prescribed by a psychiatrist or other medical professional, and may include benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, and atypical antidepressants. It is important to speak with your doctor or therapist about which medication(s) may be most effective in helping to reduce symptoms of anxiety.
Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques:
Mindfulness-based therapies have been found to help people of all ages manage anxiety. Mindfulness teaches us to observe our thoughts and feelings without judgment. With practice, mindfulness can help us develop more control over our reactions and emotions, as well as feel calmer during times of stress.
Check out some of our free resources here
Lifestyle Modifications:
Healthy life choices are paramount in managing anxiety. Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, engaging in regular physical activity, and limiting electronic media usage can all play a role in reducing anxiety symptoms. If anxiety issues persist, think about your daily habits and make modifications that create a sense of balance in your life.
Holistic Approach:
Dayrise Wellness takes a holistic approach to anxiety treatment, recognizing the importance of addressing all aspects of an individual’s well-being. Making sure to incorporate physical, mental, emotional and spiritual components into therapy helps to reduce anxiety symptoms and develop positive coping skills.
Clinically reviewed by Jami Aitken, LCSW, Director of Clinical Services. Last reviewed September 28, 2026.
What to Expect in Anxiety Therapy
Anxiety looks different depending on where you are in life. For teens, it can show up as school avoidance or a sudden need for reassurance. For emerging adults, it often centers on career pressure, relationships, or the quiet dread of what comes next. For high-functioning adults, anxiety can hide behind overwork and constant busyness, the kind that gets mistaken for ambition until it becomes exhausting. Whatever stage you’re in, anxiety therapy at Dayrise starts the same way: understanding your specific patterns, not applying a one-size-fits-all plan.
Your first session is a conversation, not an evaluation. We’ll talk through what you’ve been noticing, how long it has been building, and what a good outcome would actually look like for you. From there, most people work with a combination of approaches, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, exposure work, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, built around between-session practice, since that is where most real change happens.
Jami Aitken, LCSW and Director of Clinical Services at Dayrise, puts it this way: therapy for anxiety isn’t about turning dark thoughts into rainbows and butterflies. It’s about making incremental, realistic shifts, finding the middle ground where the truth usually lives.
If you are in Lombard or Naperville, IL, our Lombard anxiety therapists and Naperville anxiety therapists are here to help, in person or online across Illinois.
The DayRise Path and Team’s Journey
The DayRise Path
Most people start therapy assuming one of two things: that they will be doing this forever, or that a few sessions should fix everything. Neither is accurate, and neither helps. The DayRise Path is how we make the actual process visible, so you always know where you stand: which skills you are learning, which ones you are actively practicing, and where you are already seeing them work.
Therapy is not a light switch. Progress with generalized anxiety disorder tends to be gradual, not a single before-and-after moment, and having a clear stage to point to (learning a skill, instituting it, seeing it succeed) is what keeps that gradual progress from feeling invisible.
The Team’s Journey
One hour a week with a therapist rarely changes things on its own, so we treat what happens outside that room as part of the plan, not separate from it. Depending on what a client needs, that can mean coordinating with medication management, neuropsych testing, nutrition education, exercise, school accommodations or an IEP, or, when anxiety is severe enough, a higher level of care.
We reassess this at every stage of the DayRise Path: is there something outside this room that would help right now? The goal is making sure you have as much support as possible for the work you are doing, not just an hour of it.
Anxiety Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between anxiety and stress?
Anxiety and stress are both normal responses to challenging situations, but they differ in terms of intensity, duration, and symptoms. Stress is usually short-term and can be a response to everyday life events or demands. Anxiety is usually more intense than stress, lasts longer, and has specific physical symptoms that may include heart palpitations or difficulty breathing.
Can anxiety make it feel like I'm having physical symptoms?
Yes, anxiety can cause physical symptoms such as headache, nausea, stomachache, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. It is important to speak with your doctor or therapist if you are experiencing persistent physical symptoms in order to determine the best treatment plan for you.
Where can I find more resources on anxiety?
Are panic attacks caused by anxiety?
Yes, panic attacks are a common symptom of anxiety disorder. They are intense episodes of fear or discomfort that often include physical symptoms such as chest pain, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath. Panic attacks can happen unexpectedly or in certain situations and can lead to further anxiety about future attacks happening.
Does anxiety last forever?
No, it is possible to manage and reduce the symptoms of anxiety. Treatment plans may include various therapies, lifestyle modifications, medication, and relaxation techniques to help individuals cope with anxiety in a healthy manner. With the right combination of tools and support, it is possible to reduce or eliminate anxiety symptoms over time.
Is anxiety therapy only for teens and young adults?
No. Dayrise treats anxiety in people ages 12 and older, including teens, young adults, and adults. Your therapist shapes sessions around your age, goals, and daily life, whether that means school, work, parenting, or all three.