Is it normal to feel good so fast when recovering from anxiety disorder?

Video Transcript

I’ve been struggling with anxiety disorder and many symptoms for several months. After joining your Recovery Support area and learning about anxiety, I’m feeling very relieved. I also noticed many of my symptoms have already subsided. My question is, is it normal to feel good so fast when recovering from anxiety disorder?

Yes, some people can see initial symptom relief when they learn about the cause and treatment of anxiety disorder and its symptoms.

That’s because being anxious about anxiety and its symptoms keeps the body in survival mode – the fight or flight response, otherwise known as the stress response.

And the stress response causes many body-wide changes that prepare the body for immediate emergency action. Those changes can cause symptoms.

So, anxiety symptoms are symptoms of stress. They are called anxiety symptoms because overly anxious behavior is the main source of stress that keeps the body stressed and symptomatic.

Therefore, continually being anxious about your anxiety and how you feel can keep the body stressed and symptomatic.

However, discovering the truth about anxiety disorder and its symptoms, and knowing you can get rid of them, can be reassuring. That reassurance can reduce anxiety, which in turn reduces stress. And a reduction in stress can cause a reduction in symptoms.

So, again, yes, some people can see substantial initial relief when they learn about the true cause and treatment of anxiety disorder and its symptoms.

That said, just because many of your symptoms have subsided, that doesn’t mean there isn’t recovery work left to do. You still want to focus on stress reduction to eliminate any lingering symptoms and work on Level Two recovery so that anxiety doesn’t cause any more problems with stress and symptoms.

Working with an experienced anxiety disorder therapist is the most effective way to overcome anxiety disorder once and for all because therapy addresses both levels of recovery.

For more information:

• Two Levels Of Recovery
• Can Everyone Recover From Anxiety Disorder?
• Why Do You Recommend Therapy?