Phew, anxiety, quite a loaded word. Beyond being a topic of much study and interest in the field of mental healthcare, it has become a trending topic in the pop culture zeitgeist. While lots of the messaging around anxiety is very unserious, anxiety is a serious emotional and neurological response that can become a chronic condition. Awareness of what anxiety is and how to treat it is the key to healing and recovery.
When stress and overwhelming sensations of worry, fear or dread combine their respective chemicals in the amygdala (your brain’s fear database): voila, anxiety. Basically, this is your body’s naturally-occurring alarm system – and our ancient forbearers put these feelings to good use!
Anxiety was our ancestor’s key to survival, it created the feeling of anticipation of danger and therefore sent signals to the brain to run for cover, get into a protective stance, or hide. While it is still useful to experience the feeling of anxiety from time to time in appropriate circumstances, when this feeling becomes a chronic occurrence in situations when one is objectively not under immediate threat, anxiety can become a mental health diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Well, *gestures broadly*, sometimes it can feel like the world is a hot mess. We can use rational assessment and empathy to understand that there is a lot going on at once for a large swath of the world’s population at the moment, and anxiety is a completely natural response to feeling overwhelmed, scared, or overstimulated.
For neurodivergent folks, such as those with ADHD and/or adult diagnosed autism, anxiety can also manifest in a myriad of ways. Many autistic and ADHD individuals spend years trying to hide traits to fit social expectations. This is called camouflaging or masking, and can create feelings of exhaustion, hypervigilance and judgement. Sensory overload caused by bright lights, noise, crowds, or textures can bring about a heightened sense of alertness. Some of these feelings can be co-occurring and be the cause of anxiety, which makes the experience of anxiety for neurodivergent folks extra tricky.
It is deeply human to be deeply affected by the inner and external world. Anxiety is a mélange of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. Circumstances that would lead someone to develop chronic anxiety include life experiences and trauma, genetics and family history, stress build up, medical conditions, and/or environmental or social factors.
It can help to quantify these feelings as a chemical response occurring within your brain (hello amygdala friend), which in turn creates all of these fun sensations in your mind and body. Using mindfulness, we can understand that all of this energy in the body can have a physiological effect on how we function in the world.
Anxiety can sneak up on someone gradually over time, little by little becoming more and more potent. Most people don’t even know they have anxiety until it begins to affect their daily lives in a negative way. Someone who loves to be out and about running errands, may gradually or even suddenly find they don’t want to get out of their car when they arrive at a destination – their heartbeat beat may increase, and a sense of impending danger might come upon them.
Here are some other examples of how anxiety manifests for folks:
A tight chest, clenched jaw, stomach knots, or feeling “on edge” even without a clear reason.
Worry that keeps circling back, jumping from one concern to another, or feeling unable to “shut off” your mind.
A sense of being keyed‑up, easily startled, or unable to relax.
Feeling mentally foggy or distracted because your mind is busy scanning for problems.
Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up already tense.
Not always about something specific — more like a background hum of “something’s wrong.”
It is very common to experience chronic or ongoing anxiety. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety is the most common mental health condition in the United States, collectively affecting 19.1% of adults. About 1 in 5 adults report experiencing anxiety symptoms, with women experiencing higher rates of anxiety than men – and trans and nonbinary folks experiencing even worse rates of anxiety overall. The commonality of anxiety and its increase at large speak to larger societal factors pressing into the general mental health of the population.
For example:
Approximately 50% of neurodivergent children have a co‑occurring mental health condition such as anxiety or a mood disorder
About 90% of autistic people experience sensory processing differences, and 85% report that sensory overload affects daily activities
→ Higher rates of anxiety symptoms than urban areas.
→ Experienced increases in anxiety symptoms from 2019 to 2022.
→ Highest rates of anxiety symptoms.
→ Lower rates of anxiety but still saw increases from 2019 to 2022.
Adults ages 18–29 had the highest levels of mild, moderate, and severe anxiety symptoms compared to older age groups
Among adults with an anxiety disorder:
Despite how intimidating this may all sound, there is plenty of encouraging news about addressing anxiety.
Yes! The good news is: you’re not alone! And, we’re here for you!
Anxiety treatment is typically highly effective, and KDH Counseling is here to assist you in navigating the best plan of action for relieving your symptoms. Traditional talk therapy alone has proven to be effective for many people, while modalities that also address trauma such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), deep brain reorienting (DBR), and brainspotting can really amp up positive and long-lasting results. Some folks might even opt in to trying medication prescription and management, which can yield extraordinary results for balancing out the brain chemistry and bringing relief.
Some strategies many people find grounding for anxiety relief could be as simple as:
Regular sleep, movement, and meals can help calm the nervous system.
Breathing exercises, mindfulness, or gentle movement can help reduce physical tension.
Breaking tasks into smaller steps, setting boundaries, or simplifying commitments can ease pressure.
Talking with trusted people can help reduce the sense of carrying everything alone.
Noticing what tends to set off anxiety can help people respond more intentionally.
Lowering physiological arousal and reducing overwhelm before it becomes full‑blown anxiety.
Rhythmic, predictable movement is deeply regulating for many neurodivergent people.
See? You have options available to you for relieving symptoms of anxiety! Whether you decide to start small with simple adjustments in your lifestyle and personal mindfulness, or if you realize you need a more intensive, structured protocol for tackling the anxiety monster you’re wrestling with, just know that this is a personal journey and it will look different for every single person.
We are KDH Counseling, located in Lafayette, Louisiana. Here, we offer a warm, professional, and deeply supportive environment for individuals seeking meaningful relief from anxiety and related mental health challenges. Our team of licensed therapists provide a comprehensive range of services including therapy, medication management, and psychological evaluations to children, teens, and adults.
What sets KDH Counseling apart is our commitment to compassionate, evidence‑based care. Our clinicians specialize in proven therapeutic approaches such as some of those we mentioned above: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and in addition, exposure and response prevention (ERP), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Our clinicians sprinkle in strengths‑based work, and mindfulness‑based techniques, all of which are well‑established methods for reducing anxiety and helping clients regain a sense of calm and control.
Whether someone is struggling with generalized anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive thinking, perfectionism, trauma‑related anxiety, or the emotional overwhelm that comes with ADHD or autism, our team brings a high level of expertise and compassion to every session. We are known for creating a therapeutic space that feels safe, welcoming, and affirming. Our clinicians emphasize authenticity, emotional exploration, and skill‑building, helping clients understand their inner world while developing practical tools to navigate daily stressors more effectively. And, for those who may benefit from medication, KDH offers psychiatric evaluations and ongoing medication management, ensuring that clients receive coordinated, holistic care that supports both emotional and physiological well‑being.
Our practice is staffed by a diverse team of therapists, each with unique specialties, who work collaboratively to tailor treatment to each person’s needs. Clients describe our therapists as empathetic, dedicated, and deeply invested in helping folks move toward healthier, more fulfilling lives.
Our mission is not just to help clients feel better in the moment, but to empower them with the insight, and confidence needed to thrive long‑term in their own way. For folks around Lafayette looking for a place where they can be heard, supported, and guided by skilled professionals who truly care, KDH Counseling offers a path forward, one grounded in expertise, compassion, and a genuine commitment to helping people live more balanced, grounded, and emotionally healthy lives.
Whatever path is right for you, we’re there for you, every step of the way.
Resources / Resource Material:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9536-anxiety-disorders
https://www.verywellmind.com/chronic-anxiety-symptoms-causes-and-treatment-5272111
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr213.pdf
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder https://worldmetrics.org/neurodivergent-statistics/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11961925/
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/anxiety-disorders
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2810866