Alexandria McKenzie, Massage Therapist
100 Bridge Street Suite B1, Hampton, VA 23669
757-598-3387
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Massage for Anxiety
What is it?
According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes such as increased blood pressure.
Anxiety can present itself in different ways. People can experience Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Phobia-related disorders.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder display excessive worry most days for at least 6 months. they may:
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Feeling restless, wound-up, or on-edge
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Being easily fatigued
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Having difficulty concentrating; mind going blank
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Being irritable
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Having muscle tension
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Difficulty controlling feelings of worry
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Having sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, restlessness, or unsatisfying sleep
People with Panic disorder have recurrent unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear that come on quickly and reach their peak within minutes. During a panic attack, people can experience:
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Heart palpitations, a pounding heartbeat, or an accelerated heartrate
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Sweating
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Trembling or shaking
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Sensations of shortness of breath, smothering, or choking
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Feelings of impending doom
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Feelings of being out of control
Some examples of phobia related disorders are specific phobias, social anxiety, agoraphobia, and separation anxiety disorder.
Anxiety Disorders
are the most common mental illness
40
Anxiety affects 40 million adults age 18 or older
36.9%
Only 36.9% of people suffering receive treatment
One-third
One-third of affected adults experience symptoms in childhood
Anxiety
Massage can be a great complementary treatment
In one study, massage had a significant improvement on doctor and self-reports of anxiety.
Massage has been shown to help symptoms of anxiety by reducing symptoms such as:
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Reducing symptoms of worry
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Decreased anxiety levels
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Increased relaxation
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Decreased irritability
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Decreased sleep disturbances
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Decreased Fatigue
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Having less muscle tension
References & Studies:
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Massage Therapy Research Review - PMC (nih.gov)
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Effectiveness of Therapeutic Massage for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial - PMC (nih.gov)
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Massage Therapy for Psychiatric Disorders - PMC (nih.gov)
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Sensations of shortness of breath, smothering, or choking
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Feelings of impending doom
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Feelings of being out of control