Struggling with ongoing anxiety? Here are four signs it might be time to talk to a therapist, and why you don’t need to wait for a crisis to seek support.
Anxiety isn’t supposed to be a permanent fixture in your life. But when it’s been around for years, it can start to feel like part of your personality — always present, quietly humming in the background. You might even catch yourself thinking, “This is just how I am now.”
It’s easy to downplay your experience or assume that therapy is only for moments of absolute crisis. But the truth is, you don’t need to hit rock bottom to reach out for support. Therapy can be just as valuable when you’re trying to make sense of a long-standing feeling of unease — that low-level, persistent tension that never quite lets you relax.
So how do you know when it’s time to talk to someone? Here are a few signs that suggest your anxiety may need more attention than you’ve been giving it.
If anxiety is making it harder to go about your normal routine — whether that’s getting through a workday, socialising, running errands, or simply unwinding in the evening — that’s a sign it’s worth exploring.
Maybe you’ve noticed that small tasks feel overwhelming, or that you’re avoiding things that used to come easily. This kind of interference doesn’t have to be dramatic to be significant. When anxiety begins to chip away at your capacity to live the life you want, it’s time to consider what support might look like.
Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. It’s a natural response to stress or uncertainty. But when it lingers for months, or even years, and doesn’t seem to let up — that’s different.
Persistent anxiety can show up as constant worry, a sense of impending doom, physical symptoms like tension or insomnia, or difficulty concentrating. If these feelings have become a background noise in your life — always present, always draining — therapy can help you understand what’s going on beneath the surface and find more sustainable ways to manage it.
Perhaps you’ve already tried everything that’s usually recommended — meditation apps, breathing techniques, journaling, walks in nature. These tools can be incredibly helpful, but they often only go so far, especially when anxiety is rooted in deeper emotional patterns or unresolved experiences.
If you’re doing all the “right” things and still feel stuck, that’s not a failure on your part — it’s a sign that you might need a more personalised, supportive approach.
Anxiety can lead us to avoid the people, places, and situations that make us uncomfortable. While this might offer short-term relief, over time it can shrink your world and increase your sense of isolation.
You might notice you’re saying no to social events, putting off emails, or steering clear of environments that feel unpredictable or demanding. Therapy can help you break this cycle and begin to feel more capable and confident in facing challenges.
Anxiety can be exhausting. It can cloud your judgement, sap your energy, and make everyday life feel heavier than it needs to be. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.
If you’re feeling worn out by anxiety and wondering whether things could be different — they can. Therapy offers a space to explore what you’re feeling without judgement, and to begin finding your way back to ease, clarity, and self-trust.