If you’re struggling with an anxiety disorder or recurring anxiety symptoms, there’s some good news: medication like antidepressants, antiepileptics, or benzodiazepines isn’t always necessary, and you don’t need to spend years in therapy to live free from panic attacks. With the method I’ll introduce at the end of this article, thousands of people have already learned to overcome anxiety and panic on their own. But first, let’s explore the key signs and symptoms of anxiety disorders to help determine whether your anxiety might be within a normal range or if it has progressed into a more serious condition.
Overview of Topics:
The Most Common Types of Anxiety Disorders
Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. Fear helps protect us, whether it’s seeking shelter during a thunderstorm, staying away from dangerous animals, or exercising caution while crossing the street. This natural reaction guides us safely through potentially risky situations without us even noticing.
However, some people experience intense anxiety that interferes with everyday life. When fear becomes overwhelming and dominates daily routines, it may indicate an anxiety disorder. According to studies, anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health issues, affecting millions of people each year. These disorders can become chronic if left untreated, often manifesting in different forms, such as:
- Panic Disorder with or without Agoraphobia (Fear of open spaces)
- Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Hypochondria
- Emetophobia (Fear of vomiting)
- Specific Phobias (irrational fears of certain situations, objects, or people)
In Panic Disorder, individuals experience intense anxiety attacks with no obvious cause. The symptoms can be overwhelming, including shortness of breath, dizziness, heart palpitations, sweating, numbness, feelings of detachment, and a fear of losing control or fainting. When panic attacks recur, people often develop a “fear of fear,” leaving them constantly on edge, awaiting the next attack. Thanks to advancements in brain research, specialized online therapies are now available that can quickly stop panic attacks without medication.
Those with Social Anxiety Disorder experience intense fear in social situations. They worry excessively about being judged or seen as inferior by others. For most people, giving a presentation might bring some nerves or physical symptoms like a racing heart or dry mouth. But for individuals with social anxiety disorder, the mere thought of speaking in front of others can lead to overwhelming fear. Common symptoms include rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, dizziness, sweating, and an urge to escape the situation. Afterward, a lingering fear of criticism or rejection often remains. Fortunately, newer therapy options can significantly improve symptoms and quality of life in a relatively short time.
People with Agoraphobia, often described as a fear of open or crowded spaces, may avoid places like theaters, where they worry about experiencing a panic attack with no easy way to leave. This fear can produce symptoms similar to those seen in panic disorder, including intense physical symptoms and a fear of losing control. Agoraphobia can sometimes occur with or without panic attacks, depending on the severity.
In Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), symptoms are similar to those of agoraphobia but extend to a broad range of daily situations, such as using public transportation. People with GAD worry so intensely and frequently that anxiety infiltrates nearly every aspect of life. This pervasive fear and the frequent anxiety attacks make daily functioning extremely difficult, leaving individuals in a constant state of tension and irritability.
Hypochondria and Specific Phobias
Hypochondria, also known as health anxiety, involves an overwhelming fear of illness. People with hypochondria are highly vigilant about their bodily sensations, constantly wondering if they might have a serious disease. Although hypochondria is challenging, few people realize that it can be effectively treated with the right approach. Common symptoms of hypochondria include:
- Constantly monitoring bodily sensations for signs of illness
- Persistent thoughts about health and potential diseases
- Frequent visits to doctors and a deep distrust of medical diagnoses
Emetophobia – an intense, irrational fear of vomiting – affects a significant number of people, with women being more commonly affected than men. Emetophobia symptoms can severely impact daily life and may include:
- Extreme fear of vomiting
- Intense fear of feeling nauseous, due to the possibility it might lead to vomiting
- Avoiding conversations, media, or social settings that mention illness or vomiting
- Fear of germs and overly strict hygiene routines to avoid possible infections
- Carrying anti-nausea medications as a precaution
When it comes to specific phobias, the list of potential triggers is extensive. People may experience debilitating anxiety around situations or objects that seem harmless to others – spiders, dogs, dentist visits, flowers, buttons, holes, snow, or even more unusual fears like being watched by ducks (a condition humorously known as anatidaephobia).
For example, take acrophobia (fear of heights). While many people enjoy scenic views or hiking in the mountains, a person with acrophobia would experience intense anxiety in these situations. Even walking along a secure trail or looking down into a valley can feel life-threatening and may trigger overwhelming symptoms of anxiety, including a heightened fear of death.
What Causes Phobias and Anxiety Disorders?
This brings up an important question: what causes these phobias and anxiety disorders? How do seemingly harmless situations provoke such extreme distress? Are specific triggers – like heights, germs, or enclosed spaces – truly the cause, or is it more about how the brain processes certain sensory inputs?
For decades, a widely accepted explanation has attributed anxiety disorders and phobias to a chemical imbalance in the brain. However, this theory has come under increasing scrutiny.
The Myth of Chemical Imbalance in the Brain
For around 60 years, the pharmaceutical industry has promoted a “chemical imbalance” theory, which has been embraced by many in the medical community as well as patients. This theory suggests that anxiety disorders and depression are caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine. Consequently, medications – primarily selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) – are prescribed to “correct” this imbalance.
Given that millions of people worldwide experience anxiety and depression, these medications are among the most commonly prescribed drugs globally, generating billions of dollars in annual revenue. Pharmaceutical companies have a strong incentive to continue promoting this theory, ensuring that antidepressant prescriptions increase each year.
But if these medications were truly effective at addressing the root cause of anxiety and depression, we would expect to see a decrease in the number of people suffering from these conditions. Unfortunately, the opposite is true: each year, more people are diagnosed with anxiety and depression, and they often remain symptomatic for extended periods.
Even the American Medical Association has cautioned healthcare providers against overestimating the effectiveness of antidepressants in treating anxiety disorders. This gap between expectation and reality has led many to question the validity of the chemical imbalance theory.
Anxiety Disorders Are Not Caused by a Chemical Imbalance in the Brain
The theory of a “chemical imbalance” in the brain as a cause for anxiety disorders is, after all, just that—a theory. More than 60 years since it was introduced, it has yet to be proven, and current research increasingly suggests that it may never be confirmed because it is simply incorrect. The fact that more and more medications continue to be prescribed based on this flawed theory is, in my opinion, a serious issue. Not only because these medications can lead to significant side effects, but also because many of them—contrary to the claims of pharmaceutical companies—have a high potential for addiction, and stopping them often leads to severe withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, any drug treatment for anxiety disorders aiming to restore a supposed “chemical balance” in the brain should be critically re-evaluated.
This reality is widely known among well-trained psychotherapists. For example, a publication in the American Journal of Psychiatry has addressed this issue. However, in the United States, any licensed doctor can prescribe antidepressants, regardless of their specialty. Since many physicians still trust the exaggerated promises of pharmaceutical companies, despite scientific evidence to the contrary, it may take years before antidepressants are prescribed only in cases where they are truly beneficial—specifically, in instances of severe or extreme depression.
The myth of a chemical imbalance in the brain isn’t the only outdated theory that persists. Another common belief is that traumatic experiences in childhood or adolescence are the primary drivers behind the development of anxiety disorders later in life. But what does current research say about this assumption?
Can Traumatic Experiences Trigger Anxiety Disorders?
A particularly persistent belief, both among anxiety patients and some therapists, is that anxiety disorders in adulthood are often rooted in unresolved trauma from childhood. Many patients I see are convinced that their anxiety is largely due to a dramatic experience in their early years. This conviction is typically strengthened after spending considerable time with previous therapists who focused on this idea.
When I ask, with a degree of skepticism, why they’re seeking help from me if they already know what went wrong in their childhood, I’m frequently met with surprised looks. This highlights an important point: simply identifying a supposed childhood trauma rarely helps people break free from the cycle of anxiety. In fact, delving deeply into childhood memories, as is common in psychodynamic therapy, can sometimes even be harmful—in two main ways.
First, there’s a risk of re-traumatization. Revisiting a trauma that was previously resolved can reopen old wounds, causing issues that weren’t present before. Additionally, patients may even start to “remember” events that never actually happened, influenced by the probing of a therapist. This phenomenon is more common than one might think; several studies in recent years have demonstrated just how unreliable and easily influenced human memory can be.
Even when patients have genuinely experienced traumatic events, I typically find that they were able to live their lives for decades without issue before the anxiety disorder emerged. Although they could recall that their past wasn’t always pleasant, those memories didn’t immediately plunge them into emotional distress. So why should an old memory suddenly cause problems now when it didn’t before? The reason is simple: our subconscious mind has one main job—to protect us.
There Is No Necessary Link Between Traumatic Experiences and Anxiety Disorders
Our subconscious mind stores traumatic experiences in a way that minimizes their potential harm. It functions much like a computer’s antivirus software, constantly scanning incoming information to assess whether it’s helpful or harmful. When it detects a “virus” (in this case, a traumatic memory) that it can’t simply erase, it puts it in quarantine. Over time, the brain gradually processes the traumatic memory, allowing us to recall the event without experiencing the same intense emotional reaction. Eventually, the memory becomes less burdensome.
However, as with antivirus software, one critical mistake can disrupt this process: taking the “virus” out of quarantine to examine it in detail. Yet this is exactly what some therapists do when they spend countless hours in therapy sessions exploring past traumas with their clients.
In reality, anxiety disorders in adulthood are rarely caused by childhood trauma. The overemphasis on trauma as a root cause of anxiety can lead therapy in the wrong direction, as evidenced by a 2013 study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress. This study found that around 90% of Americans experience a significant life event that could potentially lead to trauma, yet only about 8% actually develop post-traumatic stress.
For years, research focused primarily on why these 8% developed trauma, but the more important question should have been: What did the remaining 82% do differently to prevent the traumatic event from causing lasting harm? The answer is simple: most of them either didn’t talk about the event at all or discussed it only briefly before resuming their everyday lives as quickly as possible.
In fact, extensive processing of traumatic experiences can often cause additional suffering. The longer a traumatic event lies in the past, the greater the risk of generating false memories when reexamining it. This doesn’t just burden the individual with anxiety, but can also strain relationships with loved ones who may be wrongly blamed for behaviors that didn’t actually occur. Even when a genuine trauma is present, ruminating on it or repeatedly discussing it often does more harm than good.
You may be wondering: If the common explanations for anxiety disorders don’t hold up, what are the real causes of anxiety?
The True Causes of Anxiety Disorders
The primary causes of anxiety disorders are often ignored or suppressed warning signals. At their core, anxiety, and panic serve a fundamental purpose: to protect us. Whether the threat is real or arises from behaviors that may harm us in the long term—such as substance use, adverse reactions to medication, or staying in an unhealthy relationship or job—our psyche sends warnings through various psychosomatic symptoms, including anxiety. Even issues like food intolerances or nutritional deficiencies (such as in Roemheld syndrome) can trigger anxiety responses.
I frequently compare this “psychological warning system” to a smoke detector in an apartment. When there’s a fire, the alarm goes off to alert everyone to get to safety. The issue isn’t the alarm itself; it’s the fire causing it. Once the fire is extinguished, the alarm stops. Anxiety functions in the same way, appearing precisely when we need it to protect us. So it doesn’t make sense to claim, “Once the smoke detector goes off, it will keep going off indefinitely.” In reality, the alarm will only sound again if there’s another fire—just as we’d expect from any reliable warning system, including our psyche.
I’ve seen many patients whose anxiety disappeared almost overnight simply because they “put out their fire.” Most of these patients remained free from anxiety attacks because they learned to recognize and avoid harmful situations early on. For the few who experienced anxiety again, it was typically due to repeating past mistakes—whether by consuming harmful substances again or accepting a job in a toxic work environment.
In short, anxiety only returns when it’s needed. The claim that “once you’ve had an anxiety disorder, it will always come back” is not only incorrect but also harmful. Such statements plant misleading expectations in the mind, which can then become self-fulfilling prophecies. Many patients tell me about psychiatrists or therapists who said, “Once you’ve had an anxiety disorder, you’ll struggle with it for the rest of your life.” Often, this is followed by a suggestion that they may need to take antidepressants for many years, or even for life.
Neither of these statements is true! Comments like these not only unsettle patients but also increase the likelihood that anxiety will return. The brain internalizes these expectations, making it more likely to overreact at the slightest sign.
Now, you might be asking, what is the right approach to treating anxiety disorders? Should you take medication or simply ignore the anxiety, hoping it will go away? Neither of these options is the solution!
Anxiety Disorders: How Effective Are Common Therapies?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is often praised as a highly effective treatment for anxiety disorders, with various approaches within CBT designed to help. One of the core methods involves helping patients identify anxiety-driven thought patterns and replacing them with more realistic ones. This approach has shown positive results, and at our Institute for Modern Psychotherapy, we incorporate elements of CBT into our practice.
Another commonly recommended method is psychodynamic therapy, which has roots in psychoanalysis but is generally shorter. However, as explained earlier, we advise against this approach for treating anxiety due to its potential drawbacks and limited effectiveness.
Perhaps the most well-known treatment is exposure therapy, but it raises the question: How effective is exposure therapy for anxiety disorders today?
How Relevant Is Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Disorders?
People struggling with anxiety are often told, “You have to face your fears, or you’ll never overcome them!” This advice doesn’t just come from friends and family, but also from many therapists who believe exposure therapy is the only way to ultimately achieve a fear-free life.
In principle, this advice isn’t wrong. In the early stages of anxiety, facing fears directly can be an effective strategy. For instance, if someone falls off a bike and gets hurt, the next time they ride, they may feel anxious and shaky. The initial fear and pain linger, but by pushing through and getting back on the bike, they typically overcome that anxiety and feel comfortable riding again.
For people with anxiety disorders, however, this initial stage of facing fear doesn’t usually happen. Anxiety often develops gradually, and people start avoiding situations without even realizing it. When anxiety strikes suddenly, like during a panic attack, many try to return to the anxiety-inducing situation, but they brace themselves for the fear to reappear. If it does, they quickly fall back on avoidance behaviors and seek medical help, only to find no physical cause. After months of waiting for therapy to explore psychological causes, their brain has often ingrained the anxious response so deeply that fear becomes an automatic reaction.
Exposure therapy doesn’t cure anxiety disorders—it only dulls the anxiety response. Many people who have dealt with anxiety disorders for more than a year can attest that both medication and exposure therapy often fail to deliver lasting relief. Patients want a treatment that brings lasting peace of mind, not just temporary solutions. They need a therapy that strengthens them in the present and builds resilience for a life free from fear.
This is precisely the type of therapy I want to introduce to you now. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I’ll explain it through a video. Below this text, you’ll find the first of 53 episodes from our new online therapy program, How to calm Anxiety This program is specifically designed for people with anxiety disorders. I’m confident that no one has ever explained to you in this way what’s truly happening in your brain during anxiety—and why certain therapies may not work for many anxiety patients.
Online Therapy with Proven Effectiveness – Immediate Help for:
52 episodes with almost 7 hours of video material
No risk: The methods of this online therapy for self-help have been successfully used in clinics in Europe for over seven years. Over 250,000 people have already managed to lead lives without fear and panic using this method.
The new online version of self-therapy offered here has been thoroughly tested by psychiatrists and neuroscientists and found to be highly effective. Since the publication of this online therapy, over 16,000 former anxiety patients have given us feedback that they have managed to free themselves from their anxiety disorder using only these 52 videos.
The Bernhardt Method: Cutting-Edge Help Based on the Latest Brain Research
If you’ve watched the video above, you now understand why so many anxiety patients suffer unnecessarily long and how neuroplasticity can be harnessed to quickly and permanently overcome anxiety. The core of the Bernhardt Method lies in the 10-Sentence Method and the 5-Channel Technique, which have been shown to “reprogram” the brain effectively.
However, this transformation requires active participation. You need to commit at least 20 minutes a day to practicing the mental techniques presented in the online therapy to see a significant reduction in anxiety. The length of time needed to fully overcome anxiety varies, depending on each person’s history with the disorder. Generally, the longer you’ve suffered from anxiety, the longer it will take to reprogram the brain. But don’t worry—the time commitment is less than you might think.
For those who’ve experienced anxiety for less than a year, significant improvement can occur within 6 to 12 weeks. For anxiety lasting between one and five years, it may take up to 18 weeks to largely overcome it. For individuals who’ve been struggling with anxiety or panic for over five years, it could take up to a year to sufficiently rewire neural pathways for an anxiety-free life. However, positive results typically appear within just a few weeks, no matter how long the anxiety has persisted. If you’re ready to invest 20 minutes a day in your mental health, you might soon feel like this participant in our online therapy, who shared the following success story:
“I had prepared myself for several weeks of mental training, especially since I hadn’t been able to drive more than two or three kilometers in my car for over three years. But after just 8 weeks of practicing the 10-Sentence Method, I suddenly felt light and confident enough to drive to my sister’s house in the countryside (36 kilometers away!). You should have seen her face when I arrived at her door. It was the happiest moment of my life! Klaus Bernhardt, thank you so much for the methods in your online therapy. I had almost given up hope that I’d ever feel free again. But now, 10 weeks after starting the course, I know I’m no longer helpless against anxiety. My comfort zone is expanding every week, and it’s only a matter of time before I’m fully myself again.”
The Bernhardt Method is based on the latest neuroscience and is both quick and easy to apply. Over the past four years, we’ve received more than 4,800 letters and emails from former anxiety patients proudly sharing how they’ve been able to regain an anxiety-free life using the Bernhardt Method. Many of them had spent years trying to overcome anxiety with exposure therapy or medication, without success. Only by utilizing the brain’s neuroplasticity were they finally able to break free from anxiety and panic.
So, don’t give up hope! Our most challenging case involved an elderly woman who had suffered from an anxiety disorder for 58 years and had tried nearly everything for relief. Yet, with our online therapy, even she managed to live anxiety-free again. If it worked for her, why shouldn’t it work for you too?
Troy A.
Tampa, Florida