The Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) reports that in the United States alone, over 18% of all adults have anxiety problems. That means over 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety. Another alarming statistic the ADAA has found is 1/3 of the money that goes to healthcare in the US is spent on disorders dealing with anxiety.

It's obvious that anxiety has become a widespread problem. It might be because we are stressed from keeping up with the fast pace of living in a society, or because we are feeling more incomplete in all aspects of her allies. Whatever has caused your anxiety, you are looking for cure.

Anxiety can be caused by different stimuli, and has different effects on everybody, yet the basic truth is that all anxiety causes fear, which is created by negative thoughts. Fear can come in different shapes -- like fear of failure, or fear the unknown -- and cripples us and makes us feel things no healthy human being should have to experience.

The Benefits of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive-behavioral therapy has helped many people overcome their anxiety. The way it works is it changes how we act, feel and think about things from a negative perspective to a positive one.

Changing Thoughts

Most people spend time worrying and become anxious over things they have no control over. These create negative thoughts, which need to be controlled and stopped if we are going to overcome anxiety. First, you need to be able to recognize your negative thoughts, if you're going to stop them. If you have no power over it, then there is no reason for you to worry about it, and if you have power over it then there's no reason why you shouldn't think positively about it.

How to Change Your Actions

Step two in CBT is to change your actions.

You need to overcome your anxiety if it cripples you and makes you run away from certain situations and people. Once we have started to control our thinking, to make it positive, now it's time to take it up to the next level. This is a very difficult step to take, to move from thinking too acting, but the process will become easier as you start to get control of your fears.

Changing Feelings

Changing the way you feel is the final step in CBT.

With the aid of changing your thinking, and changing your actions, it will be a lot easier for you to change how you feel from fear to happiness.

With that said, you still need ways to take away the stress. Whether your stress is worse in the morning, at night, or at both times, you need to have a plan to destress. Actually, you may decide to want to destress several times over the course of the day. Find what works best for you, and then commit to it.

You can destress a number of different ways. A visualization technique is a great way to do so. Or you can utilize the different well-known relaxation techniques that are available. Whichever way you choose, find one that will work good for you.

Curing your anxiety is not an easy task. But there are ways out there to stop feeling anxious, and to help yourself. I've offered you information on three steps utilized in CBT. Each step takes some effort to master, but once you have, you will find your anxiety will dwindle down and no longer have control of your life.