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Anxiety Symptoms Come Back After Therapy

Hello everyone,

Last spring, I went through psychotherapy because I was feeling dissatisfied with my life. During therapy, I was diagnosed with logoneurosis, asthenic neurosis, and (though the therapist never said it directly) I think maybe OCD too. After therapy, I felt really great for several months, but recently, the anxiety symptoms have started to return – even worse than before.

Knowing my diagnosis, I started looking for information about it online, and it quickly turned into an obsession. Now I’m constantly feeling overwhelmed. One moment I’m anxious, depressed, and in tears, and the next I’m feeling overly confident or even aggressive. It’s confusing and exhausting, and I’m constantly doubting myself.

I don’t understand why these symptoms came back after I thought I was making progress in therapy. Has anyone experienced something similar? Why would these symptoms return like this, and what can I do to manage them again?

Thanks in advance for any insights or advice.

E
Enya
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13180 Duygu Hunerli
Counselor, Marriage & Family Associate and Psychologist
Duygu Hunerli
Counselor, Marriage & Family Associate and Psychologist
https://mentalzon.s3.amazonaws.com/photo/ebc8fb81-8c8d-4e7d-857a-d04a6a94890d.jpg?1724225436713
19263 Guzel
Counselor, Marriage & Family Associate and Psychologist

Hi Enya,

I’m sorry about the challenges you're facing. It’s frustrating when symptoms come back after you’ve worked to address them in therapy. Unfortunately, relapses are common in managing anxiety and/or other related conditions, especially since healing often happens in waves rather than in a straight line.

  • Sometimes, symptoms return because of new or increased stressors, even if they seem minor. Life changes or ongoing stress can reignite underlying anxiety or obsessive-compulsive tendencies, even if they’ve been dormant for a while.
  • If you still have notes or exercises from therapy, revisiting those strategies can be helpful. Techniques like mindfulness, or cognitive restructuring can be useful tools for re-engaging.
  • It’s easy to go down a rabbit hole of self-diagnosis or find explanations online, but this can quickly fuel the conditions you dealt with before. Setting specific, limited times for researching your symptoms can help prevent obsession with the topic.
  • Remind yourself that setbacks are a part of the process. Try to treat yourself with the same kindness and patience you would offer a friend in your situation. Practicing self-compassion is useful to help reduce your symptoms.
  • Returning to therapy—even for a few sessions—can provide a helpful reset. A therapist can give you tools to address the current symptoms and help you explore any new triggers that might be contributing.

As a psychologist specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, I’d be happy to guide you if you’re interested. CBT can be an effective approach to address challenges and to make meaningful progress. Wishing you all the best on your journey, and please feel free to reach out if you’d like to discuss further!

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Guzel
Member

Relapses can be frustrating, but they’re a common part of managing anxiety. Symptoms often return due to new stressors, even small ones. Revisiting therapy notes, practicing mindfulness, or cognitive techniques can help. Avoid excessive symptom research, as it can worsen anxiety. Self-compassion and returning to therapy, even briefly, can be effective. If you need support, I’d be happy to help with CBT, which is a powerful tool for tackling anxiety.

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