Anxiety

Everyone feels anxious from time to time - it is a natural response to stress or perceived threats. Anxiety is a signal that something is wrong. It is a mechanism designed to alert people to potential dangers and mobilise them to respond appropriately. When anxiety becomes overactive, excessive and chronic, it can lead to disruption in daily life and in relationships.

 

Anxiety is often caused by mixed feelings. In early childhood, individuals might have the experience that feelings were not welcome in an early attachment relationship (e.g., a child expressing sadness made their father distance himself). Therefore, when feelings get activated in adult life, it may trigger high anxiety due to what it represented in the past. We often see this lead to defences/coping mechanisms to avoid/get rid of our anxiety. While these mechanisms can be useful in the short-term, they often lead to long-term problematic symptoms and behaviours, which are then diagnosed as "disorders". In therapy, we will teach you to pay attention to your anxiety, learn its triggers and symptoms, and ultimately work to tolerate the emotions that lead you to feel anxious. This will help you regulate your anxiety and reduce your symptoms. 

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Anxiety disorders encompass a range of conditions, including Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Phobias, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Symptoms can vary but often include excessive worrying, restlessness, muscle tension, fatigue, nausea, irritability, difficulty concentrating, memory impairment, panic attacks, insomnia, dizziness, and IBS. Understanding the triggers and underlying thoughts and emotions contributing to anxiety is crucial in developing effective coping strategies and promoting overall well-being. 

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Anxiety is one of the most common presentations of psychological suffering, and is also one of the conditions that we know the most about how to effectively treat. Accessing psychological therapy can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and improve your overall wellbeing.