Anxiety is something we all experience from time to time. It's a normal healthy response to situations we find threatening, such as going into hospital, taking an exam, starting a new job or facing a change in circumstances. Anxiety in such situations is normal. It helps us perform well and prepares us to deal with an emergency situation. However, not all anxiety is helpful or productive. Some people find themselves getting highly anxious in everyday situations, excessively worrying even when there is no real reason to.
The symptoms of anxiety can be worrying too, particularly if they are not recognised as such. In such situations people can worry there is something seriously wrong with them. This increases their level of anxiety. As they become more anxious, the severity and frequency of their symptoms can increase. This, in turn, makes them even more anxious: a vicious circle!
If a person lives with anxiety for a long time it can leave them permanently on edge, unable to do the things they want to do in life. It can be extremely debilitating.
Worry and anxiety is often linked to depression, fear and phobias. It can be related to specific situations or circumstances rather than the more generalised anxiety described above. Common, more specific, forms of anxiety include social anxiety and health anxiety. Severe sudden bouts of anxiety can lead to panic, feeling faint, fear of having a heart attack. It is also closely related to obsessive, compulsive behaviours.
Counselling can reduce the problems associated with anxiety by helping you:
- Understand what anxiety is and begin to address some of the underlying issues
- Recognise, manage and reduce the physical symptoms
- Challenge and question some of the unhelpful thinking that feeds your anxiety
- Change behaviours relating to the anxiety
If you'd like to talk with someone, in confidence, about your anxiety, why not call me on 0776 011 6985.
