What is Anxiety?

At some point in our lives we all feel some form of anxiety and this is a normal response to stressful situations. It is usual to feel anxious before exams, in awkward social situations or starting a new job. What makes one person anxious may not create the same reaction in another. While anxiety is an everyday feeling, it can become an issue when there is no apparent cause for that anxiety, or when it continues for more than a few of weeks.

Anxiety can cause physical, behavioural and cognitive symptoms which can develop over time, and because we all experience anxiety at some stage, it can be hard to know how much is too much. It becomes an issue when the symptoms affect everyday living. It occurs when the person has a severe overreaction to a situation than what might be typically expected in that situation.

Physical symptoms of Anxiety include:
Hot and cold flushes
Racing heart
Tightening of the chest
Muscle tightness and tension
Headaches
Fast breathing
Sweating or shaking
Diarrhoea
Flare-up of another health problem
Dry mouth
Trouble swallowing

Cognitive symptoms of Anxiety include:
Excessive worries
Obsessive thinking
Nightmares
Difficulty getting to and staying asleep
Poor concentration
Feeling that something bad is about to happen

Behavioural symptoms of Anxiety include:
Irritability
Constantly being in a bad mood
Asking numerous questions.
Requiring continuous reassurance
Perfectionism
Being negative.
Obsessive behaviour.

If you experience some of the above you will need to see your doctor to get a proper diagnosis and possibly medication. Counselling is also an effective way to treat anxiety where the goal is to help you function, feel and think better. Sometimes just discussing your feelings can help take the pressure off. Counselling can help you change the thoughts that cause anxiety. It will help you gain an understanding of how you view and feel in stressful situations, replace thoughts that cause panic with positive thoughts, learn how to manage stress, learn how to relax and work with the feelings of anxiety rather than against them.

While most daily events are not life threatening, for the person with anxiety even the smallest task can become overwhelming and frightening. In counselling you will learn that anxiety is a healthy response which protects us. I work with clients to reduce the harmful symptoms of anxiety allowing them to live a more free life.

For information on my counselling for anxiety service click here

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