Anxiety
Anxiety is what we experience when we are tense, worried or frightened about something that is about to happen, or something that could happen in the future. Most people feel anxious at times, such as before an exam, or when coping with stressful life experiences or changes. When we feel under threat, the Sympathetic Nervous System prepares our body for "Fight, Fight, or Freeze". When the Sympathetic Nervous System is active, adrenaline and cortisol are released and you may experience symptoms such as:
- Increased heart rate
- Fast and shallow breathing
- Digestive issues
- Nervousness or irritability
- Muscular tension
- Disturbed sleep
This is because your body perceives there to be an immediate threat and is shutting down non-essential bodily functions to enable you to take urgent action. Anxiety is a natural and automatic human response to feeling under threat, and it may affect your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. This is not usually a problem if it occurs occasionally and for brief periods. However, sometimes people can find themselves stuck in a constant state of "Fight, Flight or Freeze". Anxiety is seen as a mental health problem when it starts to prevent you from living life as fully as you want to. It may begin to affect your work or relationships. When anxiety becomes a mental health issue you may experience problems such as:
- Worrying thoughts that are distressing and feel out of your control
- Avoiding situations that might trigger your anxiety
- Extreme feelings of anxiety or feeling anxious for long periods of time
- Frequent symptoms of anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Feeling numb or disconnected from yourself or the world around you
If you meet certain diagnostic criteria, your G.P or another medical professional may diagnose you with an anxiety disorder, such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Phobias, Social Anxiety Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or Generalised Anxiety Disorder.
Therapy for Anxiety
Psychological therapy can help you to explore the possible causes and triggers for your anxiety, including childhood experiences and current life circumstances. Psychological therapy can also help you to develop helpful coping strategies for anxiety and learn how to manage stressful situations. If you are struggling with anxiety, the "Fight, Flight or Freeze" response in your body is likely dominant and your Parasympathetic Nervous System, which is associated with "rest and recovery", is likely under-active. Integrative mind-body psychological therapies can help with anxiety and other stress-related health conditions through balancing of the nervous system. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in starting therapy to help with anxiety.
