Anxiety
Anxiety – What Is It?
Anxiety is something we all experience from time to time. Anxiety is a natural biological response we all possess which is designed to be triggered in situations of danger and prepare us for fight or flight when we are feeling threatened or afraid.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions and there are a number of different types including:
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) – this is characterised by excessive worrying about anything and everything beyond our control.
Social anxiety disorder – feeling anxious in everyday social situations, where we fear being criticised, embarrassed or humiliated.
Panic disorder – regularly experiencing panic attacks and feeling intensely anxious about having more attacks in the future.
Agoraphobia – anxiety about having a panic attack in an unsafe environment where we cannot escape or get help.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) – performing repetitive actions such as hand washing or checking locks due to anxiety about the consequences of not doing so.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – extreme anxiety experienced after a severely stressful event.
Phobias – various forms of anxiety triggered by different things (i.e. fear of cats, fear of heights, fear of crowds etc).
What causes Anxiety?
So, what causes anxiety? Often it is not one single situation or trigger, but is more likely a combination of factors including:
- A family history of anxiety – some people may have a genetic predisposition towards anxiety disorders.
- Personality traits – some personality types may be at greater risk of developing anxiety disorders e.g. those who are naturally timid.
- Stressful life events – anxiety disorders can be triggered by stressful events such as divorce, job loss, giving birth, abuse or loss of a loved one.
- Health problems – certain physical illnesses can also contribute to anxiety disorders such as diabetes, asthma, hypertension and heart disease.
- Other mental health problems –mental health conditions such as depression or C-PTSD can contribute to the development of anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of Anxiety
While the symptoms of normal anxiety often include sweaty palms, accelerated breathing and increased heart rate, the symptoms of an anxiety can be much more pronounced and severe.
The physical symptoms can include profuse sweating, trembling, a pounding heart, shortness of breath, lightheadedness and nausea. Sufferers can also feel restless and highly keyed up and despite being easily tired, can have difficulty sleeping and often experience restless, unsatisfying sleep.
As well as extreme anxiety, emotional symptoms can include difficulty in concentrating, an inability to carry out everyday tasks, an avoidance of stressful situations and a tendency to make lists and to over-plan everything.
Treatment for Anxiety
There are several methods employed by mental health professionals to treat anxiety including:
Psychological treatments
Like CBT, it helps clients to identify the negative thoughts and attitudes that lead to depression, but unlike CBT, it doesn’t teach them to change those thoughts, but rather teaches them to focus on other thoughts that are more pleasant and rewarding.
Medicinal treatments
Antidepressants can help to reduce anxiety, but they are not as effective on their own as when used in combination with psychological treatments and their positive effects only last as long as they continue to be taken.
Therapeutic treatments
Therapeutic treatments can include confronting the feared situation to develop coping skills, using relaxation methods like progressive muscle relaxation, encouraging exercise which releases anxiety counteracting chemicals, teaching structured problem solving to deal with the stressors contributing to worry, and mindfulness skills to focus on the present rather than negative thoughts.
Help with anxiety at Palladium Private health treatment
Helping with anxiety is our specialty at Palladium Private. Our highly qualified therapists specialise in a vast range of therapeutic modalities and can help you pinpoint the beliefs and experiences that trigger your anxiety teaching you techniques for observing emotions that result when anxiety is activated.
We teach that trying to stop a painful emotion only achieves a temporary fix at best. You might get through the moment, but when you are in a similar situation again, the same beliefs will be activated and the same emotional responses will occur. So at Palladium Private, we teach you unique ways to halt, alter and even reverse this pattern.
By using these new tools and techniques, you will learn to adopt new behaviours, apply new skills and engage in new ways of thinking. Our programs offer change that is lasting because our unique and comprehensive range of therapies go deep to the underlying root cause.
We can help you overcome a variety of challenges
Our personal, tailored BioPsychoSocial programs are designed to empower you to deal with
issues in your life including:
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Social Anxiety Disorder
Panic Attacks
Agoraphobia
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD & C-PTSD)
