Anxiety Overview
All of us have felt anxious at some point in our lives. Whether it’s right before an interview or while going onstage, anxiety is a normal response. But when this situational response becomes a constant presence in your life, anxiety becomes a crippling source of stress and tension. High levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body can wreak havoc on the endocrine system and, in the long term, may even contribute to heart disease. You may feel permanently lethargic but unable to get a good night’s sleep. Your skin, hair and nails might feel increasingly dry and brittle. Your mind might be plagued with repetitive thoughts and/or irrational fears.
Common types of anxiety
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder: Excessive and unrelenting anxiety and worry.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): These are generally characterised by uncontrollable thoughts and repetitive, ritualised behaviours such as repeatedly washing hands or checking mirrors.
- Panic Disorder: When a person has frequent panic attacks which are not triggered by specific situations.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): While historically associated with servicemen who’ve been in battle, PTSD can affect anyone who has been significantly stressed by a person or situation.
- Phobias: These are often the source of anxiety or panic attacks. They’re typically triggered by specific thoughts or situations. Examples include Social Phobia or Social Anxiety Disorder (fear of mixing with people), Agoraphobia (fear of leaving your home/open spaces), Arachnophobia (fear of spiders, snakes) etc.
SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY DISORDERS
If you are experiencing anxiety disorder, you may have sudden episodes or long-term anxiety that infringes on your stability and peace of mind. Whatever the frequency of your symptoms, this condition can have physical as well as psychological consequences.
Anxiety disorder often triggers symptoms such as:
- Feeling tense, jumpy and a sense of dread
- Frequent feelings of apprehension
- Trouble concentrating and making decisions
- Headaches, fatigue and insomnia
- Sweating and upset stomach or dizziness
- Shortness of breath and rapid heart rate
- Tremors, twitches and feeling on-edge
- Anticipating the worst all the time
- Irritability, restlessness and easily startled
- Watching for signs of danger
- Feeling like the mind has gone blank or somehow frozen
- Pounding heart and general muscle tension
- Tightness of the chest or pains in the chest
- Excessive sweating, blushing, dry mouth and dizziness
TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY DISORDERS
The good news is that anxiety is treatable and the therapy available can help you recover, enabling you to live your life to the full once again. While anxiety and panic attacks are both completely curable, the right set of psychiatrists makes the difference in improving their quality of life, and we strive to do just that. We will work with you to understand what may be the cause of your anxiety, tackle your symptoms, and improve your quality of life. We are able to deliver a wide range of tried and tested therapeutic techniques, helping you to:
- Develop effective coping strategies
- Increase your self-awareness
- Resolve the issues causing your anxiety
- Identify any triggers for your anxiety
- Confront and overcome fears in a safe and supported way.
We offer video access to online therapy and assessments. You will benefit from the high regulatory standards and will be treated by highly trained therapists who are experts in their field. We offer a range of highly-effective treatments which can help get you back on track as swiftly as possible. You’ll receive the best possible care in a totally non-judgemental environment.
There is no need to suffer in silence.