Anxiety

Anxiety is something that we are faced with on a daily basis. We are subject to all kinds of threats to our way of life, and anxiety is healthy in that it readies us for action. This is normal anxiety.

However, when it takes over your life and you cannot stop worrying and being overpowered by intensely negative emotions, then that needs to be addressed because of the terrible cost to you. This is neurotic anxiety.

I am aware that if you are living with this debilitating condition life will probably feel intolerable.

You may also experience relationship problems, depression and low self-esteem along with it.

If you are suffering intense and overpowering emotions, it could be that life as you knew it, what you hoped for, even your very identity, is threatened; you really want to change things, but you cannot see how.

Here is what world-famous anxiety expert Rollo May says:

"But what characterizes anxiety is the feeling of diffuseness and uncertainty and the experience of helplessness toward the threat."

Dr. Rollo May (1950) – The Meaning of Anxiety

Can you see from reading the above that it is the need to move but not knowing which way to go that is a recipe for anxiety?

Symptoms of Anxiety

These are some of the things you might notice.

Psychological

• Excessive worrying
• Difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep
• Problems concentrating
• Irritability
• Unease or shaky sensations
• Needing frequent reassurance
• Becoming tearful

Symptoms others might notice

If excessive, you might also have physical symptoms that can be embarrassing or debilitating.

• Heart palpitations
• Faster breathing or difficulty breathing
• Panic attacks
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Needing the toilet more than usual

Social Effects

You experience discomfort and don't want others to know

• Worrying that others might judge you
• Thinking you are 'not good enough'
• You might not be very alert to social situations because you are focussed on your worries

Types of Anxiety

This condition covers a broad range of types.

• Generalised Anxiety disorder (GAD) - you have no idea what drives it
• Social Anxiety - you avoid social situations
• Panic disorder - you have panic attacks

What can a Counsellor do to help you recover?

Recovery

It is almost impossible to say here how I would help you overcome your anxiety because each of us is unique and so has a unique set of problems. However, I will say that there is something about talking to someone you trust who does not judge or offer advice allows the brain to rewire itself. In short, if you find a counsellor that you feel comfortable talking to, then you will be able to experience yourself in a non-threatening environment and over time get a truer sense of who you are.

Then, knowing yourself better, you are informed by that true sensing as to what decisions to make. You basically know your own mind and can think more clearly!

I know it's not something a person can fix alone, but I will put my experience at your disposal and will listen intently to what you are saying. I will encourage you to look at what is going on and understand yourself. You will, I hope, learn to live in a more self-compassionate way - a way that lets you get on better with others and yourself too, taking away any feelings of isolation you might have.

I aim to help you get your life back and to reflect on what you learn from counselling with me what you need so you can overcome any future setbacks too!