
Anxiety is your body’s natural response to danger. It increases your heart rate and breathing, and gives you a boost of energy. It is a useful response when you are facing an actual threat, but when it occurs without a real threat, it can negatively impact your life. Anxiety can weigh you down, sap your energy, and hold you back from living the life you want.
You are not alone
Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia, affecting about one in four people at some point in their lives. Unfortunately many people do not seek help for it even though intervention can make a huge difference. Anxiety can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, life circumstances, or personality type.
Symptoms
Anxiety can have many symptoms that are not always obvious, such as
- Nervousness and shyness
- Digestive issues
- Headaches
- Tight shoulders and back
- Excessive sweating
- Sensitivity to light
- Problems with sleep
- Poor concentration
- Short temper or impatience
- Fidgeting
- Over thinking
- Panic attacks
Types of anxiety
There are many forms of anxiety. Common types of anxiety include
- Generalised anxiety disorders: excessive worry about a variety of concerns such as relationships, work, health, and finances; overthinking and focussed on what might happen
- Social anxiety: overly concerned with what other people think about you, believing that people are always judging you; avoiding social situations or interactions
- Panic disorders: intense episode of physical symptoms that occur in a short period of time
- Phobias: irrational fear and avoidance of specific things such as crowds, the dark, heights, snakes etc.
- Obsessive compulsive disorder: needing to use repetitive, routine behaviours to cope with anxiety; avoiding new or unknown situations
- Post-traumatic stress disorder: Upsetting memories or flashbacks occurring after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event
Not just in your head
Dealing with anxiety is not just about “pulling yourself together” or “thinking positively”. It’s not about trying to be more confident. Subconscious beliefs may play a part, but they are not the whole story. Anxiety involves your physical body as well as your thoughts, and an effective intervention needs to take into account all aspects of you.
You can be free
Imagine having the freedom to do the things you want to do, without anxiety holding you back. What would you do if you did not worry about things you have no control over? Anxiety cannot be completely erased as it is an important survival response, but it CAN be managed. If your life is being negatively affected by anxiety, contact me today and take a step towards freedom.