Anxiety is a natural human response when we feel that we are under threat. It can be experienced through our thoughts, feelings and physical sensations. Anxiety in particular is what we feel when we are worried, tense or afraid, particularly about things that are about to happen, or which we think could happen in the future. Most people feel anxious at times. It’s particularly common to experience some anxiety while coping with stressful events or changes, especially if they could have a big impact on your life. Anxiety feels different for everyone and can be experienced in lots of different ways. If your experiences meet certain criteria your therapist might diagnose you with a specific anxiety disorder.
Some commonly diagnosed anxiety disorders are:
• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Panic, with or without Agoraphobia
• Health anxiety
• Social anxiety
• Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Phobias
Anxiety symptoms can last for a long time, or come and go. You might find you have difficulty with day-to-day parts of your life, including:
• Looking after yourself
• Holding down a job
• Forming or maintaining relationships
• Trying new things
• Simply enjoying your leisure time.
“Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create”
Oprah winfrey
Treating anxiety through therapy has been shown to be a far more effective solution than medication. This is because therapy does not just deal with the surface level of things, which manifests in the presenting symptoms of anxiety. CBT can help you discover the original roots of your worries, fears or anxiety, and can then equip you with strategies to enable you to confront and conquer the anxiety. CBT has been shown to be effective and is a recommended treatment for all of these anxiety difficulties.