Anxiety
Please contact Airevalley Counselling & Therapy if you would like to discuss counselling for issues to do with anxiety.
Psychological Effects
- a sense of fearful anticipation
- an inability to concentrate
- irritability
- constant worrying
- heightened alertness
- getting tired easily
- sleep disturbance
- depression
Physical effects
- feelings of tightness in the chest
- chest pains
- nausea
- rapid shallow breathing
- loss of appetite
- butterfly feelings in the stomach
- headaches and dizziness
- muscle tension
- pounding heart
- faintness
- sweating
- frequent urination
- loss of interest in sex
- panic attacks
Anxiety can affect individuals in different ways. Please contact your GP if you feel you are experiencing any of the above symptoms.
What causes anxiety?
There is no one cause for anxiety. It varies from person to person.
Anxiety could begin after a long period of stress that has gradually built up.
Other people may feel they are not in control of certain aspects of their life, and may develop a general anxiety about the future.
Some people may have experienced stressful life events in the past and become anxious about encountering similar experiences in the future.
Some people appear to have a genetic predisposition towards anxiety; certainly there is an increased risk of developing anxiety problems if there is a family history of anxiety.
There is also evidence that anxiety problems can be caused by physical factors such as over-activity of the thyroid gland that controls many bodily functions.
Anxiety can also be caused as a side-effect of certain drugs including commonly prescribed antidepressants.
Anxiety is also a common symptom of withdrawal effects from benzodiazepine drugs such as Valium. Use of recreational drugs can also trigger episodes of anxiety.
Some people experience many of the physical effects of anxiety because of involuntary rapid, shallow breathing, called hyperventilation or over-breathing. Hyperventilation can trigger panic attacks; episodes of severe and sudden anxiety that can make people feel like they are having a heart attack or similar condition.
What treatments are available?
Antidepressants
Antidepressant drugs are used to treat anxiety as well as depression. Antidepressants affect the chemicals in the brain that lift your mood. These drugs can be effective in treating anxiety, however, in themselves they are not a cure for anxiety. The drugs treat the symptoms of the condition, but cannot treat the root cause of the anxiety itself. This is why talking treatments are often prescribed in conjunction with antidepressants, so that people can be helped to address the reasons why they became anxious in the first place.
Talking Treatments
Talking treatments alone can be effective in treating anxiety for some people, for others a combination of talking treatments and drug treatment may be the most effective treatment. Talking treatments aim to help people recognise the stress factors in their lives, and work out coping strategies in order to be able to deal with these. A wide variety of talking treatments are available, ranging from counselling and psychotherapy to cognitive behaviour therapy. A referral for talking treatments can be arranged by your doctor. However, frequently there are long waiting lists for these types of treatment on the NHS. Free or low-cost counselling is also provided by a number of charities and voluntary organisations, and, for those who can afford to pay, there are many private practitioners.
Relaxation Training
Relaxation training can reduce anxiety if you practise regularly, however, it can be difficult to find the motivation to practise alone. For this reason, relaxation training is often provided in group sessions. This treatment aims to train people to relax their muscles, to breathe slowly and deeply, and to clear the mind of worrying thoughts. After a few sessions, most people are able to relax rapidly and use this new skill at times of stress. Your therapist may provide you with a tape-recording of relaxation instructions in order that you can continue to practise at home after your formal training has ended. Some GP practices offer relaxation training groups, if not, your GP may be able to refer you to a psychology department for treatment. Some charities and voluntary organisations also offer relaxation groups and training.
Funded by Bradford and Airedale NHS Primary Care Trust. Registered Charity Number 1063666 (Versa). Comany Number 3380593 (Versa Organisation Ltd). Company Number 7635210 (Airevalley Counselling & Therapy C.I.C).
Organisational member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.