Anxiety is a normal emotion that all of us feel at times. However, some people become disproportionately anxious, which can have a major impact on their lives.
It’s normal to feel anxious when we face stressful situations, such as an exam or interview. Lots of people also get quite anxious about social interactions.
Anxiety becomes a problem when symptoms interfere with a person’s quality of life or their ability to establish a state of relaxation or equilibrium.
Severe anxiety can be extremely debilitating. It can prevent people from engaging in everyday activities.
There is evidence that people are more likely to suffer from anxiety if one or both of their parents are anxious. There may be a genetic predisposition; they will likely also have internalised their parent’s view of the world as unsafe.
People who live very stressful lives are also more likely to develop anxiety problems. Stress often breeds anxiety. Long-term use of certain medications can also lead to increased levels of anxiety.
Growing awareness of anxiety
Recent research suggests anxiety may be overtaking depression as the most common reason people seek counselling and psychotherapy in the UK. More people are also asking their GPs for anxiety medication.
This is partly due to increased awareness around mental health in general and anxiety in particular. Through social media and other channels, people have become more alert to the signs of anxiety. It’s great that more people who need support for anxiety are getting it. It’s also important to remember that feeling anxious sometimes is normal and healthy; it doesn’t mean you have a problem.
How can anxiety counselling help?
Counselling for anxiety typically addressed both the symptoms (see below) and underlying causes. A key part of therapy is building clients’ confidence in their ability to handle anxiety-provoking situations.
Our anxiety counsellors, based in central London, have helped many people deal with, and move on from, debilitating anxiety problems.
Although counselling is the primary treatment for anxiety, medication may be helpful alongside counselling in some cases.
Can therapy help?
Counselling works in a number of ways. One of these is simply that getting things off our chests usually makes us feel better. Many people don’t feel comfortable talking about their problems to family or friends. They don’t want to burden them, or perhaps what they want to talk about is too private.
Having someone whose role is to listen without judgement in a safe, confidential setting can be really precious.
Symptoms of anxiety
The psychological effects of anxiety include:
- fearful anticipation of future events
- an inability to concentrate
- irritability
- constant worrying or a sense of dread
- heightened alertness and difficulty feeling calm
- fatigue
- sleep disturbances
- panic attacks
- paranoia or distrust in others
The physical effects of anxiety include:
- tightness in the chest
- chest pains
- nausea
- rapid, shallow breathing
- loss of appetite
- headaches and dizziness
- heart pounding
- faintness
- sweating
- frequent urination
- decreased libido
Anxiety can be self-perpetuating since the physical symptoms can be so distressing they make people even more anxious. One of the goals of counselling for anxiety is to minimise this self-perpetuating relationship between anxiety and its symptoms.
Meet our therapists working with worry, anxiety and nervousness
