The 21st century has brought with it an array of stressful demands to everyone’s life. Stress, worry, and anxiety will sometimes affect anyone normally; it’s a typical part of being human. You’ll naturally feel these emotions at times, because your internal warning system is designed to detect possible threats. But it becomes a cause for concern when that alarm system fails to shut it off.
Your life may suffer when worry persists beyond normal limits, fear controls your decisions, and physical and emotional pressure interferes with your daily activities. You may experience more than stress at this point. This could be anxiety. Our team at Laburnum Psychology will work to guide you through your experience while building a comfortable support system and work toward greater peace in life.
What is Anxiety?
We all experience anxiety as the body’s natural response to detected dangers, which trigger the ‘fight or flight’ reaction. Your brain sends out a series of hormones that activate when you face danger to either fight back or escape danger. Your heart beats faster, your breathing quickens, and your senses sharpen. Your survival depends on this useful response, which works when you face genuine danger.
However, anxiety disorder could be described as like a smoke detector that overreacts to any minor disturbance. Your smoke detector activates even when there is minimal smoke and no real fire, and might even activate randomly, seemingly without any cause. Feelings of intense fear become persistent while causing overwhelming distress, even when the situation does not pose any actual danger. This prolonged state of heightened alertness exhausts you and prevents you from performing daily activities while undermining your capacity to experience life’s pleasures.
Key Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety can affect both mind and body. Its signs are often grouped into emotional, physical, behavioural, and cognitive categories, which may overlap and interact
Emotional and Psychological Signs
- Excessive worry that persists about different aspects of life, including important issues and ordinary problems. The anxiety often becomes difficult to stop.
- Continuous agitation and physical tension that prevents you from relaxing.
- A persistent fear that some catastrophic event will soon occur.
- Feelings of irritation, which cause you to become more snappish or easily annoyed than your normal state.
- Challenges maintaining focus on any task, because your thoughts fade away or become unfocused or diverted.
Physical Signs
People with anxiety may experience some or all of the following physical symptoms:
- A racing heart, such as heart palpitations or a pounding chest.
- Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up feeling unrested.
- Muscle tension and aches, and pains, particularly in the neck, shoulders, and back.
- Feeling fatigued and tired all the time, even after a full night’s sleep.
- Shortness of breath or a ‘lump in the throat’ sensation.
- Stomach issues, such as nausea, butterflies, or an upset stomach.
- Trembling, sweating, or dizziness.
Behavioural Signs
- Avoiding and actively staying away from people, places, or situations that trigger your anxiety.
- Procrastination and putting off tasks because the thought of doing them feels too overwhelming.
- Constantly seeking reassurance and asking others if everything will be okay.
- Second-guessing and indecisiveness due to fear of making the wrong decision.
Common Types of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is not a single condition but a broad term that covers several distinct disorders. While these conditions share features such as excessive fear or worry, the focus and triggers of anxiety can vary.
Our psychologists provide anxiety assessment & evidence-based treatment for a range of anxiety-related conditions, including:
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD): GAD involves ongoing and persistent worry about various aspects of life, such as health, finances, work, or relationships.
- Panic Disorder: Panic disorder is characterised by sudden, intense episodes of fear or discomfort, known as panic attacks. Panic attacks reach a peak within minutes, often accompanied by ongoing concern about future attacks.
- Social Anxiety Disorder: Social anxiety disorder involves significant anxiety in social or performance situations, often due to fear of being judged, embarrassed, or humiliated.
- Specific Phobias: Specific phobias are marked by an intense, disproportionate fear of a specific object or situation, such as flying, heights, certain animals, or medical procedures.
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Although OCD is no longer formally classified as an anxiety disorder, it often involves anxiety as part of its presentation. It is characterised by unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviours (compulsions) performed to reduce distress.
Factors Contributing to Anxiety
There is no clear single source when it comes to where anxiety originates from. In most people, the development of anxiety results from multiple factors, which therapists find useful to understand during treatment.
- Life Experiences: Prolonged periods of stress, major life adjustments, or traumatic occurrences in your life can often set anxiety off or make it worse.
- Genetics: People who have family members with anxiety or mental health conditions face higher chances of developing anxiety themselves.
- Personality: The presence of specific personality traits, such as perfectionism, low self-esteem, and excessive self-criticism, can be contributing risk factors.
- Physical Health: Health issues such as chronic pain, ongoing medical problems, and specific drug side effects can lead to anxiety symptoms.
- Brain Chemistry: An imbalance in the brain’s neurotransmitters, which regulate mood and emotion, can play a significant role.
When and How to Seek Professional Support
Seeking professional support is recommended if anxiety has become dominant over your daily life. It may be helpful to ask yourself these questions to determine if seeking professional help is right for you:
- Is my anxiety causing distress that affects me daily?
- Does this condition disrupt my professional duties, academic work, and personal relationships, or prevent me from enjoying my leisure activities?
- Do I stay away from social interactions or encounters with others because of my fear?
- Are physical health indicators persisting and causing me worry?
If you have answered yes to any of these questions, it’s a good idea to seek help. Your first step should be to visit your GP, who will evaluate your situation and develop a Mental Health Care Plan.
It is also a good idea to contact a psychology clinic directly. At Laburnum Psychology, we establish a direct path for our clients to receive the support they need. You can contact our dedicated team through either a phone call or by submitting our online enquiry form.
Don’t carry the heavy burden of anxiety alone. Proper support and effective strategies will enable you to develop skills to help you control your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Please note: This information is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. If you are experiencing symptoms that interfere with your daily life, please consult with a qualified mental health professional for proper assessment and treatment.
