Anxiety

Signs & Symptoms

Anxiety will show up differently in different individuals. Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is typically described as a constant, but vague feeling of nervousness. There are other signs though. You might feel irritable, have difficulty sleeping, experience muscle aches and tension, or have an inability to concentrate. In some cases, you’ll experience physical symptoms like nausea, dizziness, and headaches. Many people with GAD experience regular sickness in their stomachs and may experience severe, debilitating upsets as a result.

You also may experience panic attacks, or some of the following anxiety signs and symptoms.

What are Panic Attacks?

Panic attacks are a common symptom of an anxiety disorder. Panic attacks can be caused by a big, stressful situation, or by a situation that others may perceive as normal, but is extremely scary or uncomfortable for you as an individual.

Panic attack symptoms:

• Extreme temperatures (hot and sweating or cold with chills)
• Shaking or trembling
• Excessive crying
• Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Paresthesia (numbness or tingling sensations)
• Fear you’ve lost control of yourself
• Fear you’re going crazy
• Dizziness, faintness
• Pounding heart

You might experience emotional feelings of:

• Restlessness, like you’re on edge
• Feeling upset by spontaneity
• Constant worry of fear
• Irrational phobias
• Easily startled or scared

You might experience physical symptoms such as:

• Shaky hands or body
• Short of breath
• Racing or pounding heart
• Regular headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea: diarrhea or vomiting
• Difficulty swallowing
• Excessive sweating

Anxiety Disorders

• Obsessive compulsive disorder
• Generalised anxiety disorder
• Social anxiety disorder
• Panic disorder
• Illness anxiety disorder
• Specific phobia
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

How We Can Help

Anxiety is the fear that things will go wrong and that you will not manage. You might fear that you’ll become stressed or upset in a situation. Anxiety is worrying about your ability to handle future demands.

Anxiety can cause feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness. However, anxiety counselling can help you. Using a combination of different therapy techniques, including: Schema Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and other methods, we’ll challenge your thinking patterns and identify any external causes for how you’re feeling.

We’ll act as a support for you throughout your anxiety counselling. You’ll learn how to problem solve and challenge your immediate, anxious thoughts. You’ll learn how to identify causes of fear or worry in certain situations, and how to challenge and overcome them effectively. From there, we’ll work together to make appropriate changes in your lifestyle to help you live healthily and happily. You’ll be better equipped to go to work confidently, see your friends, and join in on situations you previously perceived to be too daunting.

While anxiety counselling may not erase all feelings of anxiety, it will give you the tools to handle and manage your anxiety when you feel it.