Anxiety

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, distress, apprehension, or fearful concern, especially towards things we think might happen in the future. The feeling of anxiety is normal and often occurs when we feel threatened in some way.

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems, and it can be experienced through your thoughts, behaviours, feelings, and physical sensations. If you or a loved one is facing this problem, counselling and psychotherapy are effective treatment options.

We encourage you to seek out medical advice via your GP or speak with a mental health professional if you believe you have anxiety symptoms. St. Martin’s has a team of professional therapists experienced in treating anxiety and other mental health conditions.

When Anxiety Becomes A Problem

Too much anxiety can pose significant barriers to achieving happiness and fulfilment in life and have a negative impact on physical health.

People often wonder why anxiety happens. After all, everyone has moments of worry or fear at some point and a little bit of anxiety can be good for us, alerting us to danger, and preparing us to act. These common human reactions produce a "fight or flight" response that has enabled people to survive against anything they perceive as a threat. Unfortunately, these internal alarm systems can go over the top, causing unfounded and unhelpful worry. 

Excessive, difficult-to-control worries, fears and negative thoughts can quickly become overwhelming, and anxiety symptoms can last for long periods if not addressed.

Anxiety Treatment

We recommend seeking treatment for anxiety when it’s obviously affecting your daily life in negative ways. 

Perhaps you’re feeling excessively anxious, or irrational. Maybe it’s started to affect you even in the absence of stressful events. When anxiety has shifted from the occasional anxious thought to a disruptive barrier in your life, a variety of interventions can help you reduce symptoms and overcome them. 

A range of relaxation techniques, talk therapies, and self-help manuals can help treat anxiety.

“I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” - Mark Twain

Symptoms of Anxiety

Symptoms of anxiety fall into two categories, physical and psychological. Physical symptoms of anxiety have an impact on the way your body feels, such as a rapid heartbeat or a stomach ache. Psychological symptoms are expressed through thoughts and feelings, such as a sense of dread or constantly worrying.

Importantly, anxiety shares many symptoms with physical health issues. You should always start a conversation with a healthcare professional or mental health professional.

Physical Symptoms of Anxiety:

• A rapid resting heart rate

• Shortness of breath

• Headache

• Nausea and/or vomiting,

• Sweating

• Trembling

• Stomach pain and ulcers

• Diarrhoea

• Tingling

• Weakness and/or body ache

• Hot flashes or chills

Psychological Symptoms of Anxiety:

• Apprehension or fear of impending actual or imagined danger

• Panic attacks or extreme fear

• Irritability

• Insecurity

• Isolation from others

• Self-consciousness

• Desire to escape

• Feeling that one is going to die

The above examples are not a comprehensive list of every symptom of anxiety. Anxiety is expressed differently in each individual, and you may only have a few symptoms or none of the above.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

• Panic disorder

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder

• Post-traumatic stress disorder

• Phobias

• Generalized anxiety disorder

Anxiety Treatment

We recommend seeking treatment for anxiety when it impacts daily life, is disproportionate, excessive, or irrational, or occurs in the absence of stressful events. When anxiety has shifted from the occasional anxious thought to a disruptive barrier in your life, a variety of interventions can help reduce symptoms or overcome anxiety. 

There is a range of relaxation techniques, talk therapies, and self-help manuals to help treat anxiety. It’s important to speak with a mental health professional to discuss treatment options:

Counselling and Psychotherapy

Counselling and psychotherapy are effective in resolving anxiety when self-help and relaxation techniques do not resolve the problem. You and an experienced therapist will work together to identify underlying issues, triggers, and negative thought patterns. From there, your therapist will help you develop concrete skills, coping mechanisms, and techniques for resolving anxiety.

Relaxation Techniques

While relaxation techniques may not resolve the underlying causes of anxiety, they can offer temporary relief from many of the undesirable symptoms of anxiety. Meditation and deep breathing exercises are excellent relaxation techniques during the day, and progressive muscle relaxation is helpful for falling asleep.

Self-Help

Self-help mental health guides can help you to better understand and cope with anxiety. See the below guide to get started.

'What is the Difference Between Stress and Anxiety?

People often ask: Are anxiety and stress the same thing? 

Stress and anxiety share a lot of common ground in terms of the mental and physical symptoms, from irritability, anger and fatigue to muscle pain, digestive troubles and difficulty sleeping.

So, what’s the difference?

Like worry, stress is typically caused by an external factor. It may be short-term - an important deadline, or upcoming public speaking event you are feeling nervous about. It could be long-term, say the long-standing illness of a loved one or difficulty in finding employment.

When you think about these external triggers, the emotional response is negative. To deal with it, you might attempt to avoid thinking about the trigger altogether.

With anxiety, however, an external trigger isn’t always present. You might feel some of the mental and physical symptoms we’ve mentioned about things that are unlikely to occur, or when there’s nothing to actually focus on.

Separation Anxiety in Adults

Separation anxiety can occur in adults as well as children, affecting the activities and responsibilities of daily life. If you’re feeling anxious about being apart from a loved one, you may be experiencing unfounded fears that something bad could happen to them, such as fatal injury or abduction.

What is social anxiety?

Social anxiety, also known as a social phobia, is a fear of being among people, often leading to the avoidance of social situations altogether. Low self-esteem can lead to worrying about what people think or say about you. When you find yourself among people, symptoms of social anxiety – including nausea, blushing, and shaking - can progress to panic attacks for some.

What is a Panic Attack?

A panic attack is a spell of severe anxiety characterised by a sudden onset of symptoms including heart palpitations, chest pain, choking sensations, dizziness, and feelings of unreality. 

Commonly asked questions about Anxiety