The term ‘anxiety’ is used to describe feelings of fear, worry, and uneasiness. There are always some point in our lives when we feel anxious, especially in stressful situations such as sitting an exam, going for an interview, or having a baby. However, if these feelings are very strong and last a long time, they will begin to feel very overwhelming.
When you suffer from anxiety, sometimes your thoughts can run wild and make you imagine worse things than how they appear, which can prevent you from living a normal day-to-day life. Anxiety is something that can affect a person with a trigger or might occur without a trigger at all. Therefore, anxiety counselling in the UK is a service sought after by thousands of people annually to help you to overcome some of the symptoms you might be feeling.
Anxiety can present itself in several ways. Some are listed below.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a disorder where the suffering persons may feel that they are in a constant state of high anxiety, known as ‘chronic worrying’ or a ‘free floating’ anxiety condition. People who suffer from GAD often describe themselves as suffering from racing thoughts, loss of concentration, and an inability to focus. GAD is a very difficult disorder to live with as it is constant, and there is no respite for the suffering since the worry is not tied to a specific situation or event.
Panic Attacks
Panic attacks are experienced out of the blue and without a trigger. People living with panic disorder often feel fine one minute and then out of control the next minute. Panic attacks produce physical symptoms, such as a rapid increase in heartbeat, shortness of breath, and churning stomach sensation. These symptoms are naturally unpleasant and can also accompany psychological thoughts of terror.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
This type of anxiety disorder may develop following a traumatic event that may involve a serious illness or even death. The event can be witnessed or experienced. Sufferers may experience flashbacks, panic attacks, and heightened awareness. PTSD is common in ex-soldiers who have been involved in conflict situations.
Social Phobias/Social Anxiety
Social or public situations can also include anxiety disorder, where you may fear being the center of attention or people noticing your anxious behavior. The fear of behaving in an embarrassing or humiliating way can lead to a complete withdrawal from social contact and avoidance of specific social situations such as using public toilets, eating out, etc. The physical signs of this phobia can include blushing, shaking and sweating, etc.
Be U Counselling Service provides anxiety counselling in Poole, Bournemouth, and Dorset. We can help you with the use of two main techniques. With the use of CBT, we can help you manage your anxiety by helping you break down your thoughts so you can separate rational thoughts from irrational thoughts. Then with the use of mindfulness, we can help you relax and concentrate on the here and now, giving you greater clarity on your surroundings. Learning these techniques and methods can make a huge difference because, with anxiety, it is important not to let fear or your anxiety rule your life.
