Anxiety

Mental Well-being

After the roller-coaster ride of the last few years, looking after our mental well-being has never been so important. The pandemic proved to be particularly challenging for many regarding health, finances and the future. Covid-19 and subsequent world events not only raised levels of anxiety in the population generally, but proved to be a tipping-point for many who were already finding it difficult to cope. Alcohol consumption also went up during this period, and remains a big problem.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems in the UK. Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe.
We all have feelings of anxiety at various times in our lives. For example, you may feel worried or anxious about an up and coming exam, test or interview, or more generally, about work, relationships, finances, or the future. Feeling anxious at times like these is perfectly normal. Some people however, find it hard to control their worries. Their feelings of anxiety are constant, and seemingly out of control. Over a period of time, this can have a detrimental effect on our mental and physical health.

Although it is often described as an unpleasant emotional state, anxiety is not strictly an emotion - it is an over-stimulation of the nervous system. The anxiety state is driven by negative thoughts and emotions/feelings (anger, frustration, fear etc). Not dealing with the latter means we are often in a heightened state of arousal, which sets off the stress response (‘fight or flight’), where physical changes and thoughts are part of our body’s reaction to our perception of potentially threatening everyday situations.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety can manifest itself in a variety of physical and mental symptoms. If levels of anxiety become extreme, they lead to what is known as an anxiety disorder. There are five main types: Generalized anxiety disorder; Phobias; Panic disorder; Obsessive Compulsive disorder; and Post-traumatic stress disorder.

Dealing with anxiety

In order to deal with anxiety effectively, we need to target the negative thoughts, feelings/emotions which are feeding the anxiety state. This varies
from person to person, and therapy focuses on individual need.

Utilising Hypnosis, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and other interventions, I aim to give you an insight and understanding into why you are finding it difficult to cope, break the dysfunctional cycle, and give you back control.