Going back thousands of years, anxiety is the word we have always used to describe a feeling of dread. A sense of apprehension. A worry about what is to come.Humans have always needed to be aware of their environment to protect themselves and a feeling of unease about what is around the corner is the body’s natural response and behaviour in its attempt to stay safe. In the painting the face is consumed with an internal anxiety, the anguish of faces within a face, thoughts within thoughts.
When we can feel anxiety?
A myriad of different scenarios pose themselves as possible situations for us to feel anxiety. Some examples you may recognise are:
Sitting for a test or exam
Going on a date
Speaking in public
In these examples we can feel anxiety about a future event. Life is full of these sorts of future event examples and we could say that the act of living itself can at times be anxiety-inducing.
Anxiety can appear in our relationships, in our work and when we are alone walking down the street or late at night as we lay in our bed. Sometimes we may know the reason and other times the moments we feel this anxiety can seem random and without a connecting thread, which can often heighten the anxiety.
Anxiety
What is Anxiety?
When to seek treatment for anxiety?
If we find that our sense of dread and worry is starting to restrict our decisions and behaviour.
If we find ourselves spending more time feeling this sense of dread than we used to.
If we find we are avoiding places or people and we feel scared more than we feel safe.
If we find ourselves feeling embarrassed or holding a feeling of shame.
If we turn to destructive behaviours to ease the anxiety e.g. drugs, alcohol and lying.
If we are having trouble sleeping.
If you or those around you have noticed in you a persistent change of mood or maybe an erratic irritability.
If you have started to experience panic attacks or physical changes in breathing.
The Role of Psychotherapy in the Treatment of Anxiety.
In a calm and confidential space anxiety starts to become understood. We will work together to understand the underlying issues activating your anxiety. I use a range of evidence based psychotherapeutic theories and practices to facilitate symptom reduction and an improved sense of well-being.One of the biggest reasons people do not seek help with psychological problems is the belief that somehow these problems are not real and that they should be facing these ‘not real’ problems on their own. That is not the case.Asking for help is a sign of courage and of the souls desire to heal.
Man with two figures by Christopher Gee. Used with permission.