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SEND US AN EMAILHow do we make sense of anxiety?
Anxiety is our body’s way of reacting to perceived danger when confronted with a stressful situation. The symptoms that you may experience are perfectly normal and just a physiological stress response. Occasionally, we experience anxiety fleetingly when giving a speech to a public audience, presenting a pitch to clients or taking a test for the first time. However, chronic anxiety that does not seem to go away needs to be treated in order for you to return to your normal way of life. in order for you to return to your normal way of life.
Is there a way of recognising my anxiety?
Normally, common signs of anxiety include:
- Irregular, fast-paced heartbeat
- Inconsistent, rapid breathing
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleeplessness
How do I know I am having an anxiety attack?
Each individual's experience is different, but common signs of an anxiety attack include:
- Having a sense of impending danger
- Feeling faint
- Trembling
- Hot/cold sweats
- Numbness or tingling
Why do I have anxiety?
Several factors play a role in anxiety development, which could be triggered by environmental stressors, genetics, or chemical changes in the brain. Perhaps you know of a family member who struggled with anxiety. If so, anxiety could run in the family just as any other physical ailment would.
How do I help with this?
Using some relaxation techniques will already help you in your day-to-day life and the anxiety will appear to be more manageable. A combination of prescription medication and counselling helps treat severe anxiety. I can help you deciding on the best possible treatment, depending on your diagnosis, feelings and preferences.
What are the costs of untreated anxiety?
- Depression
- The abuse of toxic substances such as alcohol and illegal drugs
- Living in isolation
- Sleeplessness
- Digestive illnesses
Myths about how to deal with anxiety
- Anxiety is not considered an illness
- Being shy and having social anxiety are the same thing
- Anxiety disappears without treatment
- If you have been diagnosed with anxiety, you should avoid stressful situations
- Anxiety disorders are noticeable
Generally, diagnosing anxiety does not only involve a single test but multiple tests such as a physical exam, mental health evaluation and a psychological questionnaire.
FAQ
What are anxiety disorders?
Types of anxiety disorders include:
- General anxiety involves a general feeling of fear and apprehension.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD is characterised by regular obsessions with an unexplainable, unrealistic fear of something unlikely to happen.
- The panic disorder results in uncontrollable episodes of fear, causing heart palpitations, chest pain, trouble breathing, light-headedness and stomach pain.
- Post-traumatic stress, also known as PTSD, can arise due to an unfavourable experience from the past.
- Social anxiety disorder is being fearful of social situations.
