We all feel anxious at times in our lives, before an exam, when our child attends his first day of school, or when we have a review with our boss. Anxiety flags potentially difficult situations allowing us to prepare in advance. It is a very necessary emotion, creating caution and ensuring we make decisions deliberately and with heightened awareness.
Anxiety disorders are where anxiety is taken to the extreme. An anxiety disorder may make clients feel anxious most of the time, without any apparent reason. The anxious feelings may be so uncomfortable that we stop some everyday activities in order to avoid the anxiety. Clients may just have occasional bouts of intense anxiety that totally immobilize them.
Depression often accompanies anxiety disorders and, when it does, needs to be treated. Psychotherapy is very effective for the feelings of sadness, apathy, and hopelessness, the changes in appetite or sleep, and the difficulty concentrating that often characterize depression.
Cognitive-behavioural therapy is very effective for treating anxiety disorders. It teaches us to react differently to the situations and bodily sensations that trigger panic attacks and other anxiety symptoms. We learn to understand how our thinking patterns contribute to the symptoms and how to change our thoughts so that symptoms are less likely to occur. This awareness of thinking patterns is combined with exposure and other behavioural techniques which help us confront feared situations.
Gorey, Co. Wexford
Phone: 087 685 4242 - Email: [email protected]