Are you feeling tense, worried and stressed?

Perhaps these feelings are fairly new, or maybe you’ve been experiencing them for some time? Whatever your experience of anxiety, I hope the following information will be helpful to you.

Modern life can be incredibly tough.

·       We are bombarded with media coverage of the world’s woes.

·       Social media can make us feel as though our lives don’t measure up with other peoples’.

·       Young people sitting exams feel enormous pressure to perform and achieve.

·       The world can feel scary and overwhelming.

It’s normal to feel anxiety from time to time. However, sometimes anxiety can become so distressing that it interferes with our ability to lead the life we want. If you find that your anxiety is severe and persistent, it might be time to seek help. You aren’t alone – in the UK over 8million people are living with an anxiety disorder at any one time – but there are treatments that can help.

Why does my anxiety feel so ‘physical’.

Have you noticed how anxious thoughts and feelings can affect how you physically feel? Here is a list of physical symptoms that you might notice when you are feeling anxious:

·       Butterflies in your stomach

·       Increased heart rate.

·       Feeling breathless.

·       Sweating.

·       Trembling.

·       Headaches.

·       Difficulty concentrating.

·       Dry mouth

·       Digestive changes

Unfortunately these physical symptoms can become a further source of worry, adding to your anxiety.

A lot of these symptoms can be explained by evolution. We all have an in-built fight or flight reflex that was originally designed to help us overcome threats to our survival. Bodily changes occur to help us either run faster or fight more effectively. So, our heart beats more quickly to pump more oxygenated blood to our muscles. Our bowels prepare to void (leading to those butterflies in your stomach) because animals run faster with empty bowels. Your concentration is affected because your brain’s amygdala takes charge of your actions – great for fast reactions, not so great for clear, nuanced thinking!

Common types of anxiety.

If you have ever sought professional help for anxiety you might have been told that you have a specific form of anxiety disorder. Here are the most common types with very brief descriptions. Please remember this is not an exhaustive list but it should give you an understanding of how complex and varied anxiety can be.

·       Generalised Anxiety (excessively worrying about daily life)

·       Panic Disorder (characterised by panic attacks)

·       Specific Phobias (fear of an object, animal, situation or experience)

·       Agoraphobia (fear and avoidance of situations where escape might not be possible)

·       Social Anxiety (debilitating fears about social situations)

·       Health Anxiety (excessively worrying about your health)

How do I break out of this anxiety bubble?

As with many health conditions, sometimes just understanding what is happening when you are feeling anxious can help you feel a little bit better. In other words, you are less likely to worry about why you are always worried if you have an insight into your current difficulties.

Often writing things down is a good place to start. You could use the following 5 questions whenever you notice your anxiety rising:

·       What has triggered my anxiety? For example, it could be a place, a person, an event, or a thought popping into your head.

·       What thoughts am I having?

·       What emotions am I feeling?

·       What physical sensations do I notice in my body?

·       What action(s) do I want to take?

Break free and live more freely.

There is therapy to address anxiety and people often can and do get better. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is highly recommended for the treatment of anxiety disorders. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends CBT as the first line treatment for anxiety.

How does therapy for anxiety work?

CBT takes a step by step approach:

1.         Identifying and challenging the thoughts that trigger your anxiety and keep it going

2.         Teaching you techniques to change your current beliefs and develop more helpful thinking patterns

3.         Helping you to test your current beliefs, in a supportive setting, so that you learn from positive experiences

4.         Exposure therapy, whereby you develop a hierarchy of feared situations and gradually face them in a structured manner.

I can guide you through all of the above. I can help you to understand your personal experience of anxiety and how changing your current thoughts and behaviours could set you free.

Help is available and you are worthy of it.

To find out more about treatment to overcome anxiety at YourCBT, book your free 15 minute discovery call or email [email protected]