Anxiety is the feeling we all have when we’re nervous or scared, especially about something that could happen in the future. It’s normal to worry (and you’ll hear me say this a lot); however, anxiety as a condition occurs when we no longer have an off switch for these worries. Anxiety is when our worries take over our lives, often to the point where this feeling becomes debilitating.
Find out more about Hypnotherapy for anxiety here. I am also currently offering a free initial consultation you can book here.
In this article, we take a closer look at the types and signs of anxiety, and what you can do if you think you recognise any of these.
What are the different types of anxiety disorder?
Anxiety is an umbrella term, and there are various specific types.
Generally, anxiety disorders are separated into:
- General anxiety disorder (GAD): you are constantly anxious about many different things
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD): you have unwanted thoughts and routine behaviours
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): caused by distressing events
- Social anxiety: concerns about social interaction lead to difficulties forming relationships
- Panic disorder: you experience regular panic attacks
- Phobias: this could be anything; however, agoraphobia is a common one
These can overlap. For example, a person with GAD may experience panic attacks.
What’s the difference between anxiety and feeling anxious?
One of the key things to recognise is the difference between feeling anxious and having anxiety. We’ll look at the signs of anxiety in a moment, but the key thing to remember is that “normal anxiety” is situational. It’s related to a specific situation, lasts as long as the situation does, and the response is proportional.
All of us have that primitive brain, which is still ‘on-call’ in case that pesky sabretooth tiger comes round. When that adrenaline kicks in, a person with normal levels of anxiety can rationalise and thus calm their worries.
Not many of us relish the work presentation, and that nervous edge will make us perform better. The non-anxious person can rationalise their worries: it’s only ten minutes of my life, I know my subject and I have notes to call on, I’ll have a cuppa with my team afterwards… Someone living with anxiety will not be about to put their fears into perspective like this.
As I write this, we’re still living under COVID restrictions, and this has understandably added a layer of worry onto most people’s lives. We’re anxious about our health, our finances and our loved ones, and the future can seem worryingly vague. For many people, these are relevant, realistic fears, grounded in the situation. However, under these circumstances , it would be all too easy for anxiety to take over from tangible worries. It’s never been so important to keep an eye on your own and others’ mental health. The importance of self-care has never been more paramount.
What are the signs of anxiety?
Anxiety can creep up on us. We all have worries, so how do we know when to sound the alarm?
The alert should sound when these worries begin to take over our lives, and start to alter our moods and behaviours. Anxiety can also start to cause physical symptoms.
Generalised anxiety disorder is the most common, and there are several clear signs to look out for:
- Difficulty controlling your worries, or let go of them
- Worrying about everyday things, even routine, low-risk activities like housework
- You negative forecast. This means that when you think of something in the future, you imagine the worst-case scenario, even if that outcome is unlikely or impossible
- You develop physical symptoms from the tension, from sore shoulders to headaches to upset tummies
- You have trouble sleeping, both getting to sleep and staying asleep. This can happen even if you feel more tired than usual (another sign of anxiety)
- You are more irritable, restless and prone to mood swings
- You find it harder to concentrate, and sometimes feel like your mind sometimes goes blank
People with GAD experience some or most of these, some of the time, and with different weightings (for example, you may worry about everyday tasks but still be able to sleep). People experiencing the more specific anxiety disorders will manifest some of these signs, as well as their main symptom.
Anxiety shares many symptoms with depression, and it can be tricky to tell the difference between the two. To sum it up in a very basic way, the anxiety sufferer is afraid that something bad will happen, while the person with depression assumes it will.
I think I have anxiety: what can I do?
The good news is that you can manage your anxiety. If your anxiety is mild, you can sometimes control it with simple techniques such as exercise, deep breathing and simple meditative techniques. However, most people need some sort of intervention to help them get to that self-help stage.
The most common treatment is a talking therapy. Solution-focused hypnotherapy, with its focus on replacing negative future thoughts with positive goals, is an excellent approach for anxiety. Many of my solution-focused therapy clients have anxiety or phobias.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is similar, in that it challenges unhelpful behaviours and looks at ways to replace these. A GP can also prescribe medication to help with anxiety, but this is usually alongside therapy rather than a stand-alone approach.
Call me for a confidential chat
If you think you have anxiety, please call me for a confidential chat. That can be the first step towards taking control of your worries.
