It’s natural to feel some anxiety in response to everyday challenges but anxiety becomes a problem when it grows more intense, lasts longer or develops into a phobia, impacting daily life.
I know personally how difficult it can be to recognise let alone talk about your battle with anxiety, but it was in receiving support that I learned what it was and how to take back control.
Anxiety, What Is It?
Anxiety is a natural emotion. It’s our survival instinct warning us of incoming threats. However, for people struggling with anxiety their brain has started perceiving threats where there aren’t any. For instance, with an upcoming presentation at school or work, going to a new place, encountering new people, or in the presence of a spider!
So, you’ve recognised it’s anxiety and reminded yourself that it’s a common and natural experience, what’s next? The next step is identifying how it presents for you. Anxiety presents itself in 3 ways: physiologically (rapid breathing, muscle tension, dizziness, etc.), psychologically (irritable, panic, uncontrollable worry, etc.) and behaviourally (restlessness, trouble sleeping, avoidance, etc.) It’s important to note that the specific presentation looks different for everyone. If you’d like to learn more, you can easily find information online about the types of anxiety as well as symptoms.
Counselling and Anxiety
If anxiety is making things hard for you or leading you to avoid people, places or things then it might be time to reach out for help! When we avoid facing anxiety or try to keep it hidden, we’re feeding it and for some, this encourages feelings of embarrassment, self-doubt or shame to develop.
How does counselling help with anxiety? One of the best things about talking to a counsellor is that they offer a safe space to express your thoughts and feelings without fear or embarrassment; they’re taught not to judge or give advice but to listen, understand and support. Talking about anxiety helps take away its power.
Many years of experiences went into forming and strengthening my own anxieties and the belief that I wasn’t good enough, and each time it was reinforced the quicker anxiety took a hold of me the next time. The difference a safe person and the right support has made to my life is huge!
Counselling can help us look at our situation more objectively and gain a fresh perspective. A good counsellor will help you identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns. They’ll help you become aware of triggers and once recognised, you can work on strategies to respond to them more effectively. Your counsellor will also help you develop practical techniques to manage your anxiety day-to-day.
Setting Realistic Goals
You may not always know what’s causing the anxiety and this can feel frustrating adding to your anxious feelings. Our triggers can come from past or present people, places and experiences. If you feel like your anxiety “came out of the blue” then it’s likely that it’s grounded in past experience, even as far back as childhood! If we don’t recognise and process emotions at the time then they often return to us in future moments where we come up against something similar or our are triggered through sense. With this in mind, it’s important not to give yourself a rigid recovery timeframe.
It can be helpful to set specific goals so you can see your progress which may help motivate you to continue the work. These goals could be anything from keeping a mood diary to tackling a situation you usually avoid. Your counsellor can assist you in breaking your goals down into manageable steps, making them feel less overwhelming. It’s about progress not perfection!
Take the First Step Towards Calm
Anxiety may feel like a heavy burden at times but with the right support you can lighten the load. Through counselling you can take back the wheel from anxiety and learn how to navigate it with confidence. Be sure to find a counsellor that’s right for you – think medium, location, price, approaches but also consider whether you’re likely to connect with them as a person – the relationship is important for a beneficial therapy experience!
If you’d like to find out how I can help you, please check out my services. To book a free consultation or a session, please contact me. Have questions about counselling? Visit FAQs
Don’t forget, we’re all human and we all have our struggles. Treat yourself with kindness!
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