Anxiety Treatment Melbourne

Sometimes there are people who tend to remain anxious, stressed, and afraid for long periods of time. At People Psychology in the Melbourne CBD, we refer to these people as those whose anxiety switches are always on. The indicators of anxiety are manifested by mental and physical discomfort.

Anxiety is a common term that refers to various conditions that cause feelings of nervousness, worry or fear. These feelings can affect not only your mind, but also your body. Everyone feels anxious sometimes, especially when facing stressful or challenging situations. However, this is different from having an anxiety disorder. If your symptoms persist and interfere with your normal functioning, you may need professional help. Some of the most common types of anxiety are:

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder: People with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) feel anxious about many different things, most of the time, for a long period of time.
• Specific Phobias: People with specific phobias have intense fear of a particular situation or object, and will do anything to avoid them.
• Social Anxiety: This is a type of anxiety that involves the fear of being negatively judged or evaluated by others, leading to feelings of inadequacy, inferiority, self-consciousness, embarrassment, humiliation and depression.
• Panic Disorder: Panic attacks are sudden episodes of intense fear or anxiety with associated physical symptoms. People may feel like they are dying or having a heart attack. Having repeated panic attacks is considered to be a sign of Panic Disorder.

For people who suffer from Generalised Anxiety Disorder – a condition that affects about one in three people at some point in their lives – finding relief can be like being set free from a prison.

We all have moments of anxiety. A crucial job interview; a public speaking engagement; an academic test, even visiting the doctor can all trigger those relatively common sensations – upset stomach, sweaty palms, tense muscles, sleeping problems, even nausea etc. – occasionally.

But if those symptoms have become a regular part of your life, you may be suffering from Generalised Anxiety Disorder. This kind of chronic anxiety makes it hard to cope with the demands of everyday life. It can cause difficulties at work and in relationships and it can lead to depression and have serious consequences.

Anxiety disorders can manifest themselves in different ways. They can include OCD, agoraphobia, social anxiety or panic attacks. To be diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder, you must have experienced at least three of the most common symptoms for at least six months and have trouble controlling them.

Many clients find relief through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or exposure therapy and systematic desensitisation, which are some of the forms of anxiety treatment practised by the experienced team of psychologists who deal with the condition at People Psychology Melbourne, Brighton, Toorak and via telehealth Australia-wide. Our psychologists also teach clients relaxation, biofeedback and other techniques.

• Your heart rate is elevated, and you’re breathing heavily
• You experience body tremors
• You get dizzy and suffer headaches
• You have an upset stomach, and it could lead to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• You’re quickly frightened or surprised
• Your muscles are tense, and the tension keeps you from sleeping
• Your appetite is affected

• You’re easily confused
• You always worry, and you think over it repeatedly
• You start to think of the worst thing that could happen
• You panic all time as you anticipate the worst
• Your thoughts become erroneous and begin to deceive you into believing the wrong things

Along with these symptoms, your behaviour alters as well. You start to avoid situations and people because you’re afraid of what might happen.

Anxiety symptoms can be grouped into three categories:

• Body
• • Dry mouth and/or difficulty swallowing
  • Sweaty palms
  • Increased breathing rate
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Hot flushes
  • Muscle tension and headaches
  • Tightness in the chest
• Mind
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Negative thinking
    Catastrophic thinking
  • Worrying about serious illness
  • Unwanted thoughts
  • Irrational thinking
• Feelings
  • Sexual problems
  • Irritability
  • Constant Fear
  • Over-sensitivity and tearfulness
  • Low self-esteem
  • Feeling unable to do everyday things
  • Hyper-vigilance

• Identify stress and trigger factors
• Breathing exercises
• Relaxation techniques
• Reduce caffeine intake

Even if you’re not sure if your fear is warranted or not, it’s best to seek help via Anxiety Treatment at People Psychology in the Melbourne CBD. Our team of psychologists can assess your concerns and provide you with the clarity you deserve to understand why you may be anxious and what might be keeping you from living a healthy, stress-free life. We can help provide you with a definitive plan for your therapy.

At People Psychology in the Melbourne CBD, we provide a range of psychological treatments like Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). We also offer Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT). Both apply to a variety of anxiety problems, and you can expect the following results:

• You gain a better understanding of what causes your anxiety. Moreover, what factors activate it.
• You achieve a more relaxed and calmer mood as you learn to understand how important your thoughts are on the amount of anxiety you experience.
• You also learn how to take control and master your thoughts. Rest assured our health professionals will guide you throughout the process. Our psychologists will provide you with the strategies to head off erroneous ideas.
• You can start to curtail your immediate distress response to any situation that in the past would have caused you great anxiety
• You can start to focus and concentrate better. You no longer have to struggle with your memory.

Anxiety is normal. However, prolonged bouts of stress can hamper your way of life. Remember, you don’t have to live in fear all the time. You have a choice. If you suffer from anxiety or someone you love does, contact People Psychology in the Melbourne CBD today. Our team of psychologists are at your service.

For more information about Anxiety Treatment and Anxiety: See also: Wikipedia: Anxiety

Feeling hopeless and lacking motivation as well as, or instead of, anxious? See also: Depression Counselling