Anxiety

May 4th, 2011 by Lorraine Balfe MA MBACP (Accred.) UKRCP Reg.Ind. Counsellor/Psychotherapist

Anxiety symptoms can take over a person's life and cause a person to become a prisoner. Anxiety takes many forms, but in general, a person may experience muscle tension, fatigue, shallow breathing, shortness of breath, light-headedness, dizziness and palpatations, nausea, diarrhoea, sleep disturbance, poor concentration and hypervigilance. Irrational fears persist and can develop into obsessive-compulsive behaviour patterns which the person uses to reduce the anxiety but in turn, causes the person to be trapped in a cycle of anxiety behaviours.

The person can also be depressed due to the restrictions that they feel under and so each day is a struggle and living in fear persists.
What can help?

Your GP can prescribe anti-anxiety medication and therapy in order to help you understand and take control of your life.

Cognitive behavioural therapy or Psychotherapy/Counselling can help.