Anxiety issues

Anxiety disorders are characterised by an unpleasant feeling of tension or apprehension accompanied by physiological changes, worries, or fears. These can become maladaptive if excessive or developmentally inappropriate. If they are associated with significant functional impairment, it can be considered an anxiety disorder. It is estimated that 1 in every 5 people experience significantly anxiety at some point in their life.

Anxiety can affect any kind of person at any stage of their life, whether they are an introvert or an extrovert, socially active or shy, youthful or elderly, male or female, or ahuge range of other personal characteristics. There are many types of anxiety, such as social anxiety, agoraphobia, health anxiety, panic, generalised anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, selective mutism, and obsessive compulsive disorder.

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) developed national guidelines on anxiety disorders in 2004 and recommend cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as the gold standard psychological treatment for most anxiety disorders and presentations. Some people may also benefit from medication alone, or in addition to therapy.

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) 

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is chacterised by physical and psychological anxiety symptoms across a wide range of situations and environments. GAD is a long term condition with main symptoms including restlessless, a sense of dread, feeling on edge, problems with concentration, and irritability. It can also cause a range physical symptoms, including dizziness, tiredness, chest and muscle discomfort, sweats, and dry mouth. The exact cause of GAD is multifactorial, including genetic and environmental contributors. People with GAD often benefit from cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), medication, or both.

Phobia

A phobia is an anxiety disorder characterised by an overwhelming, persistent, excessive, and unrealistic fear of an object, place, situation, feeling, or lifeform. Phobias are more pronounced than fears. They develop when a person has an exaggerated or unrealistic sense of danger about a situation or object. A person with a phobia will try to avoid the trigger of the fear, and if this is not possible, they will experience significant anxiety and distress. Phobias can have detrimental impacts on a person’s life as they try to avoid the fear. There are many different phobias, which can be divided into two main categories: simple phobias; and complex phobias. Phobias can be treated successfully with behavioural therapy and/or cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT).

Panic

Panic disoder is an axiety disorder chacterised by sudden and intense attacks of fear or panic accompanied by intense emotional and physical symptoms. Panic attacks can occur at any time, and often for no apparent reason. Treatment aims to reduce the number of panic attacks you have, and to reduce the severity of symptoms in each episode. According to the NICE guidelines, CBT is recommended as an effective therapeutic intervention for panic disorder.

Social Anxiety and Agoraphobia

Social anxiety is characterised by a feeling of fear or anxiety during social interactions or the possibility of being involved in social interactions or scrutiny from others. This particularly occurs when interacting with unfamiliar people, whether that be eating or drinking, or being required to perform in from of other people. The person often worries about being rejected, humiliated, or otherwise embarrassed by others.

Agoraphobia refers to feeling fear or anxiety about being in public areas outside the person’s usual residence. This includes open spaces, public transport, enclosed places, being in crowds or in a queue. A key fear is being unable to escape the situation or get help from others.

Both social anxiety and agoraphobia respond well to psychotherapeutic interventions like CBT, as well as anti-depressant medications.