Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety is a word we use to describe the unpleasant feeling we get when we are in a stressful, threatening, or demanding situation, or when we are facing a problem. It is not in itself a mental health condition and most of us will experience anxiety at some point in our lives for many reasons. It can be a normal, healthy response, and usually goes away over time, when the situation changes, or when you leave the situation that is causing you anxiety. Anxiety can become a problem when:

• Your anxiety is extraordinarily strong. 
• You feel anxious all or most of the time. 
• There is no obvious reason for why you feel anxious. 
• It negatively affects your daily life including your work, your personal and social life.

Anxiety can be caused by number of things, including: 

• Everyday events like receiving a stressful email at work, interacting with a difficult customer, meeting someone new or a job interview. 
• Major life events like going through a divorce, having a physical illness, or experiencing a loss or bereavement. 

What does anxiety feel like? 

Anxiety can cause you to feel lots of different things in your mind and body, including: 

In the mind:

• Feeling worried all the time 
• Feeling tired or poor sleep 
• Being unable to concentrate 
• Feeling irritable or depressed 
• Feeling uneasy or tense 
• Feeling overwhelmed 
• Feeling afraid that something awful might happen

In the body:

• Fast or irregular heartbeat (palpitations) 
• Sweating 
• Dry mouth 
• Muscle tension and pain 
• Headaches 
• Trembling/shakiness 
• Numbness or tingling in the fingers, toes or lips 
• Difficulty catching your breath 
• Feeling dizzy or faint 
• Stomach problems like indigestion, cramps or feeling sick 
• Going to the bathroom often

Sometimes, people with anxiety worry that their symptoms are a sign of physical illness. This can make their anxiety worse. 

When anxiety goes on for a long time, it can commonly make you feel low in mood. Some people with anxiety will also experience depression at the same time. 

Who can benefit from our service? 

•  If you or your loved one is worrying about something, or lots of things, to a level that does not seem rational. 
• If you or your loved one is avoiding situations or environments that they did not avoid in the past, e.g., going to parties, out for dinner or crowded places. 
• If you or your loved one is complaining of physical symptoms like headaches, stomach aches or tiredness. 
• If you or your loved one seem upset, angry, or frustrated for no obvious reason. 
• If you or your loved one constantly want to cancel plans, or do not do things they say they will. 
• If you or your loved one seem distracted or unable to listen when you are talking to them. 
• If you or your loved one feel overwhelmed with life and living with a constant feeling of unease or stress. 
• You or a loved one has been diagnosed or is on treatment for an anxiety disorder and would like a second opinion or a multidisciplinary team review. 
• If you are on medication for anxiety disorders and would like to review other options. 
• You have a family member with an anxiety disorder and would like advice on how to best support this individual and relationships with siblings, parents etc.