The sensation and experience of anxiety is something that affects all of us. Along side of depression, anxiety has been diagnosed as the number one mental health concern that effects a significant majority of the population.
Although it is common knowledge that a little anxiety can help us perform better in certain situations, the debilitating effects of severe anxiety over long periods of time can limit and impair your life and relationships in significant ways.
Anxiety is an affect that can be found across the full range of mental health issues. As such, it is a highly complex problem that has occupied a central place in the understanding of psychopathology.
Although the experience and understanding of anxiety cannot be limited to the certain mental health difficulties that have been specifically designated as the anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder or phobias, we can make a quick summary about these anxiety-related disturbances.
Generalized Anxiety
Generalized anxiety disorder can be characterized by excessive worrying about everyday life, chronic muscle tension and a susceptibility to fatigue, some irritability and difficulty sleeping.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive disorder is categorized by intrusive thoughts, images and impulses that the individual tries to eliminate with the compulsions of thoughts, rituals and behaviours to try to suppress the obsessive thoughts and/or impulses that provide temporary relief.
Phobias
A phobia is can be described as an intense fear and anxiety of a specific object or situation that interferes with the ability to function. Individuals can go to great lengths to avoid the phobic object or situation to avoid the intense reaction that occurs.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
After exposure to a traumatic event or events that an individual experiences intense fear, helplessness or horror, the individual re-experiences the event through memories and nightmares. People with PTSD may display a restriction or numbing of emotional responsiveness, a sense of detachment, are easily startled and often have trouble sleeping.
Panic Disorder
The overwhelming sensation and feeling of dying or losing control and the development of substantial anxiety over the possibility of having another one or about the implications of the panic attack or its consequences.
The Purpose of Anxiety
There are many theoretical constructions and studies that attempt to explain the purpose and nature of anxiety. Some are philosophical, like Existential anxiety, which the generation of anxiety is in relation to one’s existence, meaning and purpose in life. Some theories look at the relationship between fear and anxiety. With fear being a signal of a specific, external danger with the fight/flight response and anxiety being a signal from a threat within, without the possibility of a fight or flight response. We can also point out the some of the disorders described above, take Phobia and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder for example, and other symptoms can be seen to act as a protective or defensive measure against the generation of anxiety that can overwhelm the individual.
Anxiety Counselling Melbourne – Counselling & Psychotherapy for Anxiety
If you or someone you know is having difficulties with anxiety in Melbourne, counselling and psychotherapy can be of great help for the treatment of anxiety and related problems.
Paul Reid
Counselling & Psychotherapy
0420 496 599
www.counsellingtherapymelbourne.com.au
Email:[email protected]
