Anxiety Therapy

There are some pretty disruptive symptoms of anxiety, they include a feeling of paralysis that keeps us from taking action, for fear of the consequences, difficulty in focusing on work or relationships that matter to us, and an inability to get to sleep or stay asleep. There are also physical symptoms like increased heart rate, high blood pressure, sweating, and a flush of the skin.

If the conditions of anxiety continue, a person may develop disabling disorders.

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): This develops as a result of dwelling on particular fears and irrational beliefs for an extended period. Repetitive behaviours are common, like hand washing, compulsive and excessive organization, or irrational paranoia.

• Panic Disorder: A panic attack is not a clear sign that someone has a disorder. If symptoms persist for no identifiable reason, however, this can become a true disorder. Symptoms are brought on by sudden and unexpected fear and can be sweating, an extremely rapid heartbeat, chest pain, and problems breathing.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): This is triggered by a traumatic event. Extreme anxiety is triggered every time the person thinks of the event. Eventually resulting in the person becoming emotionally numb. Symptoms include trouble interacting with friends and family, difficulty breathing, rapid heart rate, insomnia, and high blood pressure.

• Social Anxiety Disorder: There is an irrational fear of being judged or criticized. People with this condition may find it difficult to eat in front of others, interacting in a group, using public facilities, talking on the phone, or eating in front of others.

• Phobias: A phobia is an irrational fear of such things as heights, flying, spiders, birds, etc. Encountering these things can produce extreme physical conditions making it difficult or even impossible to function. Many of these phobias can be traced to specific events.