Therapy for Anxiety

Therapy for Anxiety

Do you feel constantly on edge, overwhelmed or unable to relax? Anxiety can show up as racing thoughts, physical tension and feelings of worry that won’t go away. It can affect your relationships, work and ability to enjoy daily life. You don’t have to manage anxiety alone — support is available. Therapy can help you manage stress levels and redefine anxious intrusive thoughts

Signs You Might Need Support for Anxiety

Persistent worry or fear — even when there is no clear cause

Difficulty concentrating or feeling mentally “foggy”"

Trouble sleeping or relaxing due to racing thoughts
Skipping events, activities or photos due to fear of judgement about your appearance

Physical symptoms causing distress
These commonly include a racing heart, tightness in throat or chest and/or upset stomach

Avoiding situations that trigger anxiety, leading to isolation
This could be crowded places, social events or places where previous panic has occurred

Feeling out of control or overwhelmed by everyday stress

If any of these signs resonate with you, know that support is available. Therapy can help you understand your anxiety, build on coping skills and shift unhelpful thinking patterns

Some Forms of Anxiety Disorders

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is where a person feels anxious most days. Worries associated with GAD are distressing, last a long time and may appear for no apparent reason. GAD is characterised by a feeling of apprehension and constant irrational worrying about potential threats to the person and their loved ones

The main feature of GAD is excessive anxiety and worry, occurring more days than not for at least six months. Worries are often about a variety of minor issues and events that are unlikely to occur. Generally, the worries are future oriented — what might happen rather than what is happening. Even when there is no cause for alarm, a person with GAD might worry about health, finances, family issues, as well as work or study performance

If you have GAD you might have:

  • Excessive and unreasonable worry over events or activities such as work, school or health

  • Excessive worry about your capacity and confidence to deal with situations

  • Inability to control or stop worrying

  • Muscle tension, fatigue and tension headaches

  • Problems with concentration or having your mind go blank

  • Irritability

  • Physical symptoms such as shallow, uneven breathing, increase in heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, feeling nauseous or sick and/or trembling and shaking

  • Sleep disturbance (such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless unsatisfying sleep)

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Social anxiety disorder (also called SAD or social phobia) is when you experience intense anxiety about social situations or performing in front of others

You might fear being judged, criticised, laughed at or humiliated in front of others, even in everyday situations. For example, eating in front of others at a restaurant might cause anxiety

In contrast to everyday nervousness, social anxiety disorder includes fear, anxiety and avoidance that interfere with relationships, daily routines, work, school or other activities. Social anxiety disorder typically begins in the early to mid-teens, though it can sometimes start in younger children or in adults

Some common characteristics of Social Anxiety include:

  • Fear of situations in which you may be judged negatively

  • Worry about embarrassing or humiliating yourself

  • Intense fear of interacting or talking with strangers

  • Fear that others will notice that you look anxious

  • Fear of physical symptoms that may cause you embarrassment such as blushing, sweating, trembling or having a shaky voice

  • Avoidance of doing things or speaking to people out of fear of embarrassment

  • Avoidance of situations where you might be the center of attention

  • Anxiety in anticipation of a feared activity or event

  • Intense fear or anxiety during social situations

  • Analysis of your performance and identification of flaws in your interactions after a social situation

  • Expectation of the worst possible consequences from a negative experience during a social situation

How Therapy Can Help

Understand your anxiety
Identify triggers and patterns that fuel anxious thoughts

Calm your mind and body
Learn evidence-based techniques like mindfulness and grounding exercises to reduce stress levels

Shift unhelpful thinking
Challenge and reframe anxious thoughts to feel more regulated and empowered

Build lasting coping skills
Develop tools to handle life uncertainties with confidence