Anxiety
insight
Clinical & Forensic Psychological Services
Information Brochure
Everyone occasionally experiences some anxiety. It is a normal response to a stressful event or perceived threat. Anxiety can range from feeling uneasy and worried to severe panic. The aim of this newsletter is to inform people about what anxiety is and to provide some tips to help manage anxiety when it becomes a problem. What is anxiety?
Anxiety is an uncomfortable feeling of fear or imminent stress and reflects the thoughts and bodily reactions a person has when they are presented with an event or situation that they cannot manage or perform successfully. When a person is experiencing anxiety their thoughts are actively assessing the situation, sometimes even automatically and outside of conscious attention, and developing predictions of how well they will cope based on past experiences. Although some anxiety is a normal response to a stressful situation, when the anxiety level is too high a person may not cope with the situation nor can they manage the stressful or threatening situation adaptively. Instead, they might tense up, avoid the situation, or even fear they may do something that is out of character. Generally, individuals who experience anxiety do so in several ways including: •
An intense physical reaction (i.e. racing heart rate, sweaty palms etc.) •
A cognitive response, which refers to thoughts about the situation and the person's ability to cope with the situation (i.e. “I can’t do this”.) •
A behavioural response, which may include avoidance or uncharacteristic behaviour including aggression, restlessness or irrational behaviour. •
An emotional response, reflecting the high level of distress the person is experiencing. What causes anxiety?
There is no one cause of high anxiety. Rather, there are a number of factors that may contribute to the development of anxious thoughts and behaviour. Some causes of anxiety are include: ‐ Personality ‐ Recent life events and stressors ‐ Biology ‐ Heredity ‐ Family Background Learning and Life Experiences ‐ Alcohol and other drugs www.insightcfps.com.au
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361a Buckley St Essendon VIC 3040
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P: 9325 4567 F: 9325 4462
What are the symptoms of anxiety?
The experience of anxiety will vary from person to person. Central features of anxiety include ongoing worry or thoughts that are distressing and that interfere with daily living. In addition to worry or negative thinking, symptoms of anxiety may include: ‐ Confusion ‐ Trembling ‐ Sweating ‐ Faintness/dizziness ‐ Rapid heartbeat ‐ Difficulty breathing ‐ Upset stomach or nausea ‐ Restlessness ‐ Avoidance behaviour ‐ Irritability How is anxiety treated?
Psychological treatment, particularly cognitive‐behaviour therapy, has been found to be very effective in the treatment of anxiety. Cognitive behaviour therapy is made up of two components. The first component, cognitive therapy, is one of the most common and well supported treatments for anxiety. It is based on the idea that a person's thoughts in response to an event or situation causes the difficult feelings and behaviours. The aim of cognitive therapy is to help people to identify unhelpful beliefs and thought patterns, which are often automatic, negative and irrational, and replace them with more positive and helpful ways of thinking. The second component of cognitive‐behaviour therapy involves assistance with changing behaviours that are associated with anxiety, such as avoidance or restlessness. These may be dealt with through learning relaxation techniques and through changes in the way that certain situations are handled.
Other treatments used to address anxiety include medication and making lifestyle changes such as increasing exercise, reducing caffeine and other dietary changes. Other resources on anxiety
To read more about anxiety, refer to the following services:
beyondblue Australia www.beyondblue.org.au Phone: 1300 22 4636 Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression www.crufad.com/cru_index.html Phone: (02) 8382 1749 Seeking professional assistance
If you believe a client has anxiety which may be a problem, the psychologists at Insight Clinical and Forensic Psychological Services are trained to assess anxiety and to help the person to better understand and manage anxiety by developing effective coping strategies and techniques. Our psychologists can also help a person to manage other problems that may be associated with the anxiety, such as depression, stress or personal relationships.
insight
www.insightcfps.com.au

361a Buckley St Essendon VIC 3040

P: 9325 4567 F: 9325 4462