Anxiety counselling in Cheadle near South Manchester
and Stockport
What is anxiety?
There are times in our lives when we all experience anxiety. It's part of
being human. As a counsellor most clients that I see will suffer from some
form of anxiety.
What causes anxiety?
Anxiety can be triggered by
- Stressful situations in
the present which evoke unresolved feelings from the past
- Not feeling in control of our lives
- Anticipating and worrying about fearful feelings in the future
- Negative thought patterns , which can be learnt in childhood
What are the effects of anxiety?
Anxiety can result in
- low self esteem
- depression
- panic attacks
- poor physical health eg headaches, poor immune system, high blood pressure
- difficulty in relationships
- difficulty in enjoying leisure activities
- erratic sleeping patterns
- increased stress at work
How can counselling help my anxiety?
Seeing a counsellor can help you to develop a tool box of different strategies
to manage your anxiety. Here are some examples of techniques that I use
to help my clients manage anxiety-
- Accept your anxiety as a vulnerable part of you and feel compassion
for that part of you - we are all vulnerable
- Be aware that your anxious thoughts are not your enemy- they are trying
to protect you
- Face your anxiety head on
- Allow your feelings without judgment rather than getting rapt up in
repetitive thoughts
- Accept it is the nature of the mind to be frentic
- Use breathing techniques to relieve physical tension and focus the
mind
- Use visualisation techniques and meditation
- Use mindfulness techniques
- Notice where your feelings are in your body
- Remind yourself that feelings will pass
- Replace negative , self limiting and judging thoughts with compassionate
thoughts
- Focus your attention on anything pleasant in the present moment eg
sunlight, warmth
- Talk to a friend
- Do some exercise - this will help you sleep and use up the adrenalin
produced while you were stressed
- Eat healthily and avoid caffeine/alcohol
- Notice what is happening in your body and in the environment around
you at the present moment
- Identify addictive,
self harming behaviour
as a distraction from extreme anxiety
- Practice grounding techniques
Links
Listen to BBC Radio 4's programme - All in the Mind - about how
mindfulness
can help relieve the symptoms of anxiety
