Anxiety
Are you tired of anxiety taking over your life?
Does the constant overthinking and worrisome 'what ifs' leave you emotionally drained?
Do those persistent butterflies in your stomach, racing heart, or the sense of impending doom leave you feeling exhausted?
Is it becoming increasingly challenging to find moments of relaxation or concentrate on tasks that matter to you?
Are you finding yourself avoiding certain situations because they cause discomfort?
If any of this resonates with you, know that you're not alone. At Power Psychology we understand the overwhelming grip of anxiety and we're here to help. As psychologists, we’re skilled in supporting you to change your relationship with anxiety, allowing you to reclaim your calm, clarity, and purpose.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural human emotion, a warning system designed to protect us from harm. Picture your brain as having a built-in threat detector, which signals you through anxiety when it detects a real or perceived threat. This innate mechanism can be incredibly helpful in genuinely dangerous situations. However, when anxiety arises in response to only imagined danger, it can lead to unnecessary discomfort.
When is anxiety not helpful?
Anxiety can be useful. For many it motivates us to do our best, to prepare for important activities (e.g., exams, job interview). It may also feel like anxiety protects us as it prompts us to always be one step ahead. However, a constant state of anxiety or stress is not sustainable.
Anxiety is no longer helpful if it impacts your quality of life. Typically, this occurs when the anxiety is disproportional to the threat. When your threat detector becomes hypersensitive or malfunctions.
A hypersensitive threat detector
In some cases, our threat detector can become hypersensitive, causing it to detect threat signals even when there is no genuine danger present. This heightened sensitivity can lead to an exaggerated response that is disproportionate to the severity of the threat. A classic example is social anxiety, where individuals may experience overwhelming anxiety when attending social events due to a perceived threat of negative judgment. While some discomfort in such situations is normal, a full-blown anxiety experience is disproportional considering the absence of any real physical danger.
When should I seek therapy & how will it help?
Many people experience mild anxiety when entering new or unfamiliar situations. Some people can also experience mild anxiety in familiar situations. It all depends on the impact it is having on your life. If your experience of anxiety is impacting your overall mood, it stops you from engaging in activities you want to, or just generally stops you from enjoying life, then it may be time to seek external support.
A hypersensitive threat detector often stems from underlying emotional issues that warrant attention and exploration. It might be linked to past experiences, unresolved traumas, or patterns of thinking that heighten anxiety responses. At Power Psychology we can support you to reshape your relationship with anxiety and reclaim emotional well-being. This involves supporting you to understand the messages your anxiety is trying to communicate, your triggers, and thoughts and behaviors that maintain it. Once you have a better understanding of your anxiety, you can develop skills and strategies to ensure anxiety does not get in the way of living your life how you want to.
