Anxiety & Panic

Background and Symptoms

It is normal to experience feeling anxious every now and then. Anxiety and panic becomes a disorder when it is interrupting your ability to lead, what would be generally considered a normal life.

Symptoms of worry and fear, anxiety and panic are very common with mixed anxiety and depression one of the most common psychological disorders in Britain.

Common Symptoms Include

• Panic, fear, uneasiness
• Sleep disturbance
• Restlessness
• Cold, sweaty, numb, or tingly feeling in hands or feet
• Heart palpitations
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Tense muscles

Common Types of Anxiety Disorders

• Panic Disorder - this is marked by panic attacks - a feeling of overwhelming terror, which can present at any time
• Generalised Anxiety Disorder - excessive, irrational worry and tension with little or no cause
• Social Anxiety Disorder - an overwhelming worry and self-consciousness surrounding social situations
• Phobias - an intense fear of a specific object, place, situation, feeling or creature
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - obsessive thoughts / compulsive behaviours surrounding a specific object, task or situation

Causes

The causes of anxiety are wide and varied and often seem to result from a combination of factors. The following is a list of some of the things that may contribute to anxiety:

• Chemical imbalances in the brain
• Life experiences such as: bereavement, having a baby, moving house, suffering abuse, change of employment
• Learned behaviours
• Alcohol and / or drug use / misuse
• Genetics

Treatments for Anxiety & Panic with MHWS

To begin treatment with MHWS, an initial consultation will be undertaken to form a diagnosis. The diagnosis given will enable our specialists to suggest the treatment(s) available.

For anxiety, there are a range of treatment options available including:

• Medications
• Evidence based psychological therapies:
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprogramming (EMDR)
• Support and guidance regarding externally available resources such as: online courses, books, software applications etc.

Next Steps

For more information or to find out how to book an appointment then please contact us.