Anxiety

Feeling sad or worried about life’s problems is perfectly normal, but if these worries are taking over your life and becoming all you can think about, you may be suffering from anxiety. For some people, anxiety may be just a general fear and you may not be aware what you are worried about. This can lead you into the spiral of feeling anxious about feeling anxious.

Symptoms can include:

• Changes in appetite
• Lack of sleep
• Loss of energy or concentration
• Headaches and dizziness
• Shaking, trembling or needing the loo more often
• Withdrawal from social contact
• Anticipating disasters and dwelling on their impact.

Counselling can help you to explore and express your feelings. Also you could learn some techniques for controlling your anxiety, such as confronting these irrational fears, and develop new constructive thinking patterns or assertive behaviours. A counsellor can also help you to gain a new perspective on your worries and to break the negative cycle.