Anxiety & Fear
Psychohterapy for Anxiety in Vaughan
As humans, we all have a natural fight or flight response that is designed to warn us of potential danger and protect ourselves against harmful things, places and people. Like a gut feeling you get when a person doesn’t seem particularly trustworthy, It’s normal to experience some level of concern or worry in extenuating circumstances, and for emotions to become heightened when experiencing an accident or a family emergency. However, when this stress arises frequently, and regarding mundane activities and emotions, you may be dealing with a more serious issue of Anxiety.
Our daily lives are full of activities and decisions that can cause us to worry; it’s important to remember that anxiety and fear go beyond nagging feelings or sweaty palms, and can be outright debilitating depending on the cause of your anxiety and the severity of your symptoms. Without the right attention, anxiety can begin to negatively impact your relationships, diminishing your personal well-being and overall quality of life.
What does Anxiety look like?
Anxiety is simply an umbrella term for several more specific anxiety and fear-related disorders, each of which can be classified according to their sources, triggers, and symptoms. Some people can feel anxious all the time for seemingly no reason, while for others, anxiety can be more situational.
Daunting as it sounds, anxiety disorders are not uncommon. You may even be familiar with the various types of anxiety disorders, such as:
- Phobias - intense irrational fears
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder - anxiety that is “always there”
- Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) - anxiety that presents itself in when in large crowds, or even small groups
- Panic Attacks - sporadic and random episodes of anxiety and panic, that may or may not be trigger-specific
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - the inability to refrain from a specific behaviour or response, and feeling a deeply internalized sense of danger or distress if they do not engage that behaviour
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - anxiety that developed after experiencing trauma; could be the result of a singular major event, or on-going trauma such as childhood abuse, or abusive adult relationships.
What are symptoms of Anxiety?
With various types of anxiety disorders, there are also a vast array of symptoms that can manifest as a result of an anxiety disorder, or compounded if a person suffers from a complex diagnosis of numerous disorders. Anxiety may be an underlying issue affecting your mental health if you find yourself challenged by:
- Constant worry or ruminating
- Restlessness
- Feeling agitated or unsettled
- Racing or spiraling thoughts
- Feeling a lack of control over one’s life or circumstances
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Poor or excessive appetite
- Chronic headaches
- Chronic stomachaches
- Muscle tension
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Avoidance things, places or people, especially those you used to enjoy
- Ongoing panic, fear, and uneasiness
Our Psychotherapists in Vaughan can help
Anxiety is not a one-size-fits-all diagnosis. Your anxiousness could be caused by any number of events, and provoked by an array of triggers. The care, support and treatment to manage your anxiety needs to be just as personal. Our psychotherapists at Psychotherapy Essence provide gentle guidance and support in identifying the underlying emotions and root cause of your anxiety, and help you develop skills and practices for coping and managing your anxiety to minimize its impact on your life and well-being.