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Anxiety Disorders
Understanding Anxiety Disorders: When Worry Becomes Overwhelming
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I want to talk a little about anxiety. It’s completely normal to feel anxious
sometimes – a job interview, a big presentation, or even just dealing with everyday
stressors can make us feel a bit on edge. That's a natural response, designed to
keep us safe and alert. However, for many people, anxiety goes beyond these normal,
temporary feelings. When anxiety becomes persistent, overwhelming, and starts to
interfere with your daily life, relationships, or work, it might be an anxiety disorder.
It's not just "worrying too much" – it's a real and often debilitating condition that
can significantly impact your well-being.
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How Might Anxiety Disorders Show Up?
Anxiety disorders can manifest in many different ways, and what one person experiences might be different from another. You might notice:
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Persistent and Excessive Worry: This is often the hallmark, where you find yourself worrying about many things, most days, for an extended period, and it's hard to control.
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Physical Symptoms: Your body might be telling you something is wrong. You might experience a racing heart, shortness of breath, sweating, trembling, dizziness, or even digestive issues. These can sometimes feel like a heart attack or other serious medical condition, which can be very frightening.
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Panic Attacks: Sudden, intense surges of fear or discomfort, often accompanied by chest pain, dizziness, a feeling of choking, or a fear of "going crazy" or dying. These can be incredibly distressing.
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Avoidance Behaviours: You might start avoiding situations, places, or activities that trigger your anxiety. This can lead to your world shrinking, as you miss out on things you once enjoyed or need to do.
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Restlessness or Feeling On Edge: A constant sense of unease, difficulty relaxing, or feeling keyed up.
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Sleep Problems: Trouble falling or staying asleep because your mind is racing.
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Difficulty Concentrating: Finding it hard to focus because your thoughts are consumed by worries.
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Common Types of Anxiety Disorders:
While I won't list every type here, some common ones I see include:
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Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Characterised by persistent and excessive worry about various everyday things.
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Panic Disorder: Involves recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and a persistent fear of having more attacks.
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Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia): Intense fear of social situations, leading to avoidance and significant distress in social settings.
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Specific Phobias: An intense, irrational fear of a particular object or situation (e.g., flying, heights, certain animals).
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When to Seek Support:
If you recognise yourself in these descriptions, and your anxiety is consistently affecting your life, please know that you don't have to face it alone. Seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.
At Redlands Counselling Service, my approach to anxiety counselling is practical and empathetic. I work with you to understand your specific triggers, develop effective coping mechanisms, challenge unhelpful thought patterns, and help you gradually reclaim control over your life. My goal is to equip you with the tools and confidence to manage your anxiety and rediscover a sense of calm and freedom.
If you're ready to explore how counselling can help you with anxiety, I invite you to reach out.
You're not alone on your journey
Mental Health
Depression
Anxiety Disorders
Individual Counselling: Your Path to Well-being
Life can present challenges that sometimes feel overwhelming. Individual counselling
offers a confidential and supportive space to explore your thoughts, feelings, and
experiences. Whether you're navigating a specific issue or seeking personal
growth, my goal is to empower you with strategies and insights to live a more fulfilling life.
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Understanding Depression: When the Weight Becomes Too Heavy
Hi, Matt here from Redlands Counselling Service. Just as with anxiety, everyone experiences sadness or low moods from time to time. It’s a natural part of life to feel down after a loss, a disappointment, or during challenging times. However, when those feelings of sadness become persistent, deep, and begin to overshadow your life for an extended period, it may be more than just a passing mood – it could be depression.
Depression is a serious mental health condition that impacts how you feel, think, and act. It’s not a sign of weakness, and it's certainly not something you can just "snap out of." It's a complex condition that can affect anyone, regardless of their background or circumstances.
How Might Depression Show Up?
The experience of depression is unique to each individual, but there are common signs and symptoms I often see:
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Persistent Sadness or Low Mood: A feeling of emptiness, hopelessness, or an inability to feel joy, even in things you once loved.
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Loss of Interest or Pleasure: A significant decrease in enjoyment from activities you used to find pleasurable (anhedonia).
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Changes in Appetite or Weight: Significant weight loss or gain, or a noticeable increase or decrease in appetite.
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Sleep Disturbances: Difficulty sleeping (insomnia) or sleeping too much (hypersomnia).
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Fatigue or Low Energy: Feeling constantly tired, even after rest, with a lack of energy for daily tasks.
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Feelings of Worthlessness or Guilt: Harsh self-criticism, excessive guilt, or a profound sense of not being good enough.
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Difficulty Concentrating: Trouble focusing, remembering things, or making decisions.
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Restlessness or Slowed Movements: You might feel agitated and restless, or conversely, your movements and speech might slow down noticeably.
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Thoughts of Death or Self-Harm: Recurrent thoughts about dying, suicidal ideation, or engaging in self-harm (if you are experiencing these, please seek immediate help).
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Different Shades of Depression:
While many people think of depression as one single thing, it can present in various forms. Here are a few I often encounter:
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Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): This is what most people refer to when they talk about depression. It involves a persistent low mood or loss of interest for at least two weeks, along with several other symptoms that interfere with daily life.
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Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD) / Dysthymia: This is a more chronic, long-term form of depression. While the symptoms might be less severe than MDD, they persist for at least two years (or one year in adolescents/children), making it difficult to feel truly happy or engaged.
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Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): A type of depression that occurs during specific seasons, most commonly winter, due to reduced natural light. Symptoms often lift during brighter seasons.
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Perinatal Depression (PND): Depression that occurs during pregnancy or in the year following childbirth. This is more than just the "baby blues" and can significantly impact new parents.
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Finding Your Way Back to Light:
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, or if you feel that depression is casting a shadow over your life, please know that you don't have to carry this burden alone. Reaching out for support is a courageous step towards healing.
At Redlands Counselling Service, I offer a compassionate and understanding space where we can explore what you’re going through. I use evidence-based approaches to help you understand the roots of your depression, develop practical coping strategies, challenge negative thought patterns, and gradually re-engage with life in a meaningful way. My aim is to help you build resilience and find your path back to a more hopeful and fulfilling existence.
If you’re ready to take that first step, I encourage you to get in touch.
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