Anxiety & Stress
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a term for several disorders that cause nervousness, fear, and worry. Affecting how we feel and behave, it can often result in physical symptoms. Although worry and fear are normal feelings, anxiety can become a problem when symptoms begin to impede a person’s ability to function. These disorders thus occur when a reaction is out of proportion with what might be normally expected in a situation.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic disorder involving long-lasting anxiety and worry about nonspecific life events, objects, and situations.
Social Anxiety Disorder is a type of social phobia appearing as a heightened fear of being negatively judged by others or of being embarrassed in public. This disorder typically causes people to avoid public situations and human interaction to the point where their quality of life starts to become greatly impaired.
What is Stress?
Stress is the body’s reaction to changes that require an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. Although stress is a normal part of life, it becomes an issue when a person faces ongoing challenges without relief. As a result, stress-related tension builds. Our bodies use a built-in stress response, also known as the “fight or flight response”, which causes different changes in order to help the body combat these stressful situations. This response then becomes over-activate during long periods of stress, leading to both physical and emotional breakdown.
How Can Therapy Help?
A type of therapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is shown to be effective for helping people with Anxiety and Stress. It teaches you how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours work together, and teaches skills like solving problems, managing stress, realistic thinking, and relaxation. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Therapy is also helpful in managing stress and in relaxation.
For more information, or to see if therapy might be a good fit, please contact us.
