Some degree of stress is important in our everyday lives to help motivate us and anybody can develop anxiety if they are placed under sufficient stress. Certain life events have been shown to relate to our performance and anxiety symptoms.
Grief is a common cause for anxiety where there is loss either through bereavement, divorce, loss of job, loss of financial status, change of house or children leaving home. All of these life events produce a change in our life patterns and depending on the flexibility of our personality, we cope with them in different ways.
Most people with anxiety states become rather concerned about their physical health and feel that they are seriously physically ill. Physical symptoms can include tension headaches, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, nausea and often, in a panic attack, a feeling that we are going to collapse and die.
Many people use chemicals to cope with their anxiety including caffeine, alcohol, nicotine or prescribed drugs such as tranquillisers.
The person who is suffering severe anxiety needs to regain control as rapidly as possible. The first stage of recovery is to be able to stand back from the problem to see it more clearly. To be able to talk to somebody close about your difficulties is very helpful, or you can arrange to see one of our consultants who will develop a suitable treatment plan aimed at trying to find the cause of the anxiety symptoms and removing them. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, psychotherapy and short courses of drug treatment can all be used for relieving anxiety.
