Everyone will experience feelings of anxiety and worry many times throughout their lifetime. For example, you may feel worried or anxious about a job interview, getting the results from a medical test, financial issues or even getting married. Feelings of worry and anxiety are perfectly normal reactions to the daily pressures of life. However, for some people, these feelings of worry or anxiety can become intrusive in their lives, and may begin to affect them on a daily basis.
In the UK NHS Direct estimate that approximately 1 in 50 people will suffer with generalised anxiety disorder at some point during their lifetime. The condition is most likely to occur to people in their 20s and it affects slightly more women than men. It is a long-term condition that can make you feel anxious about a very wide range of issues, rather than your anxiety or fear relating to one specific issue. You may find that you are anxious most days and may not be able to remember the last time you were able to properly relax.
Symptoms of Anxiety
The symptoms of anxiety are many and varied, for example:
1. Feeling ‘on edge’
2. Restlessness
3. Sense of dread
4. Difficulty concentrating
5. Irritability
6. Impatience
7. Being easily distracted
8. Dizziness
9. Lethargy
10. Pins and needles
11. Irregular heart beat (palpitations)
12. Muscle aches
13. Dry mouth
14. Excessive sweating
15. Shortness of breath
16. Stomach ache
17. Headache
18. Diarrhoea
19. Excessive thirst
20. Frequent urination
21. Painful or missed periods
22. Difficulty in falling, or staying, asleep
Panic Attacks
Some people experience ‘panic attacks’ which can feel very frightening indeed, with people often describing how they thought they were going to die, usually of a heart attack.
There are also many diagnosable conditions for which anxiety is the main symptom. For example, panic disorder, phobias, post-traumatic syndrome and generalised anxiety disorder. The content on this page will be equally relevant for someone who has one of these conditions.
An added bonus is that hypnosis is wonderfully relaxing and reduces stress levels.
-Aidan Caffrey
How We Can Help
If you are suffering with mild anxiety that is related to a specific upcoming event, for example, if you are due to sit an examination or are due to have an operation, then hypnosis, combined with suggestion therapy and mindfulness will enable you to reduce your worry or anxiety and to feel more in control.
It will provide you with a greater sense of self; it will boost self-confidence and self-esteem; it will help you build on your self-belief and you will have a strong visual image of yourself being calm and self-assured in your upcoming event.
An added bonus is that hypnosis is wonderfully relaxing and reduces stress levels.
Ongoing and Pervasive Issues with Anxiety
Perhaps your issues are more long term or pervasive and you have found that anxiety is having a limiting effect upon your life? Perhaps you are having panic attacks? Perhaps you are worried all the time and don’t understand why? Or perhaps you would like to remove and resolve all future issues in relation to your anxiety? In these circumstances it is likely that you would benefit most from a course of analytical hypnotherapy.
This type of therapy would provide you with all the benefits of hypnosis with suggestion therapy, whilst also helping you to fully resolve your anxieties, leaving you free to enjoy a more fulfilled and relaxed approach to life in the future.