Anxiety
Experiences of anxiety vary from unease to outright dread. It’s a natural response to a sense of danger but can become problematic when it’s long term or intense and when the way to alleviate it is unclear.
Experiences of Anxiety
Anxiety can be prompted by life stages and changes, and by losses such as bereavement, divorce, and redundancy. The feeling can also be related to an underlying feeling that we are alone, that we are not fully connected with or accepted by those around us, leaving us feeling profoundly vulnerable.
Anxiety can be particularly undermining and troubling because the cause may be hidden - we often don’t know what is making us feel anxious. Additionally, our anxiety can become the fear of something very specific and unrelated, making the issue harder to deal with on our own.
How Counselling and Therapy can help with Anxiety
Working with a therapist or counsellor gives you the chance to talk to someone you won't be afraid of burdening and who has no expectations you feel you have to live up to. You won't be judged for what you say and how you feel.
Getting closer to the deeper feelings we feel threatened by and sharing them in a situation in which we have come to feel safe can allow us to be less afraid and bring relief from disproportionate and invasive anxiety.
Also, the opportunity to discuss your fears, feelings and aspects of yourself with someone who continues to accept you is an opportunity to feel accepted and acceptable. This aspect of our sense of ourselves is one of the most influential parts of our experience of being human, particularly for our senses of danger and of safety.