Anxiety is a natural human response characterised by sensations of apprehension, discomfort, or fear. This response is a normal adaptation to stress or situations that might be perceived as potentially harmful. However, when anxiety becomes excessive and exceeds the threshold of a regular response, becomes persistent or interferes with everyday functioning, it can evolve into an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety and when to seek support
Our experienced Melbourne psychologists can support you with anxiety treatment.
Anxiety covers a range of conditions such as generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, health anxiety, and more. These conditions involve intense and persistent anxiety, often causing significant distress and impairment in various aspects of your life.
Anxiety may present in the following ways:
- Phobias and fears
- Stress and burnout
- Panic attacks
- Social anxiety and fear of judgement
- Obsessions and compulsions
- Uncontrollable worry
- Emotion dysregulation
- Post-Traumatic stress or trauma response
- Separation anxiety in children
Here are some ways that anxiety can impact your body physiologically:
- Breathing difficulties
- Shallow and rapid breaths
- Increased heart rate
- Palpitations of the heart
- Sensation of hot flushes
- Chest tightness
- Muscle tension
- Headaches
- Palms becoming sweaty
- Dry mouth
- Swallowing challenges
- Sensation of nausea
- Hands trembling
Here are some ways that anxiety can impact your thinking:
- Difficulty focusing
- Intrusive thoughts
- Irrational thinking
- Hasty assumptions
- Mindreading tendencies
- Catastrophic thinking
- Pessimistic assumptions
- Overwhelming worry
- Unconstructive thoughts
- Persistent rumination
- Unwelcome thoughts
- Rapid thought patterns
Here are some ways that anxiety can impact your behaviour:
- Hypervigilance
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Difficulty sleeping or insomnia
- Agitation
- Avoidance behaviors
- Nail biting or other repetitive habits
- Compulsive behaviors
- Social withdrawal or isolation
- Excessive seeking of reassurance
- Overeating or loss of appetite
- Impulsive actions
- Startling easily
- Muscle tension or fidgeting
- Trouble with decision-making
- Procrastination
- Excessive self-criticism
Here are some ways that anxiety can impact the way you feel:
- Feeling anxious
- Sensation of being on-edge and keyed up
- Irritability
- Sense of uncertainty
- Experiencing excessive worry
- Dealing with uncontrollable worry
- Persistent feelings of fear
- Sensation of impending doom
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Feeling tense
- Restlessness
- Feeling panicky
- Helplessness
- Feeling out of control
- Feeling on the verge of tears
- Feeling disconnected or detached
- Constantly feeling alert and on guard
- Feeling irrationally fearful
- Feeling trapped or stuck
Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength.
What are the anxiety treatment options utilised at our Melbourne psychology practice?
- Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
- Exposure Therapy and Behaviour Therapy
- Interpersonal Therapy
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
- Positive Psychology
- Narrative Therapy
How can Positive Wellbeing Psychology help?
At Positive Wellbeing Psychology, our experienced Melbourne psychologists have a special interest in anxiety management, fostering a healthy self-esteem, and nurturing healthier relationships. Our psychologists guide individuals to better understand the intricate dynamics of life changes that contribute to anxiety, adopting evidence-based approaches including cognitive-behavioural therapy.
We believe that recognising and addressing one’s vulnerabilities during therapy has the potential to foster personal growth and inner resilience. This highlights the transformative power of the therapeutic process.
Make an Appointment
At Positive Wellbeing Psychology, we offer flexible appointments with our psychologists during the day, evening, or weekends, both in-person at our Melbourne psychology practice or online via telehealth.
Our team of psychologists hold full registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and adhere to ethical guidelines as mandated by the Psychologists Registration Board and Australian Psychological Society. Our clinical practice is grounded in evidence-based treatment approaches to supports individuals with anxiety management.