Julia R Lofts

Counselling

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Psychotherapy ​

07787 180 256

How to find relief from anxiety

Although it's now well-known that some degree of anxiety is normal, it's still an uncomfortable experience for most of us. Millions of people search online or contact their GPs and therapist in hope to find relief from all symptoms of anxiety.

In this series of blogs I will help you understand anxiety a bit more so you can choose what might be a suitable and practical approach to reduce your anxiety.

Anxiety is the body's natural response to stress or danger and is often described as a feeling of unease, apprehension, or fear.

There's the chicken and the egg causation between stress and anxiety.

Anxiety and the nervous system stress response are closely connected. The stress response is the body's natural way of responding to threats or perceived danger. It involves the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which increase heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure, preparing the body to respond to the perceived threat.

Anxiety, on the other hand, is a psychological condition characterised by persistent worry, fear, and unease. Anxiety triggers the stress response, and when anxiety becomes chronic, it can cause the stress response to become overactive and dysfunctional. This overactive stress response can lead to a range of physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, muscle tension, and difficulty breathing.

Furthermore, chronic stress can also lead to long-term changes in the brain and body, including increased inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and impaired immune function, which can contribute to the development of various physical and mental health conditions.

In summary, anxiety triggers the stress response, and chronic anxiety can cause an overactive stress response, which can have detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. And that in turn will create more anxiety.

It's also worth reading more about anxiety on Mind's or NHS websites.