Anxiety is a common human experience, but when it becomes overwhelming and persistent, it can significantly impact our well-being. In this blog post, I’ll share a bit about my experience of anxiety and then delve into what anxiety is, its effects, and how psychotherapy can be a powerful tool for managing it.

What was my anxiety like?

Everyone’s experience of anxiety is different. You might experience similar things to me or you might have very different experiences, all our experiences are valid and need care and support.

As someone who is pushing 40, anxiety wasn’t as widely talked about when I was starting out in my early adult life, as it is now. Back then I was trying to navigate friendships and relationships and the general day to day of work and adult life. These were all normal everyday things, so why did I feel a constant pang of terror, or a sense of foreboding doom. I would constantly overthink, what to wear, or what I’d said in a previous conversation. When I was at work, I would find myself getting nervous, sweaty, my heart would pound trying to talk to colleagues or management and my mind would go blank. I would dread interviews or presentations, anything that would put me in the limelight where I might humiliate myself. After nights out with friends I would examine things I’d said and wonder if I’d got it wrong. I was nervous to go in supermarkets, fearing I would do something embarrassing and everyone would be judging me. Sometimes I would get an overwhelming feeling that I needed to get out of the shop and I would abandon my trolley mid-shop and retreat home to safety. Similar things would happen getting petrol, I’d need someone to go with me. My worry felt out of control. Writing this now as a pretty much recovered anxious person (I say pretty much because I still have my moments, I can just manage them much better!) I can see that I actually didn’t trust myself to do these things, I didn’t trust that I could handle any situation and feel ok about myself whatever happened. Even if I did something that would be deemed stupid or silly (which we can all do!) I didn’t realise that even if the worst happened, with the right support and tools I could handle all these experiences and more. Anxiety didn’t have to rule and ruin my life, I could take back control. Psychotherapy was that support, that gave me a place to offload all these fears and taught me I was capable of dealing with everything in my life and that I could actually enjoy life rather than worrying all the time. So lets have a look at what anxiety is….

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is more than just feeling nervous before a big presentation or worrying about an upcoming event. It’s a pervasive sense of fear or apprehension that persists even when there’s no immediate threat. Here are some key points about anxiety:

• Normal Response: Feeling anxious occasionally is normal. Our bodies have an ancient survival mechanism known as the “fight/flight/freeze/faun.” response. When we perceive danger, our body releases adrenaline, making us more alert so we can do one of those four things to try to.. avoid the danger. Usually, once the threat passes, our system calms down. However, with anxiety, this calming process doesn’t occur as expected.
• Persistent Worry: Anxiety can manifest as persistent worry, racing thoughts, and physical symptoms like increased heart rate, muscle tension, dizziness, and difficulty sleeping. These feelings can interfere with daily life and cause distress.

How Psychotherapy Can Help

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, offers effective strategies for managing anxiety. It can reduce overthinking and increase confidence.

When I work with clients to improve their anxiety, they report back a feeling of increased confidence, greater awareness of their anxiety triggers and how to soothe themselves to lessen the anxiety, their minds feel calmer and they are able to challenge their anxious thoughts so that they can do the things that they want to do. My clients often express gratitude that they’re more in control of their lives, enjoying more freedom, healthier relationships and more fulfilment in life.

If you’re reading this blog, because anxiety is something you’re experiencing right now, remember, you’re not alone in this journey. Reach out, seek help, and take steps toward managing anxiety effectively. Your wellbeing is important and psychotherapy can help you on your journey to healing.

If you would like to know more about how I can help you in managing your anxiety, please contact me at mary@marymulherin.com to arrange a free 30 minute consultation. I offer face to face work in Tottenham, North London and I also work online with people in the UK and overseas.

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