Signs of Anxiety

Each month, as many as 71,000 people in the UK type ‘signs of anxiety’ into google. The message is clear – Anxiety is a massive problem in the UK, and people are trying to diagnose the warning signs. But what next? Is there a cure for anxiety? Is anxiety treatable? How can I beat anxiety? If these are the questions you’re asking, the answer is yes, and I can help.

Symptoms of Anxiety

The symptoms of anxiety are many and varied. Some are obvious, while others are not

Are you struggling to get to sleep or waking up during the night? Find yourself waking up too early or find it difficult to wake up and, or still feel tired? Sleep problems can be a sign of anxiety and stress. Other signs of stress and anxiety include being irritable or moody, forgetting things, feeling isolated or overwhelmed. Some signs of anxiety are physical. An increased heart rate, breathlessness or heavy breathing are all physical signs you could be experiencing anxiety and, or stress.

If you are feeling any of these signs of anxiety, you could be suffering from anxiety

How does anxiety affect us?

Stress and anxiety affect how we interact with others and, just as importantly, how they interact with us. Our anxiety doesn’t just harm our own well-being; it also affects those around us negatively too. So, if left untreated, anxiety’s ill effects can be far-reaching indeed.

The effect anxiety has on our brains?

Anxiety increases the neural connections in the part of our brain responsible for our fear response (the Amygdala). These increased connections cause us to be more sensitive to trigger situations. In short, our fear response becomes hypersensitive and over reactive. The slightest thing becomes a perceived threat, and we can more quickly become overwhelmed.

Too much stress causes cortisol levels to rise, so the signals in the part of our brain associated with learning and memory (the hippocampus) start to deteriorate, weakening our ability to control stress. Cortisol also reduces the number of new brain cells being made, making it more difficult to learn and remember things.

Cortisol levels also cause a loss of synaptic connections, causing the brain and prefrontal cortex to shrink. Amongst other things, the prefrontal cortex regulates our concentration, decision making, judgement and social interactions.

Anxiety relief and hypnosis

There are many ways to combat anxiety and reverse the effects of cortisol on the brain. The most potent ways include exercise, spending time with friends and developing a more positive attitude.

Hypnotherapy can be incredibly effective with all forms of stress and anxiety. Hypnosis gives us access to the subconscious mind, allowing us to challenge and change unhelpful thought and behavioural patterns. Changing the way our brain processes anxiety triggering information, and building new, permanent neural connections is liberating and life-changing.

And the good news is…

Hypnotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for stress and anxiety and all symptoms made worse by its effects. Hypnosis is drug-free, is easy to induce and works quickly with an average of just eight sessions.

Get in touch if you’d like to know more about treating anxiety or to book an appointment