Anxiety
Anxiety is a general term that is often considered a normal reaction to some stressful event or situation. Under ideal circumstances, anxiety should help individuals function better. For example, anxiety might help us study for exams, perform well on the job, and be protective parents. However, sometimes anxiety is experienced in extreme or when there appears to be no external justification for it. When this occurs, anxiety has a detrimental effect on our daily functioning. Symptoms may include intense worry, fear, nervousness, the inability to relax, difficulty concentrating, tension, fear of losing control, and confusion. Anxiety may also result from avoiding feelings or keeping emotions 'bottled up' inside. This is not to say that we should be showing all of our emotions all of the time and let every emotion out as we feel it; experiencing and expressing emotions are two very different things. Research suggests that the healthiest people are those of us who experience our emotions at appropriate levels (not too little and not too much) and show or express our emotions when it is healthy to do so. This process of healthy emotional expression involves emotional regulation. If we do not properly regulate emotions, then they may get suppressed, which may result in anxiety. In therapy, my aim is to help clients experience and express emotions within a healthy range, both in the session and in “real life.” It is often the case that doing so allows clients to become free from the grip of anxiety.
In my Halifax based psychology practice, I offer therapy services for individuals experiencing symptoms of stress, anxiety, panic attacks, fears or phobias. Please contact our office for more information.