Anxiety
Patients with anxiety disorders of all types can receive the help they need at Your Health Hub. Our team includes Clinical Psychologists, Hypnotherapists, Life Coaches and a Functional Women’s Health Nurse, all of whom can have a role to play, dependent upon the type and severity of the disorder experienced.
We all feel stressed and worried sometimes, but anxiety is much more than this, with anxious feelings persisting, even when the stressful situation has passed and making it hard to cope with normal, everyday life.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in Australia. More than two million Australians suffer from this problem in any one-year period – and it affects one in three women and one in five men at some time in their lives.
The good news is that although this is a common problem, the sooner a patient starts to get the right help, the more likely they are to recover. If anxiety has become a problem for you or a family member, call Your Health Hub now on 03 6122 0150 to arrange an initial appointment and to find out more about the range of treatment options available from our multi-disciplinary team.
Common Causes of Anxiety
While there is no single reason why a person might develop an anxiety disorder, common causes include:
Stressful Life Events – bereavement, stress at work, moving home, abuse or trauma, relationship problems, pregnancy and childbirth are probably the main ones but any traumatic event can be a trigger.
Chronic Illness – there are several chronic conditions that are associated with anxious feelings, including, high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma and diabetes. It is very important to get a correct diagnosis if you believe you are suffering from an anxiety disorder as some physical health problems such as an overactive thyroid, for example, can produce similar symptoms.
Other Mental Health Problems – Some patients may experience more than one anxiety disorder or experience other mental health problems such as depression at the same time. Our Clinical Psychologists are skilled in making a diagnosis and ensuring that patients get the correct help.
Substance Use – Alcohol and, in some cases, drugs may be used by some patients as a coping mechanism for anxiety. This can make things worse as a dependency on alcohol or drugs can develop. We can help.
Different Types of Anxiety Disorder
Most people with anxiety have more than one type of disorder and may also, be suffering from depression. The six most common disorders are:
Generalised anxiety disorder or GAD – when a person feels anxious most of the time and worries about most things and the problem has gone on for six months or longer.
Obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD – when a person uses specific, repeated behaviours to overcome the thoughts and fears causing their anxiety.
Panic disorder – when a person suffers intense feelings of anxiety, often accompanied by chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath and other physical symptoms that can be so severe that a patient feels like they are dying.
Phobias – when a person is very frightened about a specific thing; for example, this could be a fear of spiders, Dentists or travelling by plane and patients will go to great lengths to avoid their ‘trigger’.
Social Anxiety disorder – when a person has an overwhelming and unreasonable fear of social situations
Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD – occurs after being involved in a traumatic event such as a car accident, having their home burgled, or serving in the Military forces. Patients experience symptoms including flashbacks, nightmares and find it difficult to relax.
Everyone is different and if you feel overwhelmed by anxiety it may be hard to identify for yourself, what is causing the problem. Your symptoms may not resolve by themselves and can, if left untreated, begin to dominate your whole life. However, by identifying the signs and symptoms, you have taken the first step to getting the advice, help and support you need at Your Health Hub.