How a Psychologist Can Help You Manage Anxiety

Did you know that anxiety disorders affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, making them the most common mental health issue?

Everyone feels anxious from time to time, but for people with anxiety disorders, fear and worry can become overwhelming and constant. These intense feelings often come with physical tension and other symptoms that impact behaviour and thinking.

Psychologists play a crucial role in helping individuals manage their anxiety by understanding these disorders, providing effective treatments, and teaching useful coping strategies.

Understanding Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders encompass a range of conditions, each with unique characteristics:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Constant and excessive worry about everyday activities or events.

• Panic Disorder: Sudden panic attacks and a fear of persistent panic attacks.

• Social Anxiety Disorder: Intense fear and worry about social situations, fearing embarrassment, humiliation, or rejection.

• Agoraphobia: Excessive fear and avoidance of situations where one might panic or feel trapped, helpless, or embarrassed.

• Separation Anxiety Disorder: Excessive fear or worry about being away from people one is very close to.

• Specific Phobias: Strong, irrational fears of specific things or situations, leading to significant avoidance and distress.

• Selective Mutism: Consistent inability to speak in certain social situations, despite being able to speak comfortably in others.

Treatment Methods for Anxiety

Psychologists use a range of methods to treat anxiety. They will spend time getting to know your unique situation and work with you to find the best ways to improve your anxiety over several sessions. Their methods will be based on how your anxiety began, what triggers it, and how it impacts your life. Some common approaches include:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of short-term therapy that helps people understand how their thoughts influence their feelings and actions. CBT includes a number of strategies to manage anxiety:

• Psychoeducation: Learning about anxiety and how to monitor your symptoms.

• Cognitive Restructuring: Challenging negative thoughts and developing more helpful thinking patterns.

• Problem-Solving: Talking through and tackling daily problems to build confidence and reduce anxiety.

• Exposure Therapy: Gradually facing specific fears to reduce the anxious response over time.

• Relaxation Techniques: Practices like mindfulness, meditation, or muscle relaxation to reduce anxiety.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT helps people recognize and accept their feelings instead of trying to ignore or fight them. You will learn that emotions are normal responses to life's ups and downs and that these feelings shouldn't stop you from achieving your goals. By understanding this, you can accept your struggles and commit to personal growth, finding resilience to make positive changes in your life.

Coping Mechanisms for Anxiety

Psychologists teach people different ways to cope with anxiety in their everyday lives:

Relaxation and Thinking Strategies

• Deep breathing: Taking a moment to breathe deeply can help your body relax and let go of stress. 

• Thought journaling: Writing down what makes you anxious can help you recognize patterns and triggers. 

• Positive self-talk: Speaking to yourself in a kind manner and being less critical of yourself can lift your spirits.

Lifestyle Changes

Psychologists can also assist you with making some changes in your routine to help reduce anxiety: 

• Getting regular exercise 

• Cutting back on alcohol and caffeine 

• Setting aside time for activities you enjoy 

• Improving time management

• Prioritizing sleep and creating a good sleep routine

Anxiety can be overwhelming, but with the help of a psychologist, you can learn to manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life. Through various treatment methods, understanding different anxiety disorders, and employing effective coping mechanisms, psychologists provide valuable support to those struggling with anxiety. If you or someone you know is dealing with anxiety, seeking help from a qualified psychologist can be a crucial step toward recovery.

Don't let anxiety control your life. Reach out to our experienced psychologists at PsychWest today to start your journey toward recovery.

How Anxiety Impacts Relationships

Anxiety is more than just a personal struggle; it can significantly influence the way one perceives, builds and maintains social connections. Whether the relationship is familial, romantic or platonic, anxiety can add many challenges to relationships.

Social Anxiety in Relationships

Many people who experience social anxiety struggle to initiate social interactions and form relationships. It can be hard to know how to act around unfamiliar people, which may lead some individuals to avoid social gatherings or to feel uncomfortable while participating. Anxiety can also heighten sensitivity to judgement and rejection by others, further decreasing confidence and leading one to engage in behaviours that reinforce their fears. For example, an individual with social anxiety might make a first impression of being aloof or disinterested, leading others to distance themselves. This misunderstanding reinforces the anxious individual's belief that others are avoiding them, increasing feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Separation Anxiety in Relationships

Separation anxiety isn't just for children; adults can also struggle with intense anxiety when faced with separation from loved ones. In children, separation anxiety often presents when the anxious individual refuses school or sleepovers with friends, and both children and adults with separation anxiety often excessively worry about the well-being of family members.  Adults may appear overprotective and reluctant to give space to their loved ones who need time alone. While familial bonds are often strong, the constant need for reassurance and proximity can create tension and a barrier to independence.

Anxious Attachment in Relationships

Anxious attachment style, characterized by a fear of abandonment and a constant need for reassurance, can overshadow romantic and platonic friendships. When individuals exhibit clingy behaviour, constantly seeking validation and attention from their friends or partners this may strain the relationship and cause loved ones to feel suffocated. For both parties, this can decrease the satisfaction that comes with spending time with each other. While socialising, the anxious individual may be unable to focus and be present in the interaction and the other individual may have difficulty asserting their personal boundaries relating to space due to negative past experiences with the anxious individual.

How to Manage Anxiety

While anxiety can undoubtedly present challenges in relationships, it's essential to remember that it doesn't have to be in control. Open communication, empathy and understanding can help to navigate the complexities that anxiety brings to the table. Encouraging therapy or seeking support from mental health professionals can also provide individuals with the tools they need to manage their anxiety and cultivate healthier, more fulfilling relationships. One may also wish to engage more in their passions and hobbies to occupy their time and give them something to share with the people around them.

Anxiety is strong emotion that has the power to influence relationships. By acknowledging its presence and taking proactive steps to address it, individuals can work towards fostering stronger, more resilient connections with their romantic partners, family members, and friends.

If you’re struggling with anxiety and are seeking support, get in touch with our experienced Perth psychologists today.

How Depression Affects the Brain

Depression (Major Depressive Disorder) is a common and serious mood disorder that negatively affects the way someone feels, thinks and behaves. While we all get a case of the blues or feel sad or moody from time to time, depression isn’t something that can be easily snapped out of. People with depression experience these feelings intensely, sometimes without apparent reason, for weeks, months or even years.

Why Depression Happens

Depression is a complex disease that has many possible causes, and the cause can be different for each individual. Often, there are a range of contributing factors. These can include (but are not limited to):

• Brain chemistry and biochemical factors

• Genetics and family history

• Personality

• Stress or trauma

• Illness

• Ageing

• Life changes, such as the postnatal period or pregnancy

Every person is unique, and while one of these factors may contribute to one person developing depression, it may not have the same effect on another. We all respond differently to psychological triggers.

Depression is not a sign of weakness or an issue that’s ‘all in your mind’ – it is a serious mood disorder that should be taken seriously and treated with appropriate support.

How Depression Feels

As a mood disorder, depression primarily impacts our feelings and emotions. It can feel like you are sad all of the time, which can also show up as emptiness, hopelessness or tearfulness. There are also often feelings of worthlessness, including fixation on past failures or self-blame. Feelings of apathy are common, which can result in a loss of interest in things that once interested you and social withdrawal. Irritability, frustration, reduced motivation and lack of energy or fatigue are also common with depression.

Physical changes and sensations can also be felt in the body as a result of depression. Sleep disturbances, weight changes, trouble concentrating or remembering things, slowed speech or unexplained physical problems like headaches, stomach aches and back pain are common.

Why Depression Makes You Tired

Tiredness or lack of energy are common symptoms of depression, with some severe sufferers unable to even get out of bed. As experienced psychologists, we are often asked why depression makes you tired. Neurotransmitters in your brain such as dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin play important roles in regulating energy levels, sleep and motivation (amongst other things), so changes in these that can come along with depression can impact your energy levels and cause fatigue.

How Depression Affects the Brain

It’s commonly said that depression is the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain, but, as above, this is only one part of the disease. It’s not as simple as one chemical being too high or another being too low.

As well as changes in the brain resulting in depression, depression can actually physically change the brain itself.

This can include changing the size of different areas of the brain by impacting the amount of grey matter. Studies have shown this in the hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory, and in the prefrontal cortex, which plays a part in high-level thinking and planning.

People who have major depression episodes have also shown brain inflammation, although it’s unclear whether the depression or the inflammation comes first. Uncontrolled brain inflammation can cause thinking problems, hurt or kill brain cells and prevent new brain cells from growing.

Are Depression and Anxiety Comorbid?

In Australia, one in 7 people will experience depression in their lifetime and one in 4 people will experience an anxiety disorder. The commonness of these mental health conditions begs the question of whether anxiety and depression are regularly comorbid amongst Australians, and the answer is yes.

One of the most common comorbidities with depression are anxiety disorders, and some estimates show that 60% of those with anxiety will also have symptoms of depression. Sometimes, anxiety can occur as a symptom of clinical depression, and depression can also be triggered by having an anxiety disorder.

This doesn’t mean that everyone who experiences depression will also experience anxiety, but they are experienced together by many people. 

If you are struggling with depression, the Perth psychologists at Psychwest are here to help. We provide therapies that are suitable for treating depression such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and our experienced psychologists will work with you to determine the best course of action for you as an individual. Book your appointment now.

Does Seeing a Psychologist Help with Anxiety?

Experiencing persistent anxiety can feel scary, isolating and can negatively impact your life, however you don’t need to go through it alone. There are anxiety treatments available from professionals such as psychologists, and there are things that you can do in the comfort of your own home to cope with anxiety.

Before we dive in to the various ways you can receive support for anxiety, you may be wondering about the difference between general anxiety that everyone experiences occasionally and anxiety disorder.

What is Anxiety Disorder? 

The most common mental health disorders in Australia are currently Anxiety Disorders including Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, PTSD, Social Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Anxiety disorders are characterised by excessive, uncontrollable and often irrational anticipation of future threats which causes impairment in functioning.

It’s normal to experience some anxiety, and in some cases, it can be helpful. For example, feeling anxious before a big presentation at work can improve your performance and make you more alert. Sometimes, feeling anxious about a situation is a sign that we care. 

Anxiety becomes a disorder when it's excessive, irrational and when it interferes with your ability to cope in daily life. Approximately 25% of Australians will experience an anxiety disorder that warrants treatment at some point within their life, so if this is you, you are not alone. You may manage to cope with your anxiety fairly well and live a normal life, but if it’s causing you significant distress then it is important to seek treatment.

Can Psychologists Help with Anxiety?

Seeing a psychologist is one of the best ways to manage or overcome an anxiety disorder. Initially, a psychologist can make the initial diagnosis of your anxiety disorder, then they can work with you to find the treatment that works best for your individual needs, as everyone is different and anxiety can affect people in different ways.

Often, a psychologist will work with you to identify the unhelpful thought patterns that are making you feel more anxious, encourage you to do activities that boost your sense of satisfaction and focus on behaviour patterns that need to be addressed to reduce anxiety.

Treatment for Anxiety

The two main treatments for anxiety are psychotherapy (which can be provided by a psychologist) and medication.

We suggest psychotherapy is undertaken before going on medication, as not everyone who is suffering from anxiety requires medication. Sometimes, therapy can resolve the issue or reduce your anxiety to a manageable state where it is not affecting your ability to cope or causing you significant distress.

In therapy, a psychologist can work with you to reduce your anxiety symptoms. One of the anxiety treatments used by psychologists, including at Psychwest, is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT is an effective therapeutic approach for anxiety as it involves challenging the irrational and negative thoughts that often lead to distress or unwanted, dysfunctional behaviours. These negative automatic thought patterns can be disrupted and replaced with more helpful ways of thinking, which can assist you to learn better ways of coping and relieve your mental health symptoms.

Sometimes, a combination of psychotherapy and medication is required to alleviate anxiety symptoms and help you to live a normal life. Psychologists cannot prescribe medication – this will usually be prescribed by your GP in Australia.

At Home Coping Mechanisms for Anxiety

If you are waiting to see a psychologist and looking for a way to cope with your anxiety symptoms prior to your sessions, try one or more of these strategies:

• Slow, deep breathing

• Progressive muscle relaxation

• Bring yourself back to the present moment with mindfulness or grounding techniques

• Plan worry time

• Practice self-compassion

If you’re looking for an anxiety therapist in Perth, our Midland psychologists at Psychwest are here to help. Get in touch now so that we can find the best psychologist for your needs.

What Mental Health Disorders Are There?

What is a mental health disorder?

A mental health disorder is a wide range of conditions that affect mood/emotions, thinking or behaviour to a significant clinical level.

How common are mental health disorders?

According to the National Health Survey 2021 (ABS) around 1 in 5 Australian adults experience a mental illness every year. Around 45% of Australian adults will experience some type of mental illness at some point in their life.

Most Commonly Diagnosed Mental Disorders in Australia

Anxiety Disorders

The most common mental health disorders in Australia are currently Anxiety Disorders including Panic disorder, Agoraphobia, Generalised anxiety disorder, PTSD, Social Anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Anxiety disorders are characterised by excessive, uncontrollable and often irrational anticipation of future threats which causes impairment in functioning.

Some common symptoms of anxiety disorders include:

• Restlessness

• Irritability

• Fatigue

• Increased heart rate

• Difficulty relaxing

• Chest pain

• Worry

Affective Disorders (or Mood Disorders)

The second most common cluster of mental disorders in Australia are affective or mood disorders. These include Major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, Seasonal affective disorder and Bi-polar disorder. A mood disorder is characterised by a distorted emotional state that impacts on daily functioning.

Common symptoms include:

• Low, empty or irritable mood (times of euphoria if Bi-polar)

• Insomnia

• Fatigue

• Loss of pleasure

• Weight changes

• Suicidal ideation

Substance Use Disorders

This is the third most common type of mental disorder in Australia. It is a stand-alone disorder with a continuum from mild to severe and encompasses any/all types of substances including alcohol. It is characterised by the persistent use of drugs/alcohol despite harm and adverse consequences.

Symptoms include:

• Dependence

• Withdrawal

• Cravings

• Tolerance

• Impaired functioning

Other Mental Health Disorders

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Neurodevelopmental disorders are disorders of early brain development characterised by difficulties with cognition, learning, behaviour, communication and more. Some examples are Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and dyslexia. Symptoms are present from early childhood and are wide and varied.

Psychotic Disorders

These are characterised by abnormal patterns of thinking and perception or a disconnection from reality. Some examples include Schizophrenia, Delusional disorder, Brief Psychotic Disorder and schizoaffective disorder. Common symptoms include hallucinations and/or delusions.

Feeding and Eating Disorders

These are mental health conditions that involve a complex and problematic relationship with food, exercise, eating and/or body image. For example, Binge eating disorder, Bulimia and Anorexia Nervosa. Some common symptoms include fixation on food, alterations in weight, preoccupation with body image, disruption in eating patterns, mood fluctuations, social withdrawal, behaviours that lead to weight loss.

Personality Disorders

These are characterised by rigid and unhealthy patterns of thinking, functioning and behaving. Some examples include Borderline Personality Disorder, Antisocial personality disorder, Schizoid Personality Disorder and Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Symptoms vary widely but commonly cause significant problems and limitations in relationships, social activities, work and school.

Please note: this list is not exhaustive. If you are concerned about some of your own mental health symptoms, you can reach out to a Psychologist at Psychwest to discuss.

­­When Mental Health Affects Physical Health

Your physical and mental health are closely related in many ways. Both good and poor mental health can affect your physical health. Similarly, both good and poor physical health can affect your mental health.

People with mental health conditions often have more difficulty and are more prone to health limiting behaviours (behaviours that can lead to poor physical health) such as smoking, alcohol and other substance misuse, difficulty seeking medical care and taking prescription medication or getting enough exercise.

Depression and Your Physical Health

Studies have shown that depression and the following health conditions are closely linked: diabetes, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease and arthritis. Furthermore, studies have found that those suffering from cancer and heart disease have a higher mortality rate if they are also experiencing depression or other mental disorders. It has not yet been established how or why these are linked, but some theories point to overall inflammation in the body increasing the likelihood of all the above disorders to co-occur. In addition, the impact of stress associated with having a chronic illness may contribute to increases in mental health disorders. 

Sleep and Your Health

Adequate sleep is integral to good mental and physical health. Sleep difficulties are a common symptom of many mental health conditions. Studies have shown that insomnia can lead to increased obesity and subsequent health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. On the other hand, some physical health conditions can make sleep difficult which can then lead to and/or exacerbate mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

Somatic Symptom Disorder

Somatic Symptom Disorder is a good example of the complex relationship between physical and mental health. Somatic Symptom Disorder is when someone has an extreme focus on physical symptoms, such as pain or fatigue, which leads to significant distress and dysfunction. The symptoms are real and not imagined, but it’s the excessive focus on the symptoms that causes emotional disturbance and becomes often the single focus of the individual leading to poor quality of life.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are another example of the complex relationship between physical and mental health. Anorexia Nervosa is technically classified as a mental disorder, however has severe and life threating physical symptoms including chronic loss of weight, osteoporosis, water-electrolyte balance, loss of menstruation and heart arrhythmias. It is the most common cause of death amongst all the mental disorders. Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder also leas to severe physical health conditions including gastrointestinal issues, dental issues, menstrual issues and more.

Exercise and Mental Health

The benefits of exercise on physical health is well established in reducing risk of illness such as heart and lung disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, cancer, dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. There are also significant mental health benefits. When exercising, chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin (the feel-good chemicals) are released in the body. Blood is pumped to the brain increasing clarity of thought, memory and protecting against injury and disease. Exercising regularly has been found to reduce stress and symptoms of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. It also has been found to improve sleep, which in turn has a positive effect on mental health.

How Psychologists Can Help

Psychologists will often assess your overall lifestyle and point out health limiting behaviours that may be impacting on your mental health. They will then support and guide you into making positive steps towards change. They can also offer support and intervention for managing and dealing with chronic health conditions reducing the overall burden of stress.

How PsychWest Can Help

We have several clinicians with experience helping those suffering from chronic health conditions, depression, anxiety, eating disorders and somatic symptom disorders. If this is something you are struggling with, you can find more info about our services here.

How Anxiety Affects Your Body

“What does anxiety feel like?”

“How do I know that what I am experiencing is anxiety or something else?”

As psychologists, these are questions that we often hear.

Anxiety shows up in many ways.  

It can show up in your thoughts as consistent and persistent worrying, unwanted automatic thoughts or spiralling/racing or intrusive thoughts, difficulty concentrating, and forgetfulness.

It can show up in your emotions as fear, disgust, panic, terror, dread, and anger.

It can show up in your behaviour as avoidance, checking, busyness, restlessness, and safety behaviours.

And most commonly it can show up in your body physically through racing heart, palpitations, breathlessness, muscle tension, shaking, trembling, twitching, sweating, flushing, pain (chronic or acute), tingling, tightness, stiffness, light-headedness, stomach ache (nausea, diarrhoea or constipation), weight loss or gain, frequent illness (colds/flus), insomnia and fatigue.

The physical effects of anxiety can be felt daily, and sometimes they can escalate into what is called a panic attack. A panic attack is a sudden, brief but intense onset of any of the above physical symptoms together with a feeling of impending doom, or feeling like you are about to die. These feelings can be scary, but don’t cause any harm.

Anxiety is a normal and necessary part of human functioning. As humans, we are wired to experience anxiety. It is the alarm system in our body, designed to engage all of our energy and attention to fight off threats. Every single person experiences anxiety symptoms in some form or another. It can often be adaptive: helping someone pass a difficult exam, run away from an angry dog, win a sports game or help in an emergency etc.

Anxiety can be a compass for when something doesn’t feel quite right in our lives. Often, anxiety can spike for no apparent reason- this is also normal. Our alarm system was developed millions of years ago when we had to fight off lions and bears and hunt for our food. It has not caught up to our modern world, and so it can be activated easily through minor threats and inconveniences.

People often report the most distressing parts of anxiety are the physical effects of anxiety. The positive about this, is that this is often the easiest part to treat or relieve.

How to relieve physical symptoms of anxiety quickly

• Deep belly breathing for 10 counts (see demonstration here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB3tSaiEbNY)

• Moderate paced 30-minute walk through nature (if possible)

• Ice pack to the chest for 10 minutes

• Cold splash of water to the face

• Grounding exercises (count down from 100, progressive muscle relaxation, 5,4,3,2,1 technique)

• Short guided visualisation (you can find many for free on Youtube)

• Take your shoes off and walk through grass or natural ground

• Yoga stretches for relaxation

When anxiety goes haywire

Normal anxiety can also develop into an anxiety disorder. This is when the threat system goes a bit haywire and becomes hyper vigilant, setting off frequently and consistently over a long period of time, to the point that it causes significant distress and dysfunction in someone.

What makes you more at risk of developing an anxiety disorder?

• Genetic disposition: parents or siblings with anxiety

• Trauma: the more high stress past events you have experienced the more likely to develop an anxiety disorder

• Depression: if you already have depression you are more likely to develop anxiety

• Constant stress: consistently stressful environments or multiple stressful events piling up

• Personality: some personality types are more prone to anxiety disorders (shyness, rigidness, sensitivity to criticism, fixation)

• Substance abuse: you are more likely to develop an anxiety disorder if you engage in drug or alcohol abuse

• Social isolation: consistent loneliness can lead to increased risk of an anxiety disorder

• Physical health conditions: some physical health conditions can lead to an anxiety disorder, or produce symptoms similar to an anxiety disorder.

What are the different types of anxiety disorders?

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

• Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

• Panic Disorder

• Specific Phobias

• Separation Anxiety

• Medication-Induced anxiety disorder

• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Agoraphobia

What to do if you are struggling with anxiety:

Speak with a healthcare professional, your GP or Psychologist. There are many effective treatment options available.

Many of the Psychologists at PsychWest have significant experience working with anxiety and anxiety disorders. Make an enquiry today.