Anxiety
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal emotion that everyone experiences. It’s our body’s natural response to stress or danger – often called the “fight or flight” response. It can help keep us alert and focused. But when anxiety becomes overwhelming or constant, it can interfere with daily life.
Common Signs of Anxiety:
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Physical symptoms :
Racing heart, sweating, tension, dizziness, upset stomach -
Thoughts :
constant worry, “what if” thinking, catastrophizing -
Feelings :
fear, dread, irritability, restlessness -
Behaviours :
avoiding situations, seeking reassurance, difficulty concentrating
Anxiety often shows up when we overestimate a threat and underestimate our ability to cope. It can be triggered by specific events, stressful life changes, or sometimes, it can appear without a clear reason.
How CBT Helps with Anxiety
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is a structured, evidence-based approach that helps you:
- Identify unhelpful thoughts that contribute to anxiety
- Challenge and reframe those thoughts with more balanced thinking
- Reduce avoidance and gradually face feared situations
- Build coping strategies like relaxation, breathing techniques, and problem-solving
Useful Metaphor – The Anxiety Alarm System
Think of anxiety like a smoke alarm. It’s there to protect you – but sometimes it goes off when there’s no real danger. CBT helps you learn when to trust the alarm and when to reset it.
Processing the Physical Sensations of Anxiety
Why Do We Feel Anxiety in the Body?
Anxiety activates the fight-flight-freeze system. This is your body’s alarm system, preparing you to respond to danger – even if there’s no real threat.
Common sensations include:
-
Racing heart :
pumping blood to muscles so you can move fast -
Shortness of breath :
getting more oxygen -
Tight chest or muscles :
getting ready for action
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Butterflies or nausea :
digestion slows down to save energy -
Dizziness or light-headedness :
changes in breathing and blood flow
Understanding vs Fighting the Sensations
The more we fear these feelings, the more intense they can become. CBT helps by learning to observe and accept these sensations without reacting to them as danger.
The Wave Metaphor
Think of anxiety like a wave. If you try to fight the wave, you get knocked over. If you float with it, it passes more easily. Sensations rise and fall – they don’t last forever.