“Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strengths.” Charles H. Spurgeon

“Panic is a sudden desertion of us, and a going over to the enemy of our imagination”Christian Nevell Bovee

In Australia anxiety is the most common mental health challenge. About 14% of Australian’s in any one year will experience some form of anxiety disorder. Women are more likely then men to experience anxiety – 18% compared to 11%. For young people aged between 18-24 one in every 10 are impacted on by anxiety. It’s also worth noting that depression and substance use problems commonly occur alongside anxiety difficulties.

Anxiety is described as persistent and excessive worry, apprehension or fear about life situations. It is normal to experience these feelings in particular contexts such as a job interview or public speaking. At such times most people have the capacity to manage these emotions and complete the task at hand. For some people however, anxiety can become more debilitating where its impact affects day to day living. This can range from mild anxiety which intrude in a person’s life with a persistent and vague unease to much more crippling manifestation where anxiety is experienced with panic symptoms.

Clinical mental health characterise anxiety into a number of different disorders. These are:

Generalised Anxiety Disorder where there is a chronic and persistent worry and fear about life situations that seem disproportionate to the actual event. There is usually no apparent or logical reason for the inordinate amount of fear or worry that occurs. These fears and worries interfere with daily activity such as work, school and social engagements.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurs when an individual has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event that results in harm such as assault, serious accidents, witnessing others being harmed or seeing the death of another. PTSD usually involves re-experiencing the event through flashbacks, which can result in avoiding people, places and events that trigger the anxiety.  

Social Anxiety Disorder as the name suggests impacts on people in social situations where anxiety is generated through fear of being judged by others or there is acute embarrassment when in public places out of fear of doing some kind of impulsive behaviour. This anxiety causes people to avoid public places and social situations resulting in normal life being curtailed.

Panic Disorder is characterised by intense anxiety that leads to panic attacks that have strong physiological responses such as shortness of breath, heart palpitations, sweating, dizziness and disorientated thinking. Panic attacks can occur in particular situations or for no apparent reason with rapid onset of symptoms that peak after 10 minutes. 

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that describes a person who experiences thoughts or actions that are repetitive, distressing, and intrusive. This could be repetitive washing of hands or a need to read all the road signs or placing everything in certain positions or rechecking door locks. People with OCD usually understand that their behaviours are irrational but these behaviours are ways to cope with not feeling safe.

If you unfortunately find yourself experiencing anxiety and would like to seek support and assistance then please call one of our therapists.

May this day find you well 

Counselling and Psychotherapy Team

Attachment theory, which has been around for a number of decades, articulates the importance of bonding between babies and the primary care givers. Due to the vulnerability of a child in respect to its reliance on its needs being met by the care givers a secure attachment is created when the care givers are adequately attuned to meet the child’s needs. When a child feels distressed the care givers provide safety; if the child becomes ill then they are cared for; when they are hungry or thirsty, warm or cold these needs are also met. In essence, the child, through being cared for, cultivates a secure base which is internalised to provide a platform for other developmental capacities to evolve. 

A secure attachment has been shown to be an indicator for positive self esteem, better outcomes at school, greater capacity for independence and social interactions. Having a secure attachment has also been shown to promote a lower prevalence to depression and anxiety. John Bowlby, the originator of this theory on attachment, has argued that a secure attachment is responsible for shaping all future relationships; supporting our capacity to focus; our ability to self sooth and calm ourselves down; provide awareness about our feelings and our capacity to bounce back from misfortune. 

Conversely if the caregiver is insensitive to the child’s needs or is neglectful then an insecure attachment develops that has later consequences in future relationships; how they view the world and their place in it; producing problems such as anti-social behaviour, aggression and poor handling of stress. Where neglect is profound the consequences can be massive such as mental health challenges, personality disorders and substance abuse. One researcher proposed that the relationship between a person using drugs and the drug itself mirrors the security and satisfaction needs similar to those that an infant experiences with their mother. It could be argued that where babies are significantly neglected then the insecure attachment that develops is countered by the  pleasure, security and rewards that are the effects of substance use.   

This can be backed up by the research into neuro chemicals. The primary bonding hormone is oxytocin which promotes the connecting patterns between the child and the caregivers, primarily the mother. Other bonding neuro chemicals are opioids, which are natural morphine like chemicals produced between parent and child, especially during touch. These opioids produce feelings of elation between the baby and the care giver which enhance bonding. Opioids also provide pain relief which are released when the infant is experiencing either physical or emotional discomfort as they are comforted by the care giver. Another interesting aspect for babies experiencing the happy effects of opioids occurs when they are separated form their care giver, the opiod levels decrease causing some distress both physically and emotional similar to heroin withdrawal. However, alternate behaviours counter their discomfort such as babies sucking their thumb to self sooth. From a psychotherapy perspective a person with challenges due to the consequences of an insecure attachment are not fixed into being a certain way ad infinitum. How  we make contact with others and the world around us can change when awareness is focused on ways of being that don’t serve us. By bringing our attention onto other possibilities and then experiment with alternate behaviours different outcomes can be achieved. This allows new frontiers of experience to become part of our lives which in turn allows a different choice to be made according to the circumstances. For example, an angry or aggressive person maybe using these emotions as a defence because their care givers weren’t adequate in their response to their needs as a child. This anger may cover a deep hurt and sense of rejection which is hidden by pushing people away because their core belief is that their needs wont get met. From a therapeutic space by exploring the anger and aggression and providing a safe space to feel the hurt and pain of rejection this can allow the possibility that their needs can be met, which in turn facilitates a new response.  May this day find you well  Counselling and Psychotherapy team