Anxiety

Are you looking for personalised help with anxiety? Have you ever been faced with a task and had ‘butterflies’ in your stomach or sweaty palms?  Perhaps you’ve noticed your heart beat a bit faster?  These can be normal experiences when, for example, we feel under pressure to perform a demanding task, or if we are faced with a real danger. However for some people, these fear related feelings are experienced when there is nothing  specific to be fearful of. Sometimes the feelings of dread and worry don’t match the reality of the situation.  In addition to the physical responses, a person experiencing anxiety often has persistent negative and distressing thoughts (e.g., “what if something bad happens?”) and, in some cases, behaviours (e.g., repeatedly and excessively checking doors are locked) .  Sometimes it can feel like a merry-go-round when an anxious person starts feel anxious about feeling anxious!

Like depression, anxiety symptoms, and the severity of the symptoms, can vary from person to person. Typical signs include a dry mouth, shakiness and trembling, difficulty swallowing, tightness in the chest, and difficulty breathing without any physical exertion.  There are also different types, such as social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic disorder.

If you would like to take a simple ‘anxiety test’ to see if you might be experiencing symptoms, you can click on the links below.  Please note that the results of a quiz should not replace a proper assessment made by a health professional.

Beyondblue Anxiety and Depression Checklist
PsychCentral Anxiety Screening Quiz

Further information is available on our Resources page.

If you would like to talk with a professional, please make an appointment with one of our compassionate professionals. People taking anxiety medication (‘anxiolytics’) may also find that talking with a psychologist or counsellor can be beneficial. For assistance, please contact either Tess or Sarah.