We all have the inbuilt capacity for ‘fight/freeze/flight’. From an evolutionary perspective, we relied on those inbuilt instincts in order to survive. However, as time has evolved, we have moved passed the hunter/gatherer instincts, in that our day-to-day needs have become more sophisticated. Sophisticated needs and modern society can exacerbate mental health conditions such as generalised anxiety. There are some general factors that are worthwhile to consider.
Societal pressures can contribute to feelings of stress and anxiety, as people feel the need to meet cultural or societal expectations, or norms. As such, I feel that there is a need to step outside of this thinking state in order to fulfil our true needs and to reach our full potentials. Ways of self-expression are unique to who we truly are and could be viewed as the gateway to self-fulfilment.
Generalised anxiety disorder Counselling in St. Albans is one of the primary topics that I concentrate on in my practice. For good reason. Anxiety is the body’s way of alerting us to the fact that something is fundamentally wrong and that our well-being is being minimalised and/or neglected. For various reasons.
Some of these factors may include:
- You are feeling under lots of pressure
- Big milestones in your life feel overwhelming
- Constantly worrying about certain factors in your life
- Feeling that your situation is out of control
- Limited in your core beliefs
- Too many responsibilities
- Under stimulated (perpetual boredom) or over stimulated (stress) in your day to day living
- Breakdown of communications in your interpersonal relationships
- Money problems
- Problems with how you identify with yourself and others
The above list is not exhaustive. For example, unconscious memories of our childhood upbringing and the ways in which we have had to navigate ourselves could have resulted in negative core beliefs. These inbuilt psychological factors can still be motivating factors in our lives, but we choose to believe that “it’s all in the past” and they are not worth exploring. This way of thinking could lead to a myriad of wrong turns being taken in our lives and the inevitable consequences.
Another factor that may exacerbate generalised anxiety and correlated low mood is the need for modern day quick turnarounds. Multifaceted social media apps that are available at a tap of a finger and their various algorithms can lead to an ever-increasing need for stimulating information that encourages us to embark on a labyrinth of confusing choices. A psychological term known as ‘delayed gratification’ or ‘patience is a virtue’ seem to be distant echoes of the past. In that, people seem to want quick fixes.
Within my 23 years of treating generalised anxiety disorder counselling in St. Albans the only clear-cut and concise way of truly healing stress, anxiety and low mood is that of seeking professional counselling and psychotherapy.
If you feel that you could benefit from professional counselling and psychotherapy when considering how to heal your individual anxieties, please contact me at Penny Glazebrook Counselling and Psychotherapy today and make a true difference to your everyday lives.
