ANXIETY
Although mild stress and anxiety can be treated or overcome via a similar range of therapies, the two differ in fundamental ways. Stress tends to have an external trigger, such as a work deadline; while anxiety tends to take the form of a worry that just won’t go away.
Where stress and anxiety overlap is in the symptoms that they cause – with the American Psychological Association (APA) listing “insomnia, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, muscle tension and irritability” as the main symptoms of both conditions.
It’s also worth noting that anxiety is a normal human emotion commonly experienced by children and adults alike – such as before an examination or presentation, or when an important or potentially life-altering decision needs to be made. If anxiety begins to affect your daily life it could be time to seek professional help.
Defined as a mental health disorder in which feelings of worry, anxiety or fear are severe enough to interrupt your normal daily routine, an anxiety disorder is generally treated with the use of psychotherapy, medication or both. Many healthcarers make use of a type of psychotherapy called cognitive behavioural therapy in their sessions with anxiety patients, as this type of therapy can assist in changing the thought patterns that lead to the feelings of anxiety. Others, however, may zone in on exposure therapy, especially if a patient’s anxiety has an external trigger such as heights, flying, spiders, travelling by airplane, and so on. During exposure therapy, a patient will be required to expose themselves to the anxiety-triggering object or situation – in a safe and controlled fashion – to help them overcome their phobia.
Below is a list of the most commonly experienced anxiety disorders, with a brief description next to each:
Agoraphobia – a crippling fear of wide open spaces, such that a patient may avoid any situation in which they would be faced, for example driving
Anxiety due to a medical condition – such as physical symptoms of anxiety caused by a tumour
Generalised anxiety disorder – characterised by persistent and excessive worry surrounding normal activities, such that a patient’s daily routine is affected
Substance-induced anxiety disorder – a patient experiences intense anxiety or fear due to the misuse of, or withdrawal from, drugs or medication
Panic disorder – repeated episodes of intense anxiety, accompanied by physical symptoms that bring about a feeling of impending doom; generally referred to as ‘panic attacks’
Social anxiety disorder – the experience of social situations as high-stress or intensely anxiety-provoking, such that the person would avoid going out or to a party
Specific phobias – the experience of significant anxiety when exposed to a specific object or situation, and an intense desire to avoid it which can result in panic attacks
The research that’s been conducted to date is encouragingly conclusive and includes:
1) a 2018 paper published in the Archives of Psychiatric Nursing (2018 Apr; 32(2): 278-284), entitled ‘Effects of Relaxation Therapy on Anxiety Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis’; and
2) another paper from the same year, published in PloS ONE 13(1): e0190231, entitled “The Effect Of Relaxation Techniques On Oedema, Anxiety And Depression In Post-mastectomy Lymphoedema Patients Undergoing Comprehensive Decongestive Therapy: A Clinical Trial’.
In the former study, relaxation therapy was found to be statistically significant in those wishing to overcome or manage their anxiety disorder – particularly because it is so beneficial in reducing the negative emotions and self-directed thoughts that can be particularly crippling among anxiety patients.
In the latter study, which sets out to assess the effect of relaxation techniques on levels of oedema, anxiety and depression in women undergoing Comprehensive Decongestive Therapy (CDT) following mastectomy, the results showed that patients who had received both CDT and relaxation therapies scored much lower incidences of oedema, anxiety and depression than those only receiving the CDT.
I encourage clients to discuss their anxieties and worries with me before we explore the benefits of a Deep Relaxation Therapy session. These sessions are favoured by those suffering from anxiety because it often results in a decrease in the severity of symptoms. New research shows that anxiety and chronic stress reduce the body’s ability to heal. By integrating three therapies in one treatment (deep listening, phased muscle relaxation and diaphragmatic breathing, a gentle and non-invasive energy healing therapy) I’ve created a highly effective approach that helps to break the cycle of anxiety, bodily symptoms and further raised cortisol and adrenaline, which keeps the sufferer trapped in a demoralising loop.