Everyone feels anxious from time to time. However, women experience anxiety more often than others. If your anxious feelings do not disappear after a stressful situation has passed, occurs for no particular reason or even makes coping in your daily life difficult you may be struggling with anxiety.
Defined as the reaction to stressors in your life; anxiety can be an unpleasant feeling of apprehension. Anxiety is a common experience for everyone; however, there are different ranges and types that women can experience.
What type of anxiety do I have?
Anxiety can be grouped into three categories:
- General – usually limited in time or connected to a specific stressful situation or event such as a job interview, getting married or giving a speech in public.
- High-functioning – a catch-all term that refers to people who live with anxiety but can function reasonably well in their work and family life.
- Anxiety disorders – including phobias, involve intense and excessive anxiety, usually accompanied by debilitating symptoms that prevent you from functioning in your daily life.
Symptoms of anxiety
While each anxiety disorder has its unique features, there are some common symptoms, including:
- Physical symptoms: sleep problems (can’t get to sleep or insomnia), panic attacks, hot and cold flashes, pounding heart, tightening of the chest, quick breathing, restlessness, feeling tense, wound up or edgy or feeling like vomiting.
- Psychological symptoms: fearful, nervous, worried, catastrophising, irritable, agitated or obsessive thinking.
- Behavioural symptoms: social isolation or avoidance of situations that make you anxious and a decreased ability to perform typical daily life activities.
Anxiety manifests itself differently in each person, so this list of symptoms is not exhaustive.
High-functioning anxiety
Anxiety may start in your childhood, later in life or begin due to a life change such as becoming a parent. It is important to note, anxiety ebbs and flows. However, if you experience anxiety frequently, yet appear to cope well with your daily responsibilities at work or in your home life, you may be suffering from high-functioning anxiety.
Often you may appear to cope well to an outside observer, however, internally you are struggling. The Happy Minds psychology team uses Positive Psychology to support and guide you to tackle your life’s challenges with grace and stamina.
Seek a compassionate Ocean Grove psychologist
The team at Happy Minds Psychology helps women to flourish by creating meaningful and sustainable positive change. Offering a range of psychological services to adults, with a particular focus on women’s health and frontline health workers, our psychologists help clients through their unique life transitions.
If you are experiencing anxious feelings, loss or trauma, or find your new reality challenging, our positive psychology treatments may be able to help.
Reach out to the team at Happy Minds Psychology on 0431 666 050 or fill out our contact form on our website to request a callback. Alternatively, you are welcome to email us on [email protected].
With an office located in Ocean Grove, the team at Happy Minds offers counselling sessions:
- via Telehealth for anyone across Australia, or
- face to face in our Bellarine Peninsula office.