GENERAL ANXIETY DISORDER

Causes of General Anxiety Disorder:

This disorder may be caused by both biological and psychological factors. The presence of general anxiety disorder has previously been linked to abnormalities in a number of different brain chemicals, particularly those known to be associated with fear and emotional responses. Moreover, the symptoms of the disorder appear to worsen during periods of stress. Although some studies have reported that the disorder runs in families, others have not found this connection. Feelings of worry, dread, lack of energy, and a loss of interest in life are common. Many times there is no cause for these feelings of anxiety even though you may realise these feelings are irrational, the feelings are very real to you.

Normal life stresses appear to aggravate generalized anxiety. The person who typically performs well at work and achieves a sense of accomplishment from it, all of a sudden finds that work has become drudgery. If work is perceived as a negative environment, and the person no longer feels fulfilled, then considerable worry takes place over these situations. As a result, the anticipatory anxiety about going to work can become quite strong.

I will help you through a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy and hypnosis understand your current thought patterns. In particular, identify any harmful, unhelpful and ‘false’ ideas or thoughts which you have that can make you anxious and to help your thought patterns to be more realistic and helpful.