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Anxiety is a normal emotion, which all of us experience as part of being human. Anxiety is a feeling of fear or apprehension about something bad occurring. It can look and feel different for different people, but it usually associated with physical sensations such as muscle tension, agitation, or an increase in heart rate/blood pressure. Often people will feel the urge to avoid and will have a lot of worry thoughts.
An Anxiety Disorder is when the anxiety causes ongoing and significant distress and may be impacting on a person’s day to day functioning. A registered psychologist can help you figure out whether you meet the formal criteria for an Anxiety Disorder. Regardless of whether you meet criteria though, if you are feeling impacted by anxiety, it might still be a good idea to see a psychologist and learn helpful strategies to manage these symptoms.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue in Australia and can make everyday activities extremely challenging for those who suffer from them. These disorders can also lead to low self esteem, further complicating the individual’s daily life.
These conditions typically emerge as a result of both social and physiological risk factors, taking on multiple forms each with distinctive features and obstacles to overcome.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Phobias
Panic attacks
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Social anxiety
The range of symptoms associated with anxiety disorders is broad, yet often includes persistent excessive worrying and emotional distress that last longer than six months, along with an ongoing sense of fear or dread. Recognising anxiety and its impact is often the first step in moving towards effective treatment strategies.
Generalised anxiety disorder, often abbreviated as GAD, manifests through persistent and excessive worrying about common aspects of everyday life. This level of worry can cause notable distress and interfere with an individual’s ability to function in their day-to-day activities or find pleasure in living.
Persistent anxiety along with worries about a wide range of issues— from personal health and financial stability to professional obligations and interpersonal relationships—are hallmark symptoms of generalised anxiety. Recognising these signs is important for pursuing the right treatment options obtaining support from psychologists experienced in treating anxiety conditions.
Panic disorder involves recurring instances of acute anxiety and terror that can appear to arise without a clear trigger (although sometimes the trigger is known to the individual). The occurrence of these panic attacks is accompanied by strong (and often painful) physical sensations such as palpitations, perspiration, and difficulty breathing. Undergoing a panic attack can be a frightening experience, prompting people to avoid locations or scenarios where they have previously experienced an attack.
For individuals living with panic disorder, the fear associated with the prospect of enduring another panic attack can be debilitating. This profound fear often interferes with their everyday life activities and necessitates considerable adjustments in their lifestyles.
Social anxiety presents with a range of symptoms that include intense worry and fear during various social situations in everyday life. This condition can severely impede an individual’s ability to participate in everyday activities such as attending events or performing publicly. Often the individual experiences a pervasive dread or fear of judgement, criticism, or humiliation.
Recognising the triggers—like engaging in public speaking, initiating conversations with strangers, or dating—is essential for those suffering from this form of anxiety. Identifying these signs is a key step toward pursuing successful treatment such as counselling for anxiety in Melbourne.
Intense and irrational fears of certain objects, situations, or activities known as specific phobias can severely impact an individual’s life quality.
Examples of prevalent specific phobias include:
Arachnophobia (spider fear)
Acrophobia (fear of heights)
Aviophobia (fear of flying)
Claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces)
These intense fears frequently originate from traumatic events, hereditary factors, or influences from one’s surroundings.
Exposure therapy is a commonly used treatment for these phobias. This therapy methodically acclimatises individuals to their feared stimuli in a setting that is controlled and secure to aid them in overcoming their anxiety reactions.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves experiencing substantial anxiety due to persistent obsessions and repetitive compulsions. Such intrusive thoughts and ritualistic behaviours can take up considerable time and disrupt everyday life, underscoring the importance of pursuing targeted treatment for this condition.
Treating anxiety disorders effectively is vital for mitigating symptoms and diminishing the likelihood of recurrence. Psychological therapies grounded in empirical evidence, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), mindfulness practices, and Schema Therapy, and EMDR, are recognised as effective methods for addressing anxiety. These therapies enable individuals to understand and manage their anxiety, fostering improved mental well-being.
Adopting an integrative method toward treating anxiety focuses on respecting clients’ unique characteristics and accounting for their developmental phases to provide tailored and impactful treatment. Tailored treatment will often include a combination of evidence based treatments, such as:
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is a method that assists people in understanding the impact of their thoughts on emotions and actions. By learning to reshape detrimental thought patterns, individuals can experience substantial decreases in anxiety. Cognitive behaviour therapy employs strategies like disputing pessimistic beliefs and cultivating self-compassion as effective means for controlling anxiety.
By equipping individuals with practical skills through CBT, they gain mastery over their mental health, enabling them to handle anxiety adeptly and enhance their overall well-being for more satisfying lives.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) advocates for embracing (or accepting) anxious emotions instead of resisting them, because pushing emotions away is often only effective for the short term. By accepting thoughts and emotions and engaging in behaviours that reflect one’s values, ACT assists in effective anxiety control.
Through advocating the acceptance of personal experiences and motivating individuals to undertake beneficial actions even when faced with anxiety, ACT facilitates significant transformation.
Exposure therapy is most often used to treat specific phobias (fear of heights, spiders, sickness etc). This therapy entails systematically introducing individuals to situations that invoke fear, with the goal of diminishing their tendencies to avoid such circumstances and their associated anxiety. By facing these fears within a regulated setting, people can learn to better regulate their reactions to anxiety.
The purpose of this therapy is geared towards assisting persons in conquering phobias and lessening the influence that anxiety exerts on their day-to-day existence.
Schema Therapy is a comprehensive treatment approach that integrates elements from various therapeutic models to address deeply ingrained patterns or themes in thoughts and behaviors known as schemas. These schemas often develop during childhood and can significantly contribute to anxiety disorders. By identifying and transforming these maladaptive schemas, individuals can break free from repetitive negative cycles that perpetuate anxiety. Schema Therapy employs techniques such as cognitive restructuring, experiential exercises, and behavioural pattern-breaking to facilitate profound emotional healing and enhance overall mental health.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a specialised therapeutic method particularly effective for those whose anxiety is rooted in traumatic experiences. EMDR involves using bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements, to help reprocess and integrate distressing memories in a way that reduces their emotional charge. This process enables individuals to confront and resolve traumatic events without becoming overwhelmed, thereby diminishing anxiety symptoms. EMDR is recognised for its rapid and lasting results, making it a valuable option for those seeking to alleviate anxiety stemming from past traumas. For EMDR Melbourne options contact us at Cova Psychology.
In Melbourne, those seeking assistance with anxiety can access range of helpful options for anxiety counselling. These sessions enable individuals to gain deeper insights into their emotions and life experiences while encouraging healing through self-discovery. Skilled professionals in clinical psychology offer a compassionate space where clients are free to express their thoughts and feelings.
With individualised therapy techniques, Melbourne therapists approach different types of anxiety issues, aiming for significant and lasting transformations in the lives of their clients. Anxiety treatment is not only about managing symptoms, but also improving interpersonal skills and fostering self-compassion, which leads to improved overall mental health.
Deciding to opt for online counselling or therapy conducted in person depends on your personal preferences and situation. Face-to-face therapy may allow therapists to better notice nonverbal cues, giving a better understanding of a client’s emotions. During these sessions, clients often feel a stronger connection with their therapist, which can help explore complex feelings.
Telehealth or online counselling offers convenience and accessibility. It allows people to have therapy sessions from the comfort of their homes, which is especially helpful for those with physical limitations or busy schedules.
Your Melbourne psychologist will provide you psychoeducation regarding the most effective skills for managing anxiety. Often these are set as homework by your therapist, meaning you will practice coping skills in between appointments.
By adopting slow breathing techniques, which encourage taking deeper and slower breaths, one can soothe feelings of anxiety. Similarly, progressive muscle relaxation—characterised by consciously tensing and then releasing muscles—can ease the physical tension that often accompanies anxious symptoms. Mastering these strategies is crucial for handling anxiety symptoms effectively in day-to-day life.
Counselling sessions will also focus on identifying the underlying factors contributing to anxiety as well as the current anxiety triggers. By recognising what triggers stress and anxiety, counselling clients learn exactly when to implement their coping skills. As they gain mastery of the skills, particularly whilst feeling anxious, individuals can take control of their anxiety and significantly improve their mental and emotional health.
Treatment of an Anxiety Disorder with a psychologist often starts with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). This type of therapy involves learning strategies to physically calm your body, to then be able to focus on the anxiety thoughts in order to create a more balanced perspective. Following this, your therapist will possibly look at ways to manage avoidance and how to handle yourself in anxiety-provoking situations. Sometimes your therapist may then shift treatment to the underlying causes of your anxiety. For this aspect of treatment, therapists may call on other therapies such as Schema Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR).
If this page was helpful, our comprehensive blog post about the treatment of anxiety disorders might also be of interest.
Recognising essential symptoms of anxiety disorders, which include excessive worrying, feelings of restlessness, fear and physical signs like sweating and heart palpitations, is crucial for seeking assistance and effectively controlling anxiety. These common symptoms are key indicators that one might need help managing their anxiety.
Recognising essential symptoms of anxiety disorders, which include excessive worrying, feelings of restlessness, fear and physical signs like sweating and heart palpitations, is crucial for seeking assistance and effectively controlling anxiety. These common symptoms are key indicators that one might need help managing their anxiety.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has a strong body of empirical research demonstrating it’s effectiveness in treating anxiety. CBT focuses on helping people to identify and alter negative thinking patterns as well as break down avoidance behaviours, which together can significantly reduce levels of overall anxiety.
Studies indicate that for numerous individuals, online counselling can be equally effective as therapy conducted in person. It stands as a legitimate alternative for anyone seeking support with their mental health.
In order to control anxiety proficiently, it’s beneficial to engage in deep breathing techniques at a slow pace, use progressive muscle relaxation methods, and maintain an open dialogue regarding your emotions.
In Melbourne, treatment for anxiety is available via telehealth services, digital platforms, as well as through in-person therapy sessions.
If you or a loved one is experiencing an anxiety disorder our Melbourne psychologists and trauma therapists are here to help. Get in touch with our friendly reception team to book an appointment. Contact us by:
We are available for both face to face and telehealth sessions.
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Let’s discuss your needs and match you with the right Melbourne psychologist.
Let’s discuss your needs and match you with the right Melbourne psychologist
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Cova Psychology acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land where our Melbourne CBD practice is located—the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong/Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. We pay respect to their Elders, past and present, as well as the Elders of other Aboriginal communities in Melbourne and beyond.
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We would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which the practice is located. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and the Aboriginal Elders of other communities who may be here today.
