Anxiety can make life a misery. Some degree of it is probably unavoidable, as uncertainty is part of life and the very conditions of existence probably make it inescapable. Nevertheless, when it is causing very significant distress and it is interfering seriously with our lives, it is worth seeking help in relation to it.

 

At its root is often basic insecurity, quite often coupled with low self-esteem, with origins in childhood experiences. It can be intensified by trauma of various kinds. Cognitive therapy can deal with the habits of thinking that are conducive to it, such as a tendency to expect the worse in every situation. You can learn tactics to deal with panic attacks, and there are both direct and indirect ways to work on strengthening the ego so it can feel less vulnerable to attack.

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Therapy can also provide a space to explore both the past and the present so that anxiety can be understood and anxiety-producing circumstances can be re-examined and re-framed. In the process of tackling anxiety, decisions of a broader nature are often made which enrich life.