Anxiety
Generalised anxiety is when a person is prone to constant tension and worry. Sometimes we can attach this fear and distress to things going on in our lives and sometimes we cannot.
Most often the anxiety is an overreaction to reality but we fail to perceive it as such or even if we do realise this we cannot stop it anyway.
For many people, anxiety can exist at a generalised low level almost 24/7 and easily heighten at times.
A certain amount of stress is inevitable as we go through our daily lives.
Consistent high levels are detrimental to our physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing. It is a painful and often unnecessary way to live.
If unaddressed it can lead to crisis points, e.g. job loss, relationship failure, personal break-down, serious health problem, isolation, panic attacks, obsessions and compulsions, etc.
Symptoms of general anxiety include:
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Consistent tension, fear and worry
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Sleep disturbance such as difficulty falling asleep, constant waking and nightmares
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Hypervigilence to other people
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Relationship disturbance due to such as neediness, irritability or withdrawal.
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Difficulty concentrating and easily overwhelmed
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Physical symptoms. These are specific to the individual but can include such as headaches and migraines, muscle tension, heart palpitation, digestion problems.
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Sexual problems
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Compulsive behaviour
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Feeling dissociated.This can be feeling numb or blank or disconnected.