Anxiety can be described as ‘fear spread thinly’. We often feel anxious about everyday events and stresses which we deal with and put aside.
Anxiety which is constantly present and has no identifiable cause is an extremely draining, exhausting experience, mentally and physically. You will never be able to switch off the thoughts and worries which are constantly wearing you down.

The term ’stress’ is used a great deal in everyday language however there are different types of stress which can result in different physical and psychological symptoms.

Generally, stress means your reaction to a difficult physical or psychological situation, which means that you are working very hard to manage the situation. A small amount of stress help us to perform better, for example when taking exams, going to interviews, when performing sports or presenting in public. After the event our stress levels should go back to normal and there will be no lasting effects on our physical or psychological wellbeing.

External Stress

Some kinds of stress come from outside ourselves. This could be anything we experience in everyday life; a new job, exams, working and looking after a family, divorce, illness, bereavement. All of these events can make you feel tired and stretched beyond your comfortable capacity, however they can be managed, things change and the amount of stress you experience will eventually reduce. Learning to manage your thinking as well as managing your time and the expectations people have of you will make a really big difference to your stress levels.

Internal Stress

There are types of stresses which are more internal, which originate in feelings and emotions which are caused by experiences in the past which you are not consciously aware of. You could feel a bit inadequate, lack confidence and have low self esteem. If these internal, or buried, emotions are affecting you, you may not be able to cope very well with external stressors, which in turn would make your feeling of stress and anxiety worse.
This cycle of constant, churning stress which you can’t deal with easily has been linked to reduced effectiveness of the immune system, leading to serious and chronic illness, and it is believed to be a contributing factor in cancer.

A course of gentle therapy can allow you to process events or experiences from the past which will allow you to see the event with an adult perspective and put it into context.

Suggestion Hypnotherapy can help when you are feeling anxious about a specific event. This is a short term way of helping when you are worrying about a future performance or presentation for example, so it is ideal as preparation for a driving test, an interview or an exam, a wedding speech or flight. It’s a one off event and when you have successfully completed it, it doesn’t matter that the power of the suggestion slowly wears off.

Belief systems drive how we feel about ourselves

Changing the way you think so that you no longer feel powerless is the best long term solution. Recognising unhlpful, negative and mistaken belief systems will teach you how to manage your thinking and change your reaction to stressful situations.