Best sites for anxiety advice
It’s normal to feel anxious when you’re stressed about something or times are tough, but there are many people across the UK who are suffering from debilitating anxiety attacks that affect their ability to enjoy life.
If you’re one of those people, do be reassured that there are many things you can do to help bring your anxiety under control, including visiting your GP or making an appointment with a certified counsellor.
You’ll also find that there are lots of helpful and informative resources available online, designed to help unravel the mysteries of anxiety disorders as well as offer support and potential treatment techniques.
Coping with severe anxiety
Everybody understands what it means to feel anxious, it’s something that nearly everyone experiences fairly regularly, and triggers tend to be things like exams or new jobs. However, there are also a number of people who experience these feelings of fear and worry more strongly than other people and who find them appearing at inappropriate moments.
Anxiety before an important meeting can be beneficial as it can make you more alert, but if the feelings become overwhelming, the effect can quickly become negative. Mental health charity Mind offers some excellent background reading for anyone who thinks they may be suffering from an excess of anxiety.
You’ll also find a comprehensive list of possible anxiety disorder symptoms and signs from Help Guide, including both mental and physical indicators. The site offers a breakdown of the various types of anxiety disorders and common problems, including general anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and panic attacks.
Understanding anxiety and panic attacks
Some people who suffer from increased anxiety also experience panic attacks. These attacks can be a very scary experience for the sufferer and are typified by a strong feeling of dread, sweaty hands, a racing heartbeat and light headedness.
The attacks are often short and people who are new to experiencing them often thinks there’s am acute physical problem causing them. The NHS has a very useful guide to panic attacks and panic disorder that can offer some reassurance and advice. Pantient.co.uk also has a good breakdown of what panic attacks are and when they can become a problem that needs to be addressed.
While treatment from a health professional is sometimes needed and you should make an appointment if your quality of life is being compromised, there are also a number of self help resources available to you online. PsychCentral offers 11 tips for dealing with anxiety while Psychology Today has put together 10 ways to reduce anxiety and both of these lists can be very useful in helping you take control of your emotions.
Another excellent resource is Anxiety UK, a registered charity that offers support and advice for people suffering from anxiety disorders. It also has a fantastic Get Help section, which includes the option to ring or call them, live chats available online and the option to make appointments for therapy sessions. To access some of these resources, you need to be a member of the organisation but membership costs from £20 a year.
