Are you suffering from depression or anxiety?
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Are you experiencing prolonged anxiety or sadness?
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Do you feel tense, restless and have a trouble concentrating?
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Struggling to cope with changes in your life?
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Are you caught in negative thought patterns?
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Do you lack life-energy and have no interest in enjoyable activities?
You are not alone. According to ABS National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 26.3% of adult Australians have experienced an anxiety disorder in their lifetime.
Our anxiety psychologists have extensive expertise in mental health counselling with anxious distress and depressive disorder.
When you contact us, we will help you choose the best match for your situation from our friendly counselling team.
For your convenience, we are open daytime and after hours, Monday to Saturday, and can be contacted on (02) 9683 1444.
Anxiety and depression are amongst the most common mental health issues
Situational external stressors often lead to anxiety disorders. Some examples are: a change in circumstances, loss of someone or something, loss of a job, or a health condition. Responses such as sadness, confusion, anger or hopelessness can result in a person feeling depressed or anxious.
Symptoms of anxiety and depression can feel debilitating and can lead to some negative thoughts about one’s longevity in life.
There are different types of depression and anxiety disorders requiring specific approaches and practices on the path to healing.
Normal anxiety versus extended anxiety
It is important to acknowledge that sadness and anxiety are natural responses to stressors and situations that one faces in life. We can all feel sad from time to time and we can all feel worried or frightened. This is normal.
However, some people experience symptoms over a longer period of time. These people may need support from professionals for a longer duration.
Depression disorder or anxiety stress are only diagnosed after symptoms are experienced over a particular length of time or when they are so intense that they pose a threat to a person’s life or their ability to function.
What are the symptoms of depression or anxiety?
Symptoms of depression disorders:
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Markedly reduced mood [depressed mood]
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Increased irritability for most of the day
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Fatigue and feeling of being exhausted
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Diminished ability to concentrate
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Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
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Changes in appetite or weight
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Changes in sleep patterns
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Suicidal thoughts
Symptoms of anxiety disorders:
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Fears of a possible negative event in the future
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Excessive worry and trouble concentrating
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Muscle tension and sleep disturbance
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Restlessness and irritability
Anxiety and depression often co-exist
If you compare the symptoms of the two, you can notice that anxiety and depression often overlap.
Some people with depression can begin to feel worried about their future or start to develop an avoidance of certain situations. This, in turn, creates an anxious reaction.
In the same way, someone who experiences anxiety or panic for long enough will begin to feel helpless and hopeless about their future. This can lead to a sense of sadness or depression.
Our anxiety counsellors and psychologists can help people with those symptoms to find relief and learn to properly adjust to their circumstances. As a result, the symptoms are often reduced to the point where professional support is no longer required.
Common anxiety disorders and counselling
There are different types of anxiety disorders that can present themselves in various ways.
Our anxiety psychologists provide following counselling therapies for such disorders:
Therapy for worry
GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER – where symptoms are more generalised to everyday life rather than a specific condition. This disorder is often related to the idea of having a lot of worry.
Panic attack counselling
PANIC DISORDER – where one may have many panic attacks. Anxiety becomes compounded as fear becomes linked to the idea of having another panic attack.
Treatment for OCD
OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER – often characterised by compulsive actions or behaviours that avoid or reduce the impact of a perceived threat. These may be repetitive in nature such as checking, washing, or tapping.
Social anxiety treatment
SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER – or social phobia is the fear of being judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected; worry and avoidance of being in social settings etc.
Treatment of agoraphobia
AGORAPHOBIA – fear of public spaces such as public transportation, parks, carparks, cinemas, shopping centres etc.
Phobia Counselling
SPECIFIC PHOBIA – fear of heights, fear of seeing a dog, snake or mice, fear of impending storm, etc.
Anxiety therapy
ANXIETY CAUSED BY OTHER CONDITIONS – Anxiety symtpoms are sometimes a feature of other conditions such as medical conditions, drug and alcohol related conditions, trauma related conditions such as PTSD etc.
Other related issues we help support:
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Burnout prevention
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Relaxation
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Sleep therapy
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Stress management
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Suicidal thoughts
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Work stress