Anxiety - Symptoms & Treatment

While anxiety is a normal and very human response to any situation provoking, fear, pain or stress; any anxiety that is persisting, overwhelming or out of proportion to a given situation may require professional support and treatment.

If you identify with any of the symptoms listed below, you might be suffering from an anxiety disorder:

• Do you feel constant tension, worry or feeling like you're 'on the edge'?
• Do you often have fearful thoughts that seem irrational or are about things that are unlikely to happen, yet you can't help worrying?
• Do you believe that unless you do things in a certain way or in a certain order, something bad will happen?
• Do you avoid everyday situations or activities because you feel fearful, panicky or agitated?
• Do you experience sudden and very intense feelings of absolute panic or fear for no particular reason?
• Do you feel like you're in constant danger or that something terrible is about to happen to you or to those you love?
• Does your anxiety interfere with your work, school, or family responsibilities?

If you're constantly worried, exhausted and feel completely overwhelmed by your troubles, please call us, we can help. You can reach us on +61-2-6639 8888 for a private chat, and hopefully, we can ease some of your concerns over the phone and help steer you towards the right treatment.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – where fears and worries seem irrational or unrelated to a given situation, yet symptoms including nausea, shortness of breath, trembling, muscle tension, irritability, headaches, sweating and fear, continue unabated.
• Panic Disorder (PD) - where people react with sudden and unpredictable episodes of panic to otherwise unremarkable situations. Often those with panic disorder feel they are about to die or that something disastrous is about to occur.
• Phobias – where people develop intense fears about particular objects or situations.
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – where people experience intrusive and compelling thoughts which require containment by elaborate rituals such as handwashing, checking and rechecking or counting. These rituals usually interfere with normal life and can be debilitating at the extreme end of the experience.
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – where exposure to a traumatic event or situation continues to haunt sufferers months or years after. People with PTSD can often have issues with substance abuse and depression as well and can suffer marked changes in personality.

Different types of anxiety requires varying treatment approaches. At the Sanctuary Byron Bay we can help you understand the specific nature of your anxiety and focus your treatment accordingly.

Anxiety Treatment

Treatments for anxiety disorders  can include psychological and pharmacological interventions but psychological treatment remains the most effective according to the best evidence.

At The Sanctuary Byron Bay, our multi-disciplinary treatment approaches include relaxation techniques, problem solving, graded exposure, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and empathic supportive psychotherapy in conjunction with medical assessment and a comprehensive range of complementary therapies to treat anxiety disorders. All this can be achieved within our 28 Day Intensive Residential program.

Our holistic approach also requires comprehensive attention to your environment and to increasing your capacity to self regulate. Features of a holistic approach include:

• Your private residence is tailored to create a calm environment where you will feel safe and comfortable. This is your Sanctuary.
• We treat your body to help calm your central nervous system with massage, acupuncture and naturopathy.
• We teach you relaxation techniques and set aside time during the day for guided meditation.
• We introduce personal training and exercise scaled to your fitness level and ability. The combination of therapy and exercise is proven to be the most effective treatment for anxiety.
• Our therapists will create an understanding environment in which you can fully experience your anxious states without resorting to feeling overwhelmed.
• They will teach you how to daily calm your own central nervous system and to control how you think and feel when experiencing anxiety.
• When required, medical supervision is provided and appropriate medication prescribed and monitored.

Importantly, our aim is to have you understand that while feelings of anxiety cannot be banished, your sense of control can be increased and that through exercising this control, windows of peace will emerge and take hold in you.