Talk Therapy - Psychotherapy, Counsellin & Hynotherapy - 'Working with you to improve your life'

• home
• symptoms
• about me
• contact me

How am I feeling?

Although it is obvious to some people that things are not going well in their lives and they are aware of unpleasant feelings, others may ignore them and battle on, until their health begins to suffer. Symptoms vary according to individuals and type of issue

Here is a guide to some that may be experienced:

• Depression:

  • feelings of extreme sadness, despair, hopelessness and unreality.
  • A lack of interest in life.
  • Loss of appetite and an inability to sleep or a desire to sleep excessively
  Initially fluctuating, feelings persist and deepen over time. Possibly triggered by an event or trauma, but they may have no obvious cause.

• Anxiety:

  Can accompany depression, or be triggered by a past or future event

  Sufferers may experience extreme fear, which may develop into panic. Physical symptoms may include rapid heartbeat, stomach pains, dizziness and nausea.

  Anxiety can occur in isolated situations and may appear ‘out of the blue’. The degrees to which it is felt can vary greatly, but if left untreated - apart from the unpleasant feelings, it increasingly interferes with life and may cause ‘avoidance’ behaviours, which may limit or seriously curtail daily activities

top ^

• Panic Attacks:

  May start with sensations similar to those felt when suffering from anxiety - an increase in heart rate, dry mouth, nausea and feelings of fear.

  The nature of these sensations causes a message to be sent to the brain, which it interprets as being alarming and the symptoms intensify

  Although the reason for the onset of the symptoms may not be immediately apparent, the body reacts in an extreme way to the message and a panic attack is soon under way. Sufferers will identify with feelings of suffocation and a real belief that they are having a heart attack and may die soon

  Most attacks pass within a matter of minutes, which can seem a lot longer. The fear of a repeat attack is often present and can act as a trigger

• Fears and Phobias:

  Spiders, heights, small spaces, crowds

  These are typical and very common fears, which many people have and can often cope with by avoiding situations where they may be encountered

  Problems occur when they cannot be avoided, giving rise to symptoms similar to those experienced in anxiety situations. Once again the brain draws it’s own conclusions from the message sent by the physical sensations and symptoms intensify

  The fear of an encounter becomes all-encompassing and develops into a phobia, which fuels the anxiety of a repeat encounter

• Stress:

  • Feeling overwhelmed with daily activities
  • Lacking confidence in tasks previously undertaken competently
  • generally aware of loss of control over situations and circumstances
  • Not sleeping well
  • Feeling angry, frustrated and anxious
  top ^
  Physical symptoms such as nausea, palpitations, headaches, stomach disorders may accompany

  Sufferers may self-medicate with non-prescription drugs or excess alcohol in an attempt to alleviate symptoms

  Stress symptoms such as these may be experienced by anyone undergoing a change in life-style or circumstances. They are increasingly evident amongst employees under perceived or actual pressure at work

• Relationship Issues:

  Everyone has their ups and downs and there are many different ways of dealing with them. Emotional distress can occur when:
  • there is no communication and the situation appears impossible to resolve
  • the relationship has become verbally or physically abusive
  • there are trust issues
  • external pressures such as work or finance create relational tension

• Family & Adolescent Concerns:

  Parental concerns such as how to deal with bullying, child and adolescent eating disorders, drug taking and self-harm

  Sometimes linked to family crises such as divorce or death of a close family member, emotions similar to those brought on by any stressful situation may be experienced, particularly the overwhelming experience of not being able to cope.

• Low Self Esteem:

  General feelings of worthlessness and lack of confidence, usually in social situations, but may also be experienced in the work-place

  Perceiving that everyone is more attractive/cleverer/more successful than you

  Putting yourself down and accepting that things are going to go wrong as a fore-gone conclusion - therefore proving to yourself that you are less than perfect

And The Good News is… Talk Therapy can be effective in helping you deal with any of these situations!

Awareness  -  Understanding  -  Acceptance  -  Change