Heaolu Keskus · counselling and support for anxiety
Anxiety is the body and mind's response to situations
An anxiety disorder is a condition in which anxiety becomes persistent, intense and disruptive to everyday life.
An anxiety disorder does not mean weakness, failure or being ‘too sensitive'. It is an over-reaction of the nervous system — a protective mechanism of the body and brain that has become too active. It is something you can learn to bring back into balance.
Symptoms
An anxiety disorder does not appear overnight — it often develops as a result of prolonged tension and stress. Often the problem is not the situations themselves, but how the body and brain interpret them.
Psychological symptoms
Constant worrying
Constant worrying or a sense of fear · restlessness or tension · difficulty concentrating · irritability · a feeling that something bad is about to happen
Physical symptoms
Heart palpitations and tension
Heart palpitations · shortness of breath or tightness in the chest · muscle tension · sweating · digestive problems · sleep disturbances
changes in reactions
Too strong, hard to control
The reaction becomes too strong · too frequent · hard to control · out of proportion to the actual situation
If the symptoms last for a longer period, it may be an anxiety disorder, in which case it is wise to seek professional help.
statistics
better ability to cope with stress can develop within just a few months of consistent counselling
a lower level of anxiety is linked to regular psychological counselling
of people experience better emotional balance and everyday coping through counselling
When to seek help
Anxiety lasts for weeks or months
A short-lived worry has become a constant background noise that simply won't go away
Worrying feels uncontrollable
You feel you cannot simply ‘stop' worrying, even though you know it is excessive
You experience panic attacks
Sudden, intense episodes of heart palpitations, difficulty breathing and fear
You start avoiding situations
Avoidance brings temporary relief, but in the long run it strengthens anxiety
Anxiety affects your work or relationships
Energy, concentration, decision-making or being present for loved ones has become difficult
Sleep is disrupted
Worries keep you awake at night, or falling asleep has become especially difficult
Practical techniques
Anxiety is not only about being stuck in your thoughts — it is a physiological reaction in the nervous system. Psychological counselling uses a range of practical methods that help to calm the nervous system.
A longer exhale
Calming the nervous system
Breathe in for 4 seconds, breathe out for 6–8 seconds. Exhaling activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the body's calming system.
Tensing and relaxing the muscles
Calming the brain through the body
Tense the muscles in your hand for 5 seconds, then let go. Work through the different muscle groups. The brain receives the signal: the situation is safe.
The 5–4–3–2–1 technique
Bringing attention to the present moment
Name: 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can feel in your body, 1 you can taste or smell. It breaks the cycle of anxious thoughts.
How a psychologist helps
A psychologist helps you notice the thought and behaviour patterns that trigger anxiety, and explains how anxiety affects both your thinking and your body's reactions. Through counselling you learn practical skills that help to calm the nervous system and restore balance in everyday life.
An anxiety disorder does not mean weakness, failure or being ‘too sensitive'. It is an over-reaction of the nervous system — a protective mechanism of the body and brain that has become too active. It is something you can learn to bring back into balance.
We are here to help you
The first step is always the hardest — we are here to make it easier. Write or call us, and together we'll find the solution that suits you best.
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