Some of the most important work that I feel like I do as a Psychologist is providing psychoeducation and allowing people to explore the reasons and causes of their stresses. So I thought that putting together post that looks at questions about anxiety would be a good starting point.

Questions about anxiety

Will anxiety kill you?

Nope. Anxiety cannot and will not kill you. What you are feeling the the fight or flight system kicking into gear. Whether it was a real threat or a perceived one, your brain has made the decision that you need to get prepared for actual physical threat. An increase in adrenaline, heart rate and respiration are all indicators to the brain that there is something that must be addressed. However, with most anxiety there isn’t anything that actually can be fixed in the moment as it mainly comes from perceived threat. This perceived threat however can also trigger the feeling of impending doom because the brain is essentially trying to solve the problem by getting more attention for it. In short though, anxiety cannot kill you.

Can anxiety make me feel sick?

Yes, absolutely. Anxiety can cause feelings of nausea, stomach pains and a general feeling of being unwell. As above, the body is getting ready for an imminent threat and puts more stress on the body. The increase in hormones like adrenaline can cause feelings of nausea. Rarely some people will feel the need to throw up or go to the toilet. Just know that feelings of nausea when you are anxious are not actually indicators of any worse problems and just the body trying to adapt to the increased stress.

Can anxiety cause a heart attack?

Not immediately. We mentioned the stress that the body is under during periods of anxiety and if this remains untreated for a long period of time it can lead to cardiovascular and heart disease. So if you are having a panic attack it will not likely lead to an immediate heart attack (despite what your brain is telling you). Here is a great article on how to differentiate the two.

Where does anxiety come from?

The development of anxiety can come from many places. Previous trauma, upbringing and lessons about the ‘safety’ of the world, stress, depression and many other factors can impact the development of anxiety. The important thing to remember is that, even if it develops all of a sudden and you have never had it before, it doesn’t mean that it is a catastrophic event. The important thing is seeking out some treatment so that you can establish your baseline and work on mitigating the impact of the symptoms.

What is the treatment for anxiety?

Your clinician will often start out with working out what is contributing to your anxiety and depending on their approach will start to look at some strategies. This will often look deeper at the ‘why’ of your anxiety, but will often also include experiential strategies such as relaxation, exposure and habituation learn how to approach anxiety provoking situations. Common therapy models for anxiety are Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

If you have more questions about anxiety, or you would like to book an appoitment, please Contact Us.