WHY AM I ANXIOUS? 

Anxiety is having a moment. One of the most frequently cited issues we work with at our South Dublin counselling clinic is anxiety. Counselling or psychotherapy can address anxiety brought about by social situations, work, family, speaking in public, anxiety about sex, status, money, general anxiety - the list is near endless. Getting help for anxiety can be fairly straightforward once you decide to speak to someone (there’s tips on finding a psychotherapist here). But what exactly does ‘getting help’ mean? Well, it comes down to finding the answer to a very specific question. Not ‘what can I do to get rid of my anxiety?’, or ‘can you help me?’.  The question is, ‘why am I anxious?’ 

Job and Work Anxiety

From a certain perspective, it seems fairly obvious why anxiety is becoming more prevalent. In Ireland, like many other countries, there has been a prolonged period of economic uncertainty and austerity. A whole generation of young professionals have only ever known an economy in downturn and the uncertainty that goes along with it. Job insecurity is a major talking point in the clinic, with performance reviews and contract renewals or extensions provoking severe bouts of stress. Even though the Irish economy has moved towards ever greater levels of employment, there is still the spectre of joblessness haunting many people, as well as the move towards contract based work and fewer permanent positions on offer leaving people in a state of uncertainty about the future. 

Anxiety about home

There is also the well publicised issues around housing in Ireland. Home ownership is something that is beyond many young people’s financial means, especially in some areas around Dublin, and the fierce competition for limited housing stock only serves to put more pressure on young people to work harder and earn more. There is also stress on parents to either provide more financial support to their children or share their homes with them for longer. Both of these scenarios can be very detrimental to a person’s mental health, as often there are very fine margins people have to work within and big sacrifices that people have to make in order to move out of these situations. This says nothing of the pressure that people who rent have to face, with fierce competition for places driving up prices and people having to live in cramped shared spaces. Issues with housemates coupled with work stress and financial worries can be a very damaging set of circumstances for someone’s well being.

Relationship Anxiety

Another common source of anxiety is relationships. With the development of social media and apps designed for meeting people there has been a shift towards creating a curated online persona that presents our best side to potential partners. This process essentially requires us to objectify ourselves, to present some kind of ideal which can be very difficult to maintain or live up to, especially when the very nature of these apps is comparison and competition with others. It doesn’t help that everybody else seems to be having a fantastic time on these virtual platforms, and although there is an awareness that the images and stories people put on social media are not necessarily reflective of reality, a feeling of doubt and insecurity can persist.

Self confidence, self doubt, overwhelmed

There are also other, larger social and environmental issues that contribute to a general atmosphere of despair and worry. Climate change, political discord, pandemics such as the coronavirus outbreak - all create a sense that all is not right with the world. All these external factors can absolutely go some way to explaining why it is that someone may feel anxious or worried. In the face of many of these issues it is perfectly understandable that someone may feel overwhelmed or powerless, especially as there seems little that one can do to change the economy or the climate. But often, when we begin to work with issues of anxiety, a more complex and singular picture emerges. The common denominator in all these situations is you, the person who is feeling anxious or worried or crippled with self doubt. How then do you fit into this picture, beyond feeling anxious? You are more than just a symptom, and by working on you and your position in the world you can begin to free yourself from these feelings.

In the face of such a broad and seemingly all encompassing issue, psychoanalytic psychotherapy can be an incredibly effective tool. It poses the question: ‘why am I anxious?’ The answer to such a question is always unique and singular to each person, and by allowing a space for this question to be fully explored the grip of anxiety is softened. 

AN ANXIETY TREATMENT WITH YOU AT THE CENTRE

So often we are faced with situations that provoke anxiety in us, and yet when the situation is rationally analysed the level of anxiety it provokes often seems overblown and disproportionate. Why should a five minute presentation bring on a panic attack?; or the thought of a bus journey cause heart palpitations and light-headedness? For those who experience them, these anxious feelings are very real and can be crippling, affecting confidence, job prospects and relationships. By working through what it is that lies at the heart of one’s anxiety, psychotherapy can provide a way to overcome it. By peeling away the layers of anxiety that we wrap ourselves in, we can separate ourselves from the stress of the outside world and focus on what it is that makes us unique in our position. The answer is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, but rather an approach that is unique for every person. 

GET ANXIETY HELP

You can get help in treating anxiety at Sandymount Psychotherapy in South Dublin by contacting us here.