Anxiety and Mood Disorders

Anxiety disorder is the most common mental health condition in Australia.

On average, one in four people ; one in three women and one in five men – will experience anxiety at some stage in their life. In 12 months, over two million Australians experience anxiety.  (Beyond blue)

 

There Are Different Types of Anxiety:

 

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder, GAD, is an anxiety disorder characterized by chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry and tension, even when there may be no apparent cause. 

2. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviours (compulsions). Repetitive behaviours such as hand washing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these so-called "rituals," however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety.

3. Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms that may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or gastrointestinal symptoms such as discomfort, pain or sudden onset of diarrhoea.

4. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event or ordeal in which physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.

5. Social Anxiety Disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. Social phobia can be limited to only one type of situation - such as a fear of speaking in Infront of an audience or even eating or drinking in public. 

 

Symptoms of anxiety include: 

 

•           Muscle tension

•           Headaches

•           Back pains, and muscle spasms

•           Tachycardia, throbbing or stabbing pains

•           Hyper vigilance

•           Feeling of tightness or inability to take in enough air

•           Dyspnoea (difficult breathing)

•           Dizziness/near-syncope (fainting)

•           Palpitations

•           Trembling

•           Excessive sweating

•           Feelings of unreality

•           Fatigue

•           Impaired concentration

•           Irritability

•           Excessive worry/sense of impending doom/difficulty controlling feelings of worry

•           Sighing respiration or hyperventilation

•           Sleep disturbances; insomnia, constant waking in the night

•           A constant need to urinate or defecate

•           Severe anxiety will often produce panic attacks — intense feelings of fear 

 

How Can Naturopathy Help With Anxiety Disorder? 

 

Diet and lifestyle measures can be taken to better assist with mood regulation and feelings of anxiousness. Practitioner only vitamins and mineral therapy can be prescribed to assist with healthy nervous system function and herbal treatment may be given based on the symptoms you are presenting with.

 

If you are experiencing anxiety, please get in touch. 

 

I would love to work alongside you using my expertise. I am available in Melbourne CBD for a 1:1 appointment or via Telehealth.