Signs you might benefit from therapy for anxiety

Everyone feels anxious sometimes. Before an exam, a job interview or a difficult conversation, some anxiety is normal and can even help. The harder question is knowing when it has become something worth getting help with.

One sign is that it's there most days. Instead of rising and falling with particular events, it becomes a constant background worry that's hard to switch off.

Another is that it starts making decisions for you. You might avoid social situations, turn down opportunities, or plan your day around keeping the anxiety down. Avoiding things brings relief in the short term, but over time it tends to make anxiety stronger and your life smaller.

Anxiety also shows up in the body: a racing heart, a tight chest, shallow breathing, poor sleep or feeling on edge, even when nothing is actually wrong. Some people have panic attacks, which can be frightening. It's sensible to see your GP to rule out a physical cause, but if these feelings keep coming back, therapy can help.

Worries can also spiral. One thought leads to another, each feeling more urgent than the last, until it's hard to think about anything else. CBT is particularly good at working with this. It helps you notice the pattern, question the thoughts behind it, and practise responding differently.

Sometimes anxiety has a clear cause, such as a stressful period, a difficult event or something from the past that still feels unresolved. Sometimes it seems to come from nowhere. Both are good reasons to look for support. You don't need to be able to explain your anxiety to deserve help with it.

Anxiety and trauma are often linked. If your anxiety seems connected to something that happened to you, EMDR may help alongside talking therapy. I've written more about this in my article ‘Understanding trauma and PTSD: what it is, and what helps’.

When we first meet, we'll start by understanding your anxiety: what sets it off, how it shows up in your thoughts and body, and what you've already tried. From there we can agree on an approach that suits you. Getting in touch is an easy way to start.

If you're in crisis or need help urgently, please don't wait for therapy. Call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, or call Samaritans free on 116 123, any time. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999.