Anxiety is a perfectly normal reaction to a variety of life's circumstances. Anxiety disorders, however, are characterized by heightened and prolonged states of anxiety, sometimes with no external cause and with no warning. At Gary J. Meiers, Ph.D., Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers, Ph.D. and Associates Ltd., a team of registered psychologists in Edmonton, we recognize the effects that anxiety can have on a sufferer's day-to-day life.
Anxiety often manifests in both mental and physical symptoms. Mentally, people often experience debilitating worries and unwanted, obtrusive thoughts. These worries quickly lead to the development of negative emotions, and it is not at all uncommon for people to experience anxiety and symptoms of depression at the same time. Anxiety also causes a whole host of physical symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, and excessive sweating. Anxiety can cause significant disruption in a person's life, and these symptoms often lead to an inability to sleep, to focus on daily tasks, and to carry on regular social interactions. Relationships, work performance, and even personal health can all suffer as a result. Many people find that they are better able to cope with their anxiety by first recognizing it and then learning to shift their physical attention and emotional attention. Instead of trying to fight your worries and negative emotions, you can learn healthy, calming ways to self-soothe to help yourself cope. Anxiety sufferers often find relief by doing an activity they enjoy, such as watching a favorite show, reading a book, playing a relaxing game, or exercising. Talking to someone who understands, who cares for you, and who provides a reassuring presence can help you put your worries into perspective. On top of learning how to better handle your anxiety, you can significantly decrease how much anxiety you feel and how strongly it affects you by seeking treatment from a registered Edmonton psychologist. Anxiety responds effectively to psychotherapy, as a trained psychologist can not only help you put a stop to it when it starts, they will get to the root cause of why you experience anxiety in the first place. At Gary J. Meiers, Ph.D., Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers, Ph.D. and Associates Ltd., our registered psychologists are specialized in anxiety counselling, depression counselling, child counselling, marriage counselling, and in providing numerous other mental health services in Edmonton. We can help you better understand where your anxious thoughts and feelings come from, and what strategies you can try in order to cope with them and eventually put a stop to them. If you think it's time to take control of your anxiety by seeking help for anxiety disorders and phobias or for panic disorder, then it's time to contact the registered psychologists at Gary J. Meiers, Ph.D., Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers, Ph.D. and Associates Ltd. Though anxiety is a normal and natural part of life, it does not have to control your life. We can help you get back to living life on your own terms.