Originating from the Latin Anxius and broadly defined as a condition of agitation and distress, anxiety is a complex emotional state typified by apprehension and dread where the sufferer generally cannot specify what s/he is actually anxious about. The physical symptoms include, but are by no means exclusive to, heart palpitations, muscle tension, queasiness, dry mouth, trembling and sweating and can appear in different forms and at different levels of intensity. Anxiety can be brought on merely by thinking about a particular situation rather than experiencing it.

Identify anxious and negative thinking

Because they tend to become habitual, negative and frightening thoughts can be difficult to identify. If you feel that you are suffering from anxiety, you have almost certainly experienced these feelings for quite some time. It can be difficult to change the way you think but by no means impossible, and there are ways of helping you to overcome anxiety. Psychotherapy can open many doors for you and is a highly recommended treatment which explores any underlying reasons for your condition and addresses them one by one utilising a number of techniques which will be explained during the initial consultation. Neuro-linguistic Programming and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can provide you with ideas that counteract any negativity or anxiety, and hypnotherapy can also be highly effective.

Saying this, before even reaching the stage of seeing a psychotherapist, you can help yourself by first writing down your negative or frightening thoughts as soon as you feel them. If it's difficult to notice any thoughts, try asking yourself: ‘What was I thinking (or what thoughts were going through my mind) just before the anxiety attack?  What was I feeling immediately before I started feeling anxious?’

Next, try challenging these thoughts. Ask yourself whether the thoughts are reasonable. Does everyone share these thoughts? Could you possibly be making a big mistake in thinking the way you do? Are there any other explanations for you feeling anxious?

Try countering each negative or unrealistic thought with a more positive, realistic one.

TEST SCENARIO: The job interview

Frightening or negative thoughts (result: panic):

• If he didn’t think I could do the job, I wouldn’t be here
• He’s a busy man. If he had made up his mind, he would have cancelled the interview.
• I’ve done nothing wrong to make him instantly dislike me
• I haven’t entered a beauty contest! I don’t particularly like the look of him – it’s the job I’m interested in. Anyway, where’s the evidence that he doesn’t like the look of me?
• No – I’m staying! In a worse-case scenario, it will be good experience for me.

If you make reassuring or positive statements often, you will find that the frightening or self-critical thoughts that used to occur start to gradually disappear.