People who come to see me about their anxiety often want to know what caused their anxiety to start in the first place.
If you struggle with anxiety, you may have wondered why you have the anxiety. Where did it come from? And how can I say goodbye to the anxiety so I can start feeling better and getting on with my life?
Two Types of Anxiety
In my experience there are two broad types of anxiety.
The first is anxiety brought on from a specific (usually traumatic) event. For example, suppose you are driving along quite happily one day in the same way you have for years and then ‘bang’ you are involved in an accident.
It’s possible (although by no means certain) that you may have been a bit shaken up or even injured. You may find yourself thinking about or re-living the incident in your mind. And you may start to feel anxious about driving (whether as a driver, passenger or even just linked to certain roads).
And the more you experience your anxiety and avoid situations that make it worse, the more the anxiety can take hold and limit your choices.
The second type of anxiety can often be