How anxiety and low mood can affect you

You may be feeling anxious, overwhelmed or exhausted, finding it difficult to switch off your thoughts or not enjoying things as much as you used to. You might feel low, tearful or stuck, or find yourself worrying about things that you would once have been able to put into perspective.

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Anxiety and low mood affect everyone differently

​​As well as those feeling above you might also experience:

• persistent worry or overthinking

• feeling overwhelmed by everyday demands

• a constant feeling of being on edge

• feeling emotionally drained

• loss of motivation

• losing interest in things you usually enjoy

• difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• feeling irritable or tearful

• being particularly hard on yourself

• feeling that you should be coping better

• withdrawing from other people or avoiding situations

• feeling numb

• feeling like you've lost your sense of who you are

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You don't need to have all of these experiences and there doesn't have to be an obvious reason for how you feel. Sometimes anxiety and low mood develop gradually, while at other times they follow a significant change, loss or prolonged stress and overwhelm. If you've been carrying too much for too long, you may also find my page on stress, overwhelm and burnout helpful.

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Perhaps you've tried to work out what's wrong, told yourself you should be able to cope, or tried various ways to feel better. But nothing seems to be making a difference. You don't have to have all the answers and understand exactly why you're feeling this way before you come to counselling.

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Anxiety and low mood during times of change​

Anxiety and low mood sometimes show up when life looks very different from what you expected. Becoming a parent, empty nest, perimenopause and menopause, changes at work, relationship difficulties, bereavement or other significant life transitions can leave you questioning who you are and how you are supposed to cope.

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You may find yourself thinking: "I've always managed before, so why can't I manage now?" or "I don't feel like myself any more."

These experiences don't mean that you've failed. Sometimes they are a sign that something in your life needs attention, or that the ways you've learned to cope are no longer helping you in the way you need. If this strikes a chord, you might find it helpful to read more about life changes and losing your sense of who you are here. 

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How counselling can help​

When you're used to coping, it can be difficult to understand why the strategies that have worked for you in the past don't seem to be working any more. You might find yourself becoming frustrated or criticise yourself for struggling. 

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Counselling provides a space where you don't have to hold everything together or protect others from how you're feeling. Together, we can slow things down and explore what is happening for you, both in the context of your current life and the experiences that may have shaped how you respond to difficult situations. We can explore what's happening for you without judgment, including the pressures and expectations you may be carrying. Rather than just trying to get rid of difficult feelings, we can work towards understanding them and developing a different relationship with them. This can help you recognise your needs, understand your patterns and begin to treat yourself with greater kindness and understanding.

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I offer online counselling for anxiety and low mood across the UK, as well as face-to-face counselling in Surbiton and Kingston upon Thames and the surrounding area. Please get in touch to learn more.