THE SANCTUARY BYRON BAY

While anxiety is a normal and very human response to any situation provoking, fear, pain or stress; any anxiety that is persisting, overwhelming or out of proportion to a given situation may require professional support and treatment. 

Unlike physical medical conditions, anxiety is context specific and is experienced to varying degrees according to genetic predisposition, personal resilience and biochemistry.  The different manifestations of anxiety include:

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – where fears and worries seem irrational or unrelated to a given situation, yet symptoms including nausea, shortness of breath, trembling, muscle tension, irritability, headaches, sweating and fear, continue unabated.
• Panic Disorder (PD) - where people react with sudden and unpredictable episodes of panic to otherwise unremarkable situations. Often those with panic disorder feel they are about to die or that something disastrous is about to occur.
• Phobias – where people develop intense fears about particular objects or situations.
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – where people experience intrusive and compelling thoughts which require containment by elaborate rituals such as handwashing, checking and rechecking or counting. These rituals usually interfere with normal life and can be debilitating at the extreme end of the experience.
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – where exposure to a traumatic event or situation continues to haunt sufferers months or years after. People with PTSD can often have issues with substance abuse and depression as well and can suffer marked changes in personality.

Treatments for anxiety disorders encompass both psychological and pharmacological interventions but psychological treatment remains the most effective according to the best evidence. At the Sanctuary Byron Bay, our multi-disciplinary treatment approaches include relaxation techniques, problem solving, graded exposure, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and empathic supportive psychotherapy in conjunction with medical assessment and a comprehensive range of complementary therapies to treat anxiety disorders.  Each program is uniquely customised to the needs of each client and we will work collaboratively with any existing treating health professional to ensure continuity of care.  Contact us to find out how a highly specific and personalised program can be created for you.