There are a few things in life which are generally unfair amongst the sexes; it’s all up for debate at the end of the day, how women are at the mercy of hormones for much of their adult life, the small fact of childbirth, and how it has recently come to light that anxiety disorders are much more prevalent in women, then men.

Being a woman is no picnic!

It has been shown that anxiety disorders are twice as likely to occur in women than men, and this can be down to a number of factors, both hormonal and social. For instance, feeling like you have to do it all, e.g. have a successful career, raising a family, run a house etc, can all put pressure on a women and cause anxiety. Hormonal problems can certainly cause chemical reactions in the brain and bring on the rather debilitating symptoms of anxiety, as well as a range of other potential reasons for this condition, including the fact that the well-documented ‘fight or flight’ response to stressors is easier to activate in women, and stays activated for longer.

Anxiety can be short-lived, or it can be present for longer, such as in the case of generalised anxiety. Evidence suggests that some women live in a near constant state of low level anxiety to some degree, never really being free of it. This is worrying, and can cause many health and psychological problems over time.

Symptoms of anxiety include irrational fear, a feeling of dread, muscle tension, headaches, chest pain, increased heart rate, sleep problems, IBS, diarrhoea, nausea, shortness of breath, irritability, hot or cold flushes, depression, and feeling generally weepy for no apparent reason. When peaks in anxiety occur, this can cause anxiety attacks, lead to phobias, or long-lasting anxiety disorders.

You can appreciate why it’s important to recognise and firmly diagnose an anxiety problem by seeing a healthcare professional before any treatment is sought.

Once your GP has diagnosed your condition, you can seek help to manage your condition, and here at Perth Brain Centre, we use a very popular method called Neurofeedback Therapy. When used in conjunction with other lifestyle factors and adjustments, this has been shown to be highly effective in managing anxiety symptoms.

On top of this, it’s important to make sure you have a good, balanced diet in place. In the case of serotonin deficiency, this can cause cravings for sugary foods, which we all know results in insulin spikes and crashes, creating low mood. Regulating your blood sugar levels will help. On top of this, testing for hormonal problems can be the key to solving the issue, such as the menopause or irregularities in hormonal levels.

Are you getting enough sleep? Women should be getting around 7-9 hours of shut eye per night, as well as partaking in regular physical activity, breathing in plenty of fresh air, and getting out into the sunlight to grab some all-important vitamin D.

Anxiety is no picnic, whether you experience it in a mild or severe form. To discover how we can help treat your anxiety, please call to arrange anappointment on (08) 6500 3277 now.