Reader’s Question

I’m 20 years old and currently in my second year of university. Lately everything seems to cause me anxiety. Even the silliest little things cause me stress. I get very anxious about essay work, and my personal life has been particularly difficult ever since I came out of the closet last year. I don’t feel like there’s anyone to talk to about my fears, so I usually keep them to myself. But I’m so panicky and on edge most of the time that I just wish I had someone I could release all the tension to. For some time I’ve thought the idea of counselling was probably for serious cases whereas my case seems somewhat silly in its nature. But it still causes so many day to day problems that I wondered whether you thought I could benefit from counselling?

Our Clinical Psychologist’s Reply

People seek counseling or therapy for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s to deal with serious psychological or psychiatric issues. Sometimes it’s simply for the purpose of fostering personal growth. And there are many potential benefits of counseling, all of which are enhanced when a person approaches the idea with hopeful expectation and motivation to work.

Dealing effectively with anxiety is one of the areas in which therapy has really proven itself. It’s common for anxiety to escalate into vicious circles of sorts. What starts out as a relatively small matter can become compounded by the fact that people tend to avoid anxiety-evoking situations and lose self-confidence. Working with someone who is trained in dealing with anxiety issues can be particularly helpful. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use counseling as a vehicle for other self-development issues. Your university probably has a counseling center that you can visit and explore your options.