stress Archives – Wendy Dignan, Cheshire & London

Why worrying is ineffective

by Wendy Dignan | Tags: anxiety, anxiety cure, coping with anxiety, stress, worry

As Baz Luhrmann said in his song about Sunscreen: worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. But we are all guilty of doing it – it is human nature to worry. The worst part of worrying is that the majority of the time what we are worrying […]

What to do when life kicks you in the teeth.

by Wendy Dignan | Tags: Coping skills, panic, problems, stress

There’s not a person alive who hasn’t been in this place at some point in their lives. When life kicks you in the teeth your house may have been flooded, you lose your job, and your significant other decides to leave suddenly. The list is endless and we all react to huge and unexpected stressors […]

What Will You Change?

by Wendy Dignan | Tags: affairs, anxiety, CBT, CBT Wilmslow, cheshire, cognitive behavioural therapy, coping, counselling, couple problems, couples counselling, depression, depression cure, GAD, how often should i have therapy, mindfulness, panic attack, psychologist, pyschotherapy, relationship problems, stress, therapy, wilmslow, worry

I’m always on a quest to avoid using ‘psychobabble’ with people. Over the years I’ve developed a repertoire of phrases I use to talk about psychological theory, so that people find it easier to understand what’s going on for them. One of the phrases I use is ‘ground hog day’ based on the 1993 film. […]

Don’t sweat the small stuff

by Wendy Dignan | Tags: anxiety, CBT, cheshire, cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling, psychotherapy, stress, therapy, wilmslow

Paying attention to too much detail is the easiest way in the world to make yourself stressed and ensure that you feel totally overwhelmed with life. Some people are naturally ‘detail’ orientated and their default setting is to focus on the small details in life. This naturally detailed approach to the world is fantastic if […]

There are only 3 things that actually make us happy.

by Wendy Dignan | Tags: anxiety, cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling, depression, panic attacks, psychotherapy, pyschotherapy, stress, wilmslow

1. Engagement 2. Fun 3. Achievement I speak to people on a regular basis who are struggling with various levels of low mood (depression). There is of course a huge spectrum of low mood ranging from a feeling of ‘something just not being quite right’ to a full on, deep, dark clinical depression, and everything […]

Top tips to avoid Christmas stress

by Wendy Dignan | Tags: christmas, coping, stress

Be Realistic – Don’t let your dreams of a perfect Christmas get the better of you by keeping your expectations realistic. Make a list of the things you need to do, and would like to do over Christmas and put the list in order of importance. Lists are a good way of helping us to […]

Worry

by Wendy Dignan | Tags: anxiety, counselling, depression, GAD, stress, therapy, worry

I was asked an interesting question yesterday: “What is the difference between ‘normal worry’ and worry induced by clinical anxiety?” or to give the latter it’s proper title, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). I defined the difference as being the following: ‘Normally’, any worrying thoughts that you allow yourself, must have the purpose of problem solving and […]

Who is more at risk of developing a Panic Attack Disorder?

by Wendy Dignan | Tags: anxiety, CBT, cheshire, cognitive behavioural therapy, panic attack, psychologist, psychotherapy, stress, therapy, wilmslow

Millions of people in the UK experience panic attacks each year. But who is more at risk of developing a panic disorder? There are a number of different factors that increase the likelihood of developing this disorder:

The Hopelessness of Suicide

by Wendy Dignan | Tags: alone, anxiety, bankrupcy, CBT, death, depression, hopelessness, stress, suicide, therapy, wendy dignan

I find it more saddening than most when I hear about people driven to the utter hopelessness that epitomises suicide. L’Wren Scott and the stories being released in the press about her suicide remind us that people from all walks of life are susceptible to this feeling of ultimate despair. Much is being made about […]

What to do when life kicks you in the teeth

by Wendy Dignan | Tags: anxiety, boiling point, psychology, stress, therapy

There’s not a person alive who hasn’t been in this place at some point in their lives. Your house has been flooded (very topical at the moment!), you lose your job, and your significant other decides to leave suddenly. The list is endless and we all react to huge and unexpected stressors in the same […]

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