Anxiety Disorder Treatments |

What is an anxiety disorder?

Everyone can experience worry or fear from time to time. It is a normal part of living. However, some people are diagnosed as having an anxiety disorder. This means they suffer physical or mental conditions associated with a fear of something happening or not.

Clinical psychologist Catherine Madigan can help you overcome your anxiety and start enjoying your life more. Call now on 0429 883671 to make an appointment.

Are you are experiencing persistent, severe, disabling, worry, fear or stress which is ruining your enjoyment of life? Is this affecting your ability to function effectively at work, home, school or other social settings? If so, then you may have a social anxiety disorder that we can help you overcome.

What are some common anxiety disorders?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders (DSM IV) lists the following anxiety disorders:

Agoraphobia (e.g. fear of leaving the house, fear of traveling in trains, buses, ships, planes, fear of going of bridges or through tunnels, fear of lifts, theatres, cinemas, or having haircuts, fear of being home alone)
Panic Disorder without Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia without History of Panic Disorder
Specific Phobia (e.g. fear of animals, blood, injury, injections, flying, heights)
Social Phobia (fear of social or performance situations where one may be embarrassed, e.g. public speaking anxiety, dating, meeting new people, job interviews, participating in meetings, eating in public, writing in public, engaging in small talk etc.)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (This disorder develops after natural disasters such as bushfires and floods or personal disasters such as childhood physical or sexual abuse, rape, attempted murder etc.Sufferers have many symptoms, e.g. nightmares, panic attacks, and intrusive thoughts and generally try to avoid reminders of the trauma they went through
Acute Stress Disorder (This disorder is similar to PTSD but not as severe and lasts no more than a month)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) -excessive worrying about various topics such as e.g. finances, health, work, study, etc

Although it may be tempting to self-diagnose an anxiety disorder, it is important to consult a qualified mental health practitioner. They can help you understand if an anxiety disorder treatment is appropriate. A psychologist or psychiatrist can confirm any diagnosis you think you might have.

You must not rely on the information on this site as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. No assurance can be given that the information on this site will always include the most recent developments or research with respect to a particular topic.

If you would like to talk about anxiety disorder treatment options in Australia, then contact us. We can also help you understand what can be claimed on Medicare for example. To do this you may need a mental health care plan with your general practitioner.

If you need help overcoming an anxiety disorder, a trained clinical psychologist can provide anxiety disorder treatment. Call us on 0429 88 3671 for psychology treatment in Melbourne and Hawthorn

4 Good Reason You Should Call Us!

Quick appointments no matter where you live in Australia. Online shyness, public speaking and anxiety treatment available.

Minimal out of pocket expense (Medicare & Health fund Rebates)

Clinical Psychologist with approx. 25 years of experience. Also offering virtual reality exposure therapy.

Business hours, After hours and Saturdays appointments

Frequently Asked Questions

Anxiety Treatment Australia

Anxiety Australia is an anxiety clinic in Hawthorn, Melbourne that is run by Catherine Madigan, who is a clinical psychologist. She primarily focuses on treating anxiety disorders and stress management techniques to individuals and businesses through one on one consultations and stress management workshops.

She offers professional, discreet and confidential treatment options that work.

Catherine’s effective anxiety treatments offered in Melbourne can help you overcome disorders such as:

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (excessive worrying)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (e.g. this condition may develop after: a motor vehicle accident, an assault, or some other event where the individual was exposed to a life threatening or severely injurious situation which involved themselves or others).
Panic Disorder (anxiety attacks)
Specific Phobias (e.g. heights, dogs, spiders, blood etc.)
Social Anxiety (fear of being negatively judged or evaluated by others)
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (excessive preoccupation with one’s appearance, worrying about an imagined defect or blowing out of proportion a slight flaw in one’s appearance).
Hoarding

Call now for an appointment on 0429 883 671

The www.anxietyaustralia.com.au/ website provides information about anxiety disorders and the treatment options available. You will also find contact details for other psychologists around Australia who have substantial experience in and/or work primarily with anxiety disorders.

Catherine Madigan is a Melbourne based Clinical Psychologist. She is passionate about empowering clients with confidence. The reason her focus is primarily on the treatment of anxiety disorders is that she gains great satisfaction by witnessing the freedom and life changing results her therapies can deliver.

The Incidence of Anxiety Disorders in Australia

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in Australia, with 1/7 people (14% of the population) reporting having had an anxiety disorder in the last 12 months. Women are more likely to have an anxiety disorder than men, 18% vs 11%. ABS National Survey of Mental Health & Wellbeing, Summary of Results 2007.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety or fear is a normal response to a present or imagined threat. Mild fear can be helpful as it enables us to respond quickly when faced with a dangerous situation and to be alert in difficult situations (e.g. exams). However, excessive fear may lead to people being paralysed e.g. soldiers under attack may be so afraid they can’t move to take cover, public speakers may find they go blank, forget their lines and are rendered speechless.

Anxiety is a normal emotion as it affects most people and is widespread. You would be abnormal if you didn’t experience fear sometimes. However, if your anxiety is out of proportion to the situation you are experiencing and/or persists in the absence of threat, e.g you worry about events months ahead or are experiencing anxiety long after the danger has passed, you may need professional help.

Why am I experiencing anxiety symptoms?

Some people are more prone to experiencing anxiety than others and it is not caused by just one thing but by a combination of factors including: genetics, family environment and traumatic life experiences. Sufferers may have unhelpful thinking patterns such as perfectionist standards. Nevertheless, you can learn to manage your anxiety more effectively.

Anxiety Disorder Treatments