Coping with New Year Anxiety

This period can trigger anxiety and stress leaving us feeling unable to measure up to society pressures to reinvent ourselves in January. The New Year ‘reset’ button with its call to arms to get fit, be more organised, eat better, cut out alcohol or to find the perfect work-life balance. I wonder how anxious you feel now, even reading this?

A period of family gatherings, time off work, indulging in food and drink can make the return to routine feel difficult. There can also be a sense of isolation if the holidays didn’t live up to expectations, or if it was full of arguments and tears. For others it may be the dread of the credit card bill. 

These overwhelming thoughts can easily contribute to an anxiety spiral that can make the first days of January feel full of self-doubt, fear of failure and heightened emotions. It can also bring up buried resentments, anger and frustration.

There are a plethora of algorithms out there waiting to tell you about how to ‘better’ yourself. If you can, dial down the volume, you are you and joining a gym/ eating spinach/ meditating will not fundamentally change your view of yourself. February will be here soon enough.

However, if there is something deeper in your psyche making it impossible to find your perspective; if you can’t find a balance of realistic expectations and the critical thoughts are becoming deafening, then it may be that you need help to manage your anxious mind.

What does psychodynamic therapy offer?

A psychodynamic approach helps you explore your underlying unconscious thoughts, feelings, and past experiences. This can help you by:

1. Exploring Unresolved Conflicts: Anxiety can often stem from unresolved conflicts from your past, particularly from childhood. 

2. Identifying Defence Mechanisms: You may rely on repression, denial, or avoidance to manage painful emotions.

3. Improving Self-Awareness: Understand your triggers and fears more clearly. 

4. Addressing Unconscious Patterns: Are there patterns in your relationships or thinking that contribute to anxiety.

I am a qualified psychodynamic counsellor (registered with the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists). Please contact me on sarahmcmurraycounselling@gmail.com

or via the contact form on my website www.sarahmcmurraycounselling.com