Specialist assessment

Anxiety Assessment & Treatment

Assessment and treatment for anxiety that has stopped being occasional. Persistent worry, panic, avoidance and physical symptoms are treatable, and an assessment is how the right treatment is chosen rather than guessed at.

Book your assessment

Online or in person

The assessment itself is the same either way: the same clinician, the same criteria, the same written summary.

Adults

Online Anxiety Assessment & Treatment

Online

A full clinical assessment with a Consultant Psychiatrist
Identification of the specific anxiety presentation
Screening for conditions that commonly occur alongside it
An individualised treatment plan
A written summary for you and, with consent, your GP

£450

60 min

Book now

Adults

In-Person Anxiety Assessment & Treatment

In person

A full clinical assessment with a Consultant Psychiatrist
Identification of the specific anxiety presentation
Screening for conditions that commonly occur alongside it
An individualised treatment plan
A written summary for you and, with consent, your GP

£550

60 min

Book now

Understanding anxiety

What is an anxiety disorder?

Everyone feels anxious sometimes. It is a normal response to stress, and it usually passes when the situation does. Anxiety becomes a problem when it is intense, almost constant or out of proportion to what is happening, when it has no obvious cause, or when it starts to get in the way of daily life.

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in England. They can affect anyone, and they often occur alongside depression. Working out which kind of anxiety you are experiencing is the first step, because the treatment that helps most differs from one to another.

An adult sitting in a window seat holding a mug, seen from the side.

Recognising the signs

How anxiety can feel

Anxiety affects both mind and body. It can feel like:

Constant worry that is hard to control
Restlessness or feeling on edge
A sense of dread
Irritability
Difficulty concentrating
Low mood
Avoiding situations or cancelling plans

What it can do to your body

Physical signs can include:

A fast or pounding heartbeat
Sweating
Trembling or shaking
Muscle tension
Headaches
Dizziness
Stomach problems
Tiredness
Difficulty sleeping

Causes

What causes anxiety?

Anxiety disorders usually come from a mix of genes, environment and life experience rather than one cause. Having a close relative with an anxiety disorder makes one more likely. Other things linked to a higher risk include trauma or abuse, especially in childhood; long-term pain or illness; past drug or alcohol misuse; and having another anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are also more common in women than in men. For some people there is no clear reason at all.

Understanding what has contributed in your case is part of the assessment, because it helps shape a plan that fits.

Types of anxiety

Anxiety takes different forms

Anxiety disorders share a core of fear and worry, but they differ in what triggers them and how they show up. Telling them apart matters, because the treatment that works best is not the same for each.

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

Worrying most of the time, about many different things, in a way that feels out of proportion and hard to control. To be diagnosed, the worry has usually been present for at least six months, often with restlessness, tiredness, muscle tension and poor sleep.

Panic disorder

Repeated, unexpected panic attacks: sudden surges of intense fear, usually lasting between five and twenty minutes, with symptoms such as a racing heart, breathlessness and dizziness. They are followed by at least a month of worry about having another, and often by avoiding the places where attacks have happened.

Social anxiety disorder

A strong, lasting fear of social situations, such as speaking in a meeting, eating in front of others or meeting new people, driven by a fear of being judged or embarrassed. It is more than shyness, it usually begins in the teenage years, and it can make work, study and relationships very hard.

Health anxiety

Spending so much time worrying about being ill, or becoming ill, that it takes over daily life. It often involves checking the body for signs of illness, seeking reassurance, or avoiding anything that might trigger the worry. The NHS notes that it is related to obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Phobias

An overwhelming fear of a particular object, animal, place or situation, far greater than any real danger. A specific phobia has a single trigger. A complex phobia, such as agoraphobia, affects life more widely and can make leaving home, or being anywhere escape feels difficult, very hard.

Next step

When should you seek an assessment?

You may benefit from a specialist assessment if:

Anxiety is affecting your daily life, or causing you distress, most days.
You are avoiding situations, places or people because of it.
You are having panic attacks, or living in fear of the next one.
Physical symptoms are worrying you and your GP has found no other cause.
You have tried self-help or treatment and it has not helped enough.
You also have low mood, or you are using alcohol or drugs to cope.
You want a clear diagnosis and a plan you understand.

The assessment

What the assessment covers

Your Consultant Psychiatrist carries out a comprehensive clinical assessment, which includes:

Your symptoms, what triggers them, and how long they have lasted
The effect on your work, relationships, sleep and daily life
Identification of the specific anxiety presentation
Screening for conditions that commonly occur alongside it, such as depression
Your physical health, and any alcohol or drug use that may be playing a part
What you have tried before, and what has helped
A careful assessment of risk and safety
An individualised treatment plan
A written summary for you and, with consent, your GP

How it works

What to expect

From booking to a plan you have agreed to.

Book your assessment

Choose online or in person and pick a time that suits you.
Before you come

Questionnaires

We send short questionnaires in advance, including a standard anxiety measure, so the appointment is spent on you rather than on paperwork.
60 minutes

Your assessment

A structured conversation with a Consultant Psychiatrist about your symptoms, your history and what you want from treatment.
Your plan and summary

A diagnosis where one applies, a treatment plan agreed with you, and a written summary for you and, with your consent, your GP.
Follow-up and review

Treatment is reviewed as it goes, and the plan is changed where it is not helping.

Treatment

How anxiety is treated

Talking therapy usually comes first. Which treatment is right for you, and where it is provided, is agreed with you at the end of your assessment.

Talking therapy

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is usually offered first. It works on the thoughts and behaviours that keep anxiety going. For GAD, applied relaxation is another option.

Guided self-help

Structured self-help based on CBT, supported by a practitioner, can be a good place to start, particularly for milder symptoms.

Medical treatment and review

Where it is clinically appropriate, for example if therapy has not helped enough, medical treatment is discussed with you, started carefully and reviewed at agreed intervals.

Not an emergency service

This assessment is a private clinical service and is not an emergency service. If you are in immediate danger or cannot keep yourself safe, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. For urgent help that is not an emergency, contact your GP or call 111 and choose the mental health option. Samaritans can be reached at any time on 116 123.

Book an assessment

Find out what is behind the anxiety

An assessment with a Consultant Psychiatrist identifies the kind of anxiety you are experiencing and agrees a plan for treating it.

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