Private Clinic for Anxiety Disorders in NRW

The most common signs of an anxiety disorder include, among others:

• Racing heart
• Accelerated breathing up to the feeling of suffocating
• A feeling of helplessness
• The impression of losing control over one’s own thoughts and body
• Trembling and heavy sweating

Anxiety manifests itself in very different forms. Among the most common anxiety disorders are generalised anxiety disorder, in which a persistent, often diffuse worry dominates thinking, as well as panic disorder with suddenly occurring, intense anxiety attacks. In addition, phobic disorders play a major role – such as agoraphobia (fear of certain places or situations that are difficult to escape from), social phobia (pronounced fear of being judged in social situations) and specific phobias directed at individual objects or situations. Often several of these forms occur together or in combination with other conditions.

An anxiety disorder usually does not have a single cause but arises from the interplay of several factors. These include a genetic or familial predisposition, neurobiological influences in brain metabolism, as well as persistent stress and stressful or traumatic life experiences. In addition, there is often a learned pattern: if anxiety-triggering situations are repeatedly avoided, the anxiety can become entrenched over time. Personal factors such as a strong need for security or a marked tendency to ruminate can also promote its development.

Anxiety is fundamentally one of the natural protective reactions of humans. One speaks of an anxiety disorder when anxiety occurs without a real threat or to a significantly exaggerated degree and noticeably restricts life. What is decisive, therefore, is not whether anxiety is present, but how strongly it influences everyday life, the sense of security and behaviour.

Yes. Many of those affected try to avoid anxiety-triggering situations as far as possible. In the short term, this can bring relief, but in the long term there is a risk that the anxiety takes up more space as a result and becomes further entrenched. It is precisely for this reason that anxiety disorders often persist in everyday life over a long period without those affected immediately becoming aware of it.

Professional support is advisable above all when fears increasingly dominate everyday life, situations are avoided or the symptoms persist over a longer period. Even when physical reactions such as a racing heart, shortness of breath, trembling or heavy sweating occur repeatedly and lead to marked insecurity, the strain should be taken seriously. The LIMES Schlossklinik Bergisches Land in NRW specialises in the treatment of anxiety disorders.

The clinic is located in the Oberbergisches Land near Lindlar – a quiet, natural region in NRW characterised by gentle hills, forests and river valleys. Embedded in an extensive parkland, the surroundings deliberately create distance from the hustle and bustle of the nearby conurbations of the Rhineland and the Ruhr area. Especially with anxiety disorders, this protected, natural environment can have a relieving effect: it offers a safe setting in which you can find peace and face your fears step by step.