Below you can read more about the psychological problems that are most common in my practice.

I distinguish between anxiety problems, eating problems, mood problems and PMS.

 

Anxiety complaints

Panic symptoms

These involve unexpected anxiety attacks, without (an apparent) cause or trigger. This may manifest as hyperventilation, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, a lump in the throat, an oppressive feeling in the chest, nausea, dizziness and palpitations, among others. It may be accompanied by avoiding places or situations.

 

Social anxiety symptoms

This is fear of being the centre of attention or being humiliated. Examples include: speaking in front of a group of people, eating in company, writing when someone is watching etc.

 

Trauma complaints

These complaints can arise after being exposed to or witnessing an extremely traumatic experience. It may manifest as flashbacks, nightmares, re-experiences, excessive alertness, sleep problems, irritability, difficulty concentrating and/or being skittish, among others.

 

Illness anxiety (hypochondria)

These symptoms can manifest, among other things, in the fear that you have an undiagnosed/diagnosed serious illness. In addition, these worries persist despite doctors having reassured you and medical tests showing nothing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Specific phobia

A specific phobia can manifest itself in fear of a specific object or situation, for example, fear of flying, heights, confined spaces, animals, getting an injection or seeing blood.

 

Generalised anxiety symptoms

These anxiety symptoms can manifest themselves, among other things, in excessive brooding and worrying about multiple problems of daily life at work, at home and in the immediate environment. This worrying and brooding is difficult to control or hinders you from concentrating. They further manifest in restlessness, nervousness, tension, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and irritability, sleep problems.

 

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCS)

Compulsive symptoms can manifest themselves, among other things, in recurrent thoughts, images or tendencies that are unwanted, inappropriate, intrusive or distressing. For example, the thought of being dirty, something might happen to someone because of your negligence, excessive doubting or controlling. It also manifests itself in the feeling of being forced to do certain actions without ceasing, without being able to stop it yourself, such as hand-washing counting or constantly checking things.

A specific form of OCS is, relationship OCS. This manifests itself in relationship doubts "do I still like my partner?", "is my partner the one?", "do I still love my partner enough?".

 

Eating disorders

Bulimia

You have bouts of gluttony, where you eat large amounts of food within a certain period of time. During these attacks, you feel like you have no control or ability to stop. To avoid gaining weight after an attack, you do something to compensate, such as vomiting, fasting, laxation, appetite suppressants or excessive exercise.

 

Anorexia

There is a disturbed relationship with food, strong fear of weight gain and disturbed body image. It can manifest as restrictive eating behaviour and (severe) weight loss, among other things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depressive symptoms

These symptoms may manifest themselves as, among others, lethargy, not feeling like anything, loss of interest, weight change, fatigue, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, restlessness, agitation or sluggishness, sleep problems, hopelessness, a gloomy mood and/or a short fuse.

 

Psychosomatic complaints

Burn-out symptoms

Burnout can manifest as, among other things, persistent mental and physical exhaustion, decreased concentration, irritability and stress complaints. Caused by a combination of work pressure and personal circumstances.

 

PMS

If you have Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), you may suffer from physical and/or psychological complaints. These symptoms manifest as sensitive/painful breasts, fluid retention, fatigue, irritability and mood swings, among others. The symptoms start in the weeks before your period. Register here for the PMS module