Anxiety: A Whole-Person Approach
An Integrative Approach to Anxiety
Anxiety is more than just feeling nervous or worried. It can manifest as restlessness, muscle tension, poor sleep, racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, and a pervasive sense of unease. In some cases, it can feel like your body and mind are constantly in a state of alert — even when there’s no clear danger.
While traditional psychiatry can often seem very focused on categorising symptoms and prescribing medication, an integrative approach aims to resolve a broader, deeper question: What’s maintaining this person’s anxiety — and how can we address it in a way that restores long-term calm and confidence?
In this post, I want to share how we can reframe anxiety through a whole-person lens — and why this perspective matters.
More Than a Faulty Alarm System
Anxiety is sometimes characterised as a “malfunctioning threat system” — where the brain’s alarm response is overactive, even in non-threatening situations. That’s partially true, especially when we look at the neurobiology: the amygdala and related brain regions are indeed central to how we process fear and uncertainty.
But that’s only one part of the story.
Just as we understand physical illness as arising from a mixture of biological, psychological, and social factors, so too must we approach anxiety. Consider how someone’s genetics, early life experiences, attachment patterns, trauma history, daily habits, relationships, and even diet and sleep all shape their emotional landscape.
Anxiety is not just a chemical glitch — it’s a response to something. That something might be internal (such as unprocessed trauma, perfectionism, or hypervigilance), external (ongoing stress or lack of support), or both.
When we frame anxiety as an intelligent, though sometimes misplaced, protective response — rather than a fault — we open the door to more compassionate and effective care.
An Integrative Psychiatry Perspective
In my work, I’ve seen how a truly comprehensive approach can help people move beyond symptom management and into genuine transformation. This includes:
Medication, where appropriate, to reduce excessive arousal and stabilise mood
Lifestyle interventions, such as movement, circadian rhythm alignment, tech boundaries, and meaningful social connection
Psychological therapy to explore fears, patterns of avoidance, and cognitive distortions
Nervous system regulation, through practices like paced breathing, vagal toning, and grounding exercises
Nutritional and physiological assessment, considering issues such as blood sugar stability, caffeine intake, nutrient levels and gut health
Mind–body therapies, like mindfulness, yoga, or somatic experiencing, which help restore a sense of safety in the body
Rather than suppressing anxiety, the aim is to understand it, respond to it, and gradually retrain the system so it no longer overreacts to non-dangerous situations.
Anxiety is Adaptable — and So Are You
One of the hopeful truths about anxiety is that it can be trained. The brain’s alarm system is plastic — meaning it can be re-programmed over time. Patterns of fear, avoidance, and rumination can be unlearned, especially when we approach them with the right blend of curiosity, compassion, and evidence-based strategies.
Recovery doesn’t mean never feeling anxious again — it means becoming confident in your ability to respond to anxiety without being ruled by it.
In my clinical experience, most people do get better. Not through willpower alone, but through understanding their triggers, supporting their physiology, and learning tools to calm the body and focus the mind. This is the heart of integrative psychiatry: not just symptom relief, but whole-person resilience.
If This Resonates With You…
If you’re living with anxiety and looking for an approach that sees the full picture — not just a diagnostic label — I’d be glad to help. I offer comprehensive assessments and personalised treatment plans that draw on the best of psychiatric, psychological, and lifestyle medicine.
Feel free to get in touch using the contact form to arrange an initial consultation.