The Science of Getting Better.
10 Harley Street
London W1G 9PF
Your heart races. Your stomach tightens. You feel restless, overwhelmed, or inexplicably on edge.
Perhaps you've been told it's anxiety.
And perhaps it is.
But what if there's more to the picture?
Anxiety can involve psychological, neurological, hormonal, and physiological processes. Sometimes physical conditions produce symptoms that resemble anxiety. At other times, physical symptoms and anxiety reinforce one another.
At The Sona Method, a Harley Street clinic in London, anxiety occurring alongside persistent physical symptoms is considered within the wider context of a person's health.
Because understanding what is happening matters as much as giving it a name.
A diagnosis can describe what you're experiencing. It doesn't always explain everything contributing to it.
The mind-body connection
Anxiety is associated with changes throughout the nervous system and body.
The stress response can influence heart rate, breathing, digestion, muscle tension, and sleep.
This is why anxiety can feel intensely physical, even when no underlying physical disease is present.
But certain medical conditions can also produce symptoms that overlap with anxiety.
Thyroid disorders, anaemia, some nutritional deficiencies, medication effects, and heart rhythm disturbances are among the possibilities clinicians may consider when the history suggests them.
The important question is not whether symptoms are physical or psychological.
It is what best explains the individual presentation.
The mind and body are not competing explanations. They are parts of the same person.
Looking for patterns
Some people experience anxiety alongside persistent fatigue, digestive disturbances, dizziness, palpitations, or disrupted sleep.
These symptoms may be consequences of anxiety, separate medical problems, or part of a more complex interaction.
Understanding when they began, how they change, and whether they occur together can help guide appropriate assessment.
At The Sona Method, the starting point is the person's history.
What appeared first? Have symptoms changed over time? What investigations have already been performed? Are there medications, nutritional concerns, hormonal changes, or other health factors worth reviewing?
Not everyone needs extensive testing.
The aim is to identify which questions are clinically relevant and which have already been adequately answered.
Sometimes the pattern becomes clearer when the symptoms are considered together.
Hormones, nutrition & the nervous system
Hormonal changes can influence mood, sleep, and anxiety symptoms.
Thyroid dysfunction, perimenopause, and other endocrine changes may be relevant in some presentations.
Nutritional deficiencies can also contribute to symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and neurological changes, which may complicate the experience of anxiety.
Sleep deprivation, stimulant use, medication effects, and certain physical illnesses may further influence symptoms.
None of these possibilities should automatically be assumed to explain anxiety.
They are considerations when the person's medical history and symptoms justify further assessment.
Looking more widely does not mean looking endlessly. It means knowing what deserves attention.
A wider approach
Sona Parmar works with people experiencing persistent, complex, and sometimes unexplained health problems.
Her approach considers how different aspects of health may interact, including physical symptoms, nutrition, lifestyle, medical history, and existing diagnoses.
The Sona Method does not replace psychiatric assessment, psychological therapy, or prescribed mental health treatment.
Anxiety disorders may benefit from evidence-based treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy, medication, or a combination of approaches.
When anxiety is severe, disabling, or the primary concern, appropriate mental health care is essential.
A wider physical health assessment may be useful alongside that care when symptoms or history indicate it.
Good care does not force a choice between psychological and physical explanations.
A diagnosis can describe what you're experiencing. It doesn't always explain everything contributing to it.
Anxiety & physical health on Harley Street, London
The Sona Method may be appropriate for people who experience anxiety alongside persistent physical symptoms, multiple diagnoses, or ongoing health concerns that remain difficult to explain.
The focus is on understanding the broader presentation, identifying relevant contributing factors, and determining sensible next steps.
Not every symptom has a hidden cause. But every symptom deserves to be considered in context.
If anxiety occurs alongside persistent physical health concerns and you would like to explore whether The Sona Method is appropriate for you, get in touch to arrange a consultation.