Anxiety

Feeling a certain amount of fear and worry about the future is natural. Most people think about their future, and what that future may hold regularly. Anxiety has some indicators: hyperventilating (rapid breathing), feelings of dread, being “on edge,” increased or heavy sweating, muscle twitches, tiredness (lethargy), weakness, insomnia/difficulty sleeping, chest pain, muscle pain, rapid heartbeat, rumination, difficulty concentrating, tummy troubles, avoidance behaviors, repeating behaviors, and apprehension. How anxiety appears depends on the person. Not all anxiety is bad. For example, I feel anxiety when I watch sports—I love the “will he or won’t he catch the ball moments” that accompany a deep pass. My family does not enjoy the pacing, though. HAHAH. 

General anxiety can be experienced by people of different ages and in different situations. Anxiety can be described as the body’s reaction to various daily activities—fretting over a doctor’s visit, meeting a new boss, singing karaoke, or worrying about what’s happening in the world. Let’s be truthful, the world gives us a lot to feel anxious about. Anxiety is brief, but what happens if it’s not? What happens if your anxiety lasts hours, days, or months?  

Prolonged anxiety may be a symptom of a mental health disorder. If you’ve experienced a traumatic event (grief/loss), environmental stressors (hostile work environment), confined spaces, large crowds, loud noises, and the unknown. Anxiety is part of our lives, but when it begins to impact sleep patterns, self-confidence, ability to make simple decisions, how we interact with others, and the ability to complete tasks, it may be time to seek help. 

Many people have a stigma about seeing a therapist, but that isn’t the only option available. Here are some ways I have found helpful when anxiety arises in my life: 

• Yoga or meditation can help reduce anxiety levels through relaxation, stretching and breathing techniques.
• Exercise: even a short walk releases feel-good endorphins. I have found exercising outside extremely helpful because being in nature is calming. I love the sunshine; it makes me happy. 
• Create a bedtime routine to promote healthy sleep hygiene habits. 
• Follow your daily routine. 
• Reduce caffeine intake. 
• Keep a diary or journal (As I have stated before, I have 3 journals I fill out before I go to bed). 
• Chat to a close friend. I am always willing and ready to be a listening ear if you need me to be—I promise no judgment. I have been there.  
• Listen to your favorite artist.  
• Get a massage—my monthly massage is the best gift I’ve ever given myself.  
• Try diversional activities like painting and drawing (writing, for me), playing a musical instrument, or learning a new hobby.
• Use guided meditation apps and podcasts while travelling, or on public transport. 
• Read a book or listen to an audiobook. 

If none of those things work, you may have to seek professional health. How do you know when you should see a doctor? It’s important to listen to your body, and if you feel you need to see a doctor, then see a doctor. Your General Practitioner can give you a referral for a psychiatrist in your area that may be able to help you. There are many medications available that may be able to reduce your anxiety.

When I was in college, I was experiencing panic attacks. Things were so bad; I was avoiding my apartment and staying at school extra-long hours. After weeks of debating within myself, I finally decided to go see the school’s mental health counselor. I figured it couldn’t hurt anything to talk to someone, and I received 6 free sessions for being a student there. So, I went. Truthfully, not very open-minded in the beginning. I felt awkward sharing my feelings with someone I didn’t know. But the truth was, I needed to share my feelings with someone I didn’t know because I wasn’t sharing them with someone I did know. After the 6 sessions were over, I knew what my anxiety triggers were, had ways to cope with my anxiety, and I felt better about my life. I still use some of those techniques I learned when I feel anxiety today. 

If you feel someone you know is experiencing anxiety, I advise against telling them they need help. Saying things like “you need help,” may not always come off loving and concern; the words might push the person into further avoidance. There are ways you can help. Here are some suggestions: 

• Use positive affirmations—there are lots of them on the internet if you need help knowing what to say. 
• Gently reassure the sufferer that they are going to be okay. 
• Encourage them to seek help (if they tell you they want help) and remind them that asking for help is normal. 
• Be empathetic, but not patronizing. 
• Try to shift their feeling of anxiousness to feelings of excitement. 
• If there are any comments or thoughts relating to harm or self-harm or suicide, take these comments seriously and call for emergency support if the threat is imminent. 

There is a lot to be anxious about in our world. If you watch the news, the world seems to be one disaster after another. The fact that we lived through a pandemic in the last 3 years has definably caused reasons for anxiety. Some of the ways found to reduce anxiety have caused more anxiety during the aftermath of the pandemic. Since March 2020, the world has been in a perpetual state of anxious thoughts and behaviors. If you are experiencing any of these thoughts and behaviors, don’t feel bad. From the Mayo Clinic (Anxiety disorders – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic), there are several types of anxiety disorders people should be made aware of: 

• Agoraphobia (ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and often avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless, or embarrassed. 
• Anxiety disorder due to a medical condition includes symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are directly caused by a physical health problem. 
• Generalized anxiety disorder includes persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about activities or events — even ordinary, routine issues. The worry is out of proportion to the actual circumstance, is difficult to control and affects how you feel physically. It often occurs along with other anxiety disorders or depression. 
• Panic disorder involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks). You may have feelings of impending doom, shortness of breath, chest pain, or a rapid, fluttering or pounding heart (heart palpitations). These panic attacks may lead to worrying about them happening again or avoiding situations in which they’ve occurred. 
• Selective mutism is a consistent failure of children to speak in certain situations, such as school, even when they can speak in other situations, such as at home with close family members. This can interfere with school, work, and social functioning. 
• Separation anxiety disorder is a childhood disorder characterized by anxiety that’s excessive for the child’s developmental level and related to separation from parents or others who have parental roles. 
• Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) involves high levels of anxiety, fear, and avoidance of social situations due to feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness, and concern about being judged or viewed negatively by others. 
• Specific phobias are characterized by major anxiety when you’re exposed to a specific object or situation and a desire to avoid it. Phobias provoke panic attacks in some people. 
• Substance-induced anxiety disorder is characterized by symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are a direct result of misusing drugs, taking medications, being exposed to a toxic substance or withdrawal from drugs. 
• Other specified anxiety disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder are terms for anxiety or phobias that don’t meet the exact criteria for any other anxiety disorders but are significant enough to be distressing and disruptive. 

If you are experiencing any of these, and you don’t get help for them, anxiety could cause major issues in the future including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, thyroid problems, breathing problems, drug misuse/withdrawal, chronic pain, headaches, irritable bowel symptoms, social isolation, depression (suicidal thoughts and actions), poor quality of life, and rare tumors.  

There is no way to prevent anxiety or predict how it will impact people. You can take steps to reduce the impacts of anxiety if you are experiencing them: 

• Get help early 
• Stay active 
• Avoid alcohol and drug use 

Here are some resources to look into, if you think you need help: 

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI); 800-950-NAMI (800-950-6264) 
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA); 240-485-1001 
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); 866-615-6464 
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Mental Health (CDC); 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) 
• American Psychological Association; 800-374-2721 
• American Psychiatric Association; 800-357-7924