Do you struggle to meet new people or to eat in public? Are you fearful of speaking in public or become nervous before a work meeting with your manager or before sitting an exam. Do you feel dread and fear the worst, finding it difficult to concentrate in a job interview. If this resonates with you, you may be experiencing anxiety. Continue reading this blog to learn about what anxiety is, what triggers anxiety, and how to treat anxiety.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling of unease, including mild or severe worry and fear. It is perfectly normal to feel anxious during situations such as a job interview or an exam. However, the inability to control or constantly ruminate over your worries can become an issue. Anxiety can affect how you feel and behave, how you think, your performance at work, and even your relationships.
Some symptoms of Anxiety include:
- Thoughts racing
- Faster heartbeat
- Dry mouth
- Sweating
- Nausea and butterflies in your stomach
- Muscle tension
- Dizziness
- Sleep disturbances
- Restlessness
Although anxiety is a very human experience that everyone experiences from time to time, if it is impacting on your day-to-day life, your work or your relationships, then it may be good to speak to a professional about this.
There are several types of anxiety disorders, including:
1. Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD): GAD is the most common type of anxiety disorder. It is defined as excessive anxiety and worry for at least six months about different activities and day-to-day events. If you have GAD, you may find it difficult to control your worries and may experience restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and sleep disturbances.
2. Panic Disorder: A panic disorder is defined as the presence of recurrent and unexpected panic attacks. A panic attack is a rush of intense anxiety and physical symptoms, including shortness of breath, dizziness, numbness, and a fear of dying. It occurs suddenly and often with no apparent reason.
3. Social Anxiety:Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is an overwhelming fear of social situations. It often includes a persistent fear of being watched and scrutinised by others. If you have social phobia, you may fear that you will exhibit anxiety symptoms that will be embarrassing and humiliating. You may avoid social situations or endure it with intense distress.
4. Other anxiety disorders include phobia-related disorders such as agoraphobia and specific phobias.
What Triggers anxiety?
There is not one single trigger for anxiety. Triggers vary on the person and their experiences. Below are some possible triggers for anxiety.
- Past and adverse childhood experiences: Negative experiences, including the death of a loved one or witnessing a traumatic event, may be a singular incident that triggers anxiety. Alternatively, anxiety may stem from repeated negative experiences such as physical abuse or emotional abuse, including bullying at home or school. Hence, anxiety and symptoms of anxiety are a result of your brain and body coping with these events.
- Stressful life events:Anxiety can be triggered by the stressors of your daily life. Although they may not appear to be stress-inducing, they can impact your mental health. Examples include financial worries, relationship issues, or work stress, including probation worries or worries about an upcoming meeting.
- Physical and mental health difficulties: Living with ongoing and life-threatening health conditions can be very overwhelming and disheartening and can sometimes trigger anxiety. Additionally, it is common to develop anxiety while living with other mental health difficulties, including depression, as anxiety and depression often go hand in hand.
- Drugs and medication:Recreational drugs and the consumption of alcohol may trigger anxiety. However, prescribed medication for any physical problem or mental health difficulty may also trigger anxiety.
- Other triggers include but are not limited to: Genetics and family history of mental health issues
What are the Impacts of Anxiety?
Anxiety can have a significant impact on your life. It may affect your school or work performance as well as your relationships. You may experience low productivity and negatively view yourself and the world around you negatively. An avoidance of certain situations that make you anxious may help you in the short term but can worsen the anxiety in the future.
How to Treat Anxiety?
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT is a type of talking therapy that focuses on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. CBT addresses anxiety by helping people overcome negative thoughts and negative thinking cycles as well as the unhelpful behaviours. The course of CBT usually lasts between 6 to 12 sessions. However, this varies from person to person and the severity of the anxiety.
- Medication: Although medication does not cure anxiety, it can help you relieve your symptoms. It is often recommended alongside with therapy.
Tips for managing Anxiety:
- Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness can help you stay with and acknowledge your difficult feelings and thoughts without suppressing or encouraging them. It allows you to explore the causes of your stress and worry and create a space, so they do not consume you. There are many types of mindfulness techniques. The most common technique is meditation; however, you can also try mindful colouring and drawing, mindful eating, walking, or running.
- Exercise: Anxiety is caused by the fight-or-flight response, resulting in physical symptoms such as a fast heartbeat and muscle tension. Exercise can help improve your mood and promote relaxation, which can help you reduce your anxiety. Physical activity can range from a brisk walk, a bike ride, or even a dance class.
If you need help managing your anxiety or know someone who needs help, consider contacting a registered Psychologist. Here at The Mind Remedy, you can book a free 15-minute chat with one of our Psychologists to discuss further.
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