Do you suffer from anxiety?
Have you ever thoughts of worry and panic? Do you sometimes feel stressed or flustered when completing a task? This could be a sign of anxiety. We take a deep dive into what anxiety is and how you can manage it.
Anxiety is typically a normal reaction to stress, fear or danger, and it can manifest as physical, mental or behavioural symptoms. It can range from mild to severe, and is commonly described as a sensation of dread, fear or unease. If we start worrying excessively about trivial matters or situations that seem innocuous, anxiety might become a problem. Anxiety typically begins to interfere with our everyday lives or have an impact on our relationships when it feels really strong or overwhelming.
How can we manage it?
- Change your attention - By concentrating attention on the here and now, mindfulness and meditation (which includes breathing techniques and relaxation techniques) might help some individuals feel less stressed and anxious.
- Recognise your anxiety - It may be possible to better understand the causes of your anxiety and discover strategies for managing or eliminating it if you keep a journal of your activities and feelings at various points in time.
- Slowly confront your worries - Our anxiety may worsen if we avoid events or rely on behaviours we believe would keep us safe. It may be helpful to confront an issue gradually; eventually, it will feel fine.
- Try self-help methods - By solving problems in novel ways and fostering resilience, practical approaches to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help you manage concerns, anxiety and harmful ideas.
- Allow time for your concerns - Try scheduling a daily ‘worry time’ to discuss your worries if they are taking over your day. You can focus on other things if you do this at a certain time each day.
- Consider the complete picture - Anxiety can cause us to become fixated on the specifics and lose sight of the bigger picture. Considering your issue or circumstance from a unique perspective can help you devise a strategy for dealing with it. Which piece of advice would you provide a friend?
What causes anxiety?
Since everyone experiences anxiety differently, it can be challenging to pinpoint the precise root of anxiety issues. There are most likely many elements at play.
1. Childhood or prior experiences
Anxiety disorders are frequently brought on by challenging events that occurred throughout childhood, adolescence or adulthood. Being exposed to stress and trauma at an early age is likely to have a significant effect. Among the situations that can lead to anxiety issues are:
- Abuse, either physical or emotional.
- Neglect, losing a parent, being teased, or shunned by society, or encountering prejudice.
- Another contributing factor may be having overly protective or unloving parents.
An example from MIND - “I was sent to boarding school and suffered acute separation anxiety, being away from home, and my brother nearly died when I was 12. My mum had an acute breakdown for a period of about a year and had to be home-nursed.”
2. The state of your life at the moment
Anxiety might also be brought on by ongoing issues in your life. For instance:
- Fatigue or an accumulation of stress, a lot of change or uncertainty, feeling under pressure at work or while studying, lengthy workdays, being unemployed, or financial difficulties
- Homelessness and housing issues
- Concern over the environment or natural disasters (sometimes known as eco-anxiety or climate anxiety)
- Losing a loved one (often referred to as bereavement)
- Encountering racism, being mistreated, harassed, or bullied, or feeling alone or isolated
3. Physical or mental health problems
Other health problems can sometimes cause anxiety or might make it worse. For example:
Physical health problems – living with a serious, ongoing or life-threatening physical health condition can sometimes trigger anxiety.
Other mental health problems – it’s also common to develop anxiety while living with other mental health problems, such as depression.
What is the ‘fight, flight or freeze’ response?
Like all animals, human beings have evolved ways to help us protect ourselves from danger. When we feel under threat our bodies react by releasing certain hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, which can be helpful. These hormones:
- Make us feel more alert, so we can act faster
- Make our hearts beat faster, instantly sending blood to where it’s needed most
After we feel the threat has passed, our bodies release other hormones to help our muscles relax. This can sometimes cause us to shake.
This is commonly called the ‘fight, flight or freeze’ response – it’s something that happens automatically in our bodies, and we have no control over it.
How can you help others?
Avoid pressuring people to do more than they are comfortable with. It’s crucial to exercise patience, pay attention to their desires and proceed at a pace that suits them.
While it seems sense to want to support someone in facing their fears or producing workable solutions, it may be quite upsetting for someone to feel as though they are being pushed into situations before they are ready. Their anxiety can worsen as a result.
Try to keep in mind that they aren’t deciding how they feel, and that part of having anxiety is being unable to manage their fears.
If you want to learn more about anxiety and other mental health and wellbeing issues visit: