Anxiety: What Is It And How Do You Cope?
Anxiety is a subject I have been meaning to write about for some time.
I run a women’s group on Facebook, called WWOW Women Worthy Of Wealth and a few members inside that community have mentioned the subject more than once.
Anxiety, unpleasant as it is in our life, is a normal experience. It can affect anyone in different ways and at different times.
I believe many people don’t admit to it because they don’t want to be seen as “weak” or “mentally ill”. This is quite sad but also something many people have to live with.
Only the other day I was talking to someone in a job where if they were seen as having anxiety it would jeopardise their position.
When I was doing some research, I found this paragraph very interesting from the Anxiety UK Site
It describes there are internal mechanisms inside us from our cave man days:
“Back then, we were equipped with an internal alarm system designed to protect us from the dangers surrounding us in the wild. This system would make us hyper-alert by giving us a boost of adrenaline that would increase the heart rate and boost the amount of oxygen going to our limbs so we were better able to fight or run from danger. This is known as the “fight or flight” response.
The “butterflies in the stomach” feeling that many associate with anxiety is the mechanism kicking in, but instead of being used to avoid immediate danger, it is often wrongly and inappropriately activated in a person during normal, every day situations when stress has built up, often unknowingly.” – Anxiety UK
What Causes Anxiety?
There can be a variety of things that can pin point when our anxiety began. It could be getting divorced, moving house, having an operation etc.
When I was younger I used to be anxious coming home late at night on the bus. I knew when I got off the bus I had to walk to my house, which wasn’t close to the bus stop.
I had butterflies in my stomach and was so scared I used to run like mad. At the same time, I had a splitting headache because I had been worried about it on the bus ride.
Other times, I used to have an inferiority complex where I thought everyone was talking about me and criticising me. When I walked into a room I was so self-conscious I used to feel physically sick. Back then, if I could avoid ever walking into a room alone I would.
My husband can be anxious at times. One of the times is when we are flying anywhere. He visits the men’s room a dozen times or more before we fly. It used to irritate me a lot. However, once I understood it was his anxiety causing him to do this I was much more sympathetic.
My anxieties may seem trivial to someone who has experienced much more than I have but I wanted to demonstrate I understood some of the feelings we have.
Your own anxiety might be pin pointed to a particular incident or experience, like mentioned before. E.g. divorce, moving home, having children etc.
Some people though, don’t always know where its come from. And when it does come, you wonder why it appeared.
Reducing stress is said to help and doing things like relaxing, listening to music, exercise and just being with our families.
What Are The Symptoms Of Anxiety?
As I mentioned earlier, I used to have physical symptoms of the butterflies in my stomach and blinding headaches.
According to Anxiety UK the following things can be experienced:
- Increased heart rate
- Increased muscle tension
- “Jelly legs”
- Tingling in the hands and feet
- Dizziness
- Difficulty in breathing
- Wanting to use the toilet more often
- Feeling sick
- Tight band across the chest area
- Tension headaches.
- Hot flushes
- Increased perspiration
- Dry mouth
- Shaking
- Choking sensations
- Palpitation
- The above are physical symptoms but we also experience psychological symptoms as well:
- Thinking we will go mad or lose control
- Thinking we might die
- Believe we are having a heart attack or faint
- The feeling people are looking at us and seeing our anxiety
- Feeling things are speeding up or slowing down
- Experiencing detachment from your environment and the people in it
- You want to run away/escape from the situation
- Feeling on edge and alert to everything around you
Can you relate to any of the above?
I definitely can.
I wanted to run away just before I gave birth to my children. Escaping from everyone when my previous marriage was in trouble.
I imagined I wanted to live on a desert island where there were no people.
How Do we Stop Anxiety?
You can get help for anxiety and rather than suffer in silence. Look for specialists who can help you. That could be in therapeutic sessions where a number of meetings chatting to an expert can really help.
More serious sufferers can often be helped by the use of some medication.
I am obviously no expert and I would advise anyone reading this to get the help they need from someone who is.
The site I visited Anxiety UK is a very useful and helpful site on this very subject.
How does this post relate to Business Or Life in General?
Anxiety or any form of stress related experiences could affect the way we are in our work, business or home life.
Maybe you want to do a Facebook live or a video and your anxiety has prevented you from doing it.
If you experience an inferiority complex like I used to, then you will be worried people are talking about you in a negative way.
Your relationships can suffer when you are anxious and you might avoid dealing with things because of it.
I could list a whole lot of other things.
What I want you to remember is you are not alone.
Thousands of people experience some form of anxiety in their lives. Some people have it worse than others.
If yours is affecting your life in a really negative way, I urge you to get the help you need. Talk to your Doctor and get some advice.
In a previous post, How To Deal With Stress, I list some things you can do to help you feel much happier and calm.
- It includes things like:
- Looking after your health,
- Getting a good nights sleep
- Drinking plenty of water
- Exercising more
- Having a more positive attitude
- Managing your time better
- Saying no more often
If you want more detail, read the post by CLICKING HERE
Closing Thoughts
I hope this post has given you a little more insight into anxiety and how it’s pretty normal for most of us to experience it in our lives at some point.
When it affects us too much and begins to hinder our progress in life or enjoyment, then that’s the time to get the help.
The professionals believe we should not suffer in silence and be aware that you can be helped very effectively.
If you got some value from this article, drop me a comment below. I promise to reply.
Useful Sites To Visit
http://transcendinganxiety.com/anxiety-warrior-quiz
https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/get-help/anxiety-information/
LYNDA KENNY
Certified High Performance Coach
Email: lynda@lyndakenny.com
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