Worried about anxiety?

Many of us are aware of what it means to feel anxious. We become anxious about events that might go wrong in our life and entertain possibilities of what might happen, if this were the case. People who worry excessively tend to focus on the negative rather than the positive. Think about it, when is the last time you stayed awake worrying about how you might spend the parish lotto winnings? Truthfully, we spend more of our time thinking about things that might never happen. Anxiety and worry are part and parcel of everyday life but if they not managed appropriately, they take over and cause undue stress in our day to day lives. Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety at some point in time, whether it’s preparing for a job interview, bringing up a child or meeting people. While a low level of anxiety can be a useful motivating force, higher levels of anxiety are not really that helpful. Some of the most common forms of anxiety that present for people are set out in the following paragraph. It is also worth noting, that the presence of certain symptoms as outlined below does not necessarily conclude that you are suffering with a disorder, rather they should be considered as a brief education on what exits out there in the world.

· Agoraphobia is an intense anxiety which triggers a panic response, commonly associated with open spaces.

· Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a commonly diagnosed anxiety disorder and usually affects young adults. While feelings of anxiety are normal, people with GAD find it hard to control them to an extent that limits their daily life.

· Panic is an exaggeration of the body’s normal response to fear, stress or excitement. Symptoms include a pounding heart, feeling faint, sweating, shaky limbs, nausea, chest pains, breathing discomfort and feelings of losing control.

· A Phobia is an intense and irrational fear of a specific object or situation which makes the person experiencing it go to great lengths to avoid it.

· Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or syndrome, is a reaction to highly stressful or traumatising events. People commonly experience flashbacks, panic attacks, nightmares or avoid situations that might trigger memories of the event.

· Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD) are characterised by unwanted, intrusive, or repetitive feelings that make the individual feel driven to do something to get rid of the obsessive thoughts. (www.mentalhealthIreland.ie)

Tips for overcoming anxiety

Often just knowing what makes you anxious and why, can be the first step to managing anxiety or panic. There are many worries that can rest at the source of anxiety such as money, work, health, loneliness or ageing and whilst there are supports offered across the country it can be worthwhile starting with a little work at home to help interrupt the negativity. Some of the following tips have helped me work both personally and professionally with anxiety. I hope you find them useful.

1 Don’t Fight thoughts: Fighting worries only makes them worse. Some people find that it helps to acknowledge the worry that comes into their mind and let it go. This requires practice and is difficult at first, but it does really help.

2 Focus on a solution: Get a pen and paper, put the kettle on and make a list of pros and cons. It takes a little effort and practice but seeing the options written down will provide clarity and perhaps you could discuss with another person. A different perspective can be so beneficial.

3 Acceptance: Life is unpredictable, Forest Gump said it was “like a box of chocolates, you never knew what you were gonna get”. How right he was. None of us have any power over anything that might happen in the future. All that we can manage is the present moment. If you can begin to accept this, there are benefits for your anxiety.

4 Diet: What we eat is of the utmost importance. Eating healthier and making conscious decisions around food and alcohol will reduce the impact of your anxiety. However, if we begin to neglect our diet and rush for high sugar, caffeinated or fast foods, we don’t help, and the result is often poor bodily health and function.

What we have covered this month is merely an overview of the most common anxieties, but it is important to mention that the list is not exhaustive. There are many factors that contribute to each and every one of our anxieties. I have found conversation and communication to be the best medicine. As the saying goes, a problem shared, is a problem halved. Never has it had more relevance than with anxiety. If we can find the space to share and listen to each other, we can offer valuable insight and perspective that can challenge a particular anxiety and disprove it, often surprisingly quickly. If you feel that you might be prone to worry or anxiety, it is very ordinary and normal. Talk to a loved one, a friend or someone you trust. You might soon find that you are not alone in your worry.

Best Wishes

Colin

#anxiety #anxious