We are all too familiar with the uneasy feeling that comes with anxiety. Our hearts race, we break into a cold sweat, breathing gets labored, thoughts get disorganized and unfocused and everything seems to go the wrong way making us feel helpless and defeated.
More often than not, we experience this at a lesser or greater degree and seeming to be locked in this state greatly impairs our daily functionality, taking the power to achieve our goals, and yes – our ability to be happy.
This article explores different ways to beat Anxiety so you can put a stop to the vicious cycle of constant disappointments and persistent worries. If you are ready to turn the table and change your life into a state of flow, read on.
1. Do something to lift your mood. Negative moods can fuel worrying big time. Experts suggest that if you find yourself thinking gloomy thoughts or feeling in the dumps, immediately try to offset things by doing something you enjoy, particularly, some physical endeavor to get you out of your head!
2. Acceptance of Uncertainty. Worry-warts are allergic to the term “uncertainty.” They can’t tolerate being in suspense and continues to worry until the muddle of ambivalence has been resolved. Next time you are faced with a situation with unsure consequences, if you can’t do anything to alter the outcome, let go and just ride with the tide
3. Focus on the task at hand. Anxious individuals tend to choke under pressure. That’s what happens when the level of arousal is too high and performance suffers as a result. Under stressful situations, moderate arousal is ideal because it gives you the right amount of alertness to get the work done, instead of being self-conscious or distracted by what other people would think.
4. Refrain from making negative assumptions. Highly anxious individuals often ruin their day and end up feeling miserable by putting a negative interpretation to ambiguous comments. Sometimes, an apple is just an apple. If someone tells you, “that’s an interesting choice,” don’t torture yourself by assuming it’s a depreciating comment and you start monitoring people for signs that they don’t like you.
5. Emphasize on Self-efficacy. Believe in your ability to cope with challenge. You don’t need to be a super hero to have a healthy self-esteem. When you adopt a confident attitude, you see the positive points in a situation, and strategically work towards eradicating the negative aspects, which can give you an even greater sense of personal control.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental illness. It is estimated that one out of every ten Canadians is impacted by them.
Because these disorders are treatable, it is critical to distinguish between being anxious in response to a real event and having an anxiety disorder that causes fear or distress that is out of proportion to the situation.
Anxiety Disorder Treatment
Anxiety problems can be treated successfully. The most typical treatment method is a mix of medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
Because most anxiety problems have a biological foundation, the most commonly recommended medications are antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications.
CBT entails assisting people in transforming their worried thoughts and feelings into more sensible ones. People may benefit by being exposed to the object or circumstance they are afraid of in a controlled setting.
CBT approaches for certain conditions have been created. People suffering from panic disorder, for example, can benefit from learning new breathing and meditation techniques to help them cope with their worry.
Many people can benefit from support groups and learning more about their anxiety problems. Involving relatives and friends who are also affected by the disorder can aid in recovery or learning how to cope with the disorder.
The most crucial initial step in treatment is to obtain an accurate diagnosis from an anxiety disorder specialist. Many people endure for ten years or more before receiving appropriate treatment.
Should I seek help?
Some anxiety is natural, but consult your doctor if you believe you are worrying excessively, if it is interfering with your education, work, or relationships, if you feel depressed or irritable, have difficulty using alcohol or drugs, or if you have other mental health difficulties in addition to anxiety.
If you are having suicidal thoughts or behaviours, call 911 or the Nova Scotia Mental Health Crisis line right away.
Call toll-free: 1-888-429-8167
For non-emergency advice and information about mental health and addictions, call 811.
Good2Talk Nova Scotia provides support for university and college students.
Call toll-free: 1-833-292-3698
Text GOOD2TALKNS to 686868
Access Wellness provides a single session of 1-to-1 counselling to help people dealing with mental health concerns (like anxiety, job loss, grief, relationship issues and substance use).
Counselling sessions can be online, by phone or in person in Sydney, Halifax, Kentville or New Glasgow. You can call the support team to book an appointment.
Call toll-free: 1-833-691-2282 (7 days a week, 8:30 am to 11:00 pm)
Your concerns are unlikely to go away on their own, and they may worsen. Anxiety may be simpler to treat early on, so get expert assistance before your anxiety worsens.
References:
Anxiety Canada. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – https://www.anxietycanada.com/articles/cognitive-behaviour-therapy-cbt/
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Anxiety: Pharmacotherapy – https://www.camh.ca/en/professionals/treating-conditions-and-disorders/anxiety-disorders/anxiety—treatment/anxiety—pharmacotherapy
Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash