Don’t let
it overpower your daily life:
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Worries and
mental ill health are often a psychological and emotional response to the
things that have happened to us. While it’s perfectly normal to experience
anxiety in everyday situations, problems arise when it begins to dominate,
overwhelm and limit your thoughts and actions.
Appreciate
fear versus anxiety:
Anxiety is
distinct from fear. Fear is the immediate impulse we get when faced with a
direct threat. Anxiety also tends to describe the fear that persists over time.
Example: you will not be typically ‘scared’ of attending a social gathering
where you don’t know anyone. But the thought of spending an evening with
unknown people can make an anxiety prone person really ‘anxious’. So, it’s not
necessarily about being harmed but feeling troubled about something you have to
face. It’s about intense discomfort.
Try to
recognise the real risk:
Anxious
thoughts are often survival mechanisms and a reasonable response to
unreasonable things that have happened in our lives. “part of the process for a
lot of people is understanding that anxiety is something that’s worth listening
to and not to be ignored”. It’s a unique gift of humans to be able to take
ourselves out of the present moment, to think about future scenarios and to
plan for them, but for some of us the anxious thoughts becomes disproportionate
to risk. It becomes overwhelming and starts to limit our ability to live life
and do the things we want to do.
Understand
cause and reaction:
There will
often be a set of causes and experiences that explain why people get anxious.
“It’s often much more logical than people understand, if someone’s experienced
a form of bullying then social anxiety is a common and understandable
response”. “If the response to an event has become a dysfunctional way of
responding to other people or the world, it can be a serious problem, but it
can be managed.”
Detox the
mind and body:
If anxiety
is a response to past experiences, then it’s not totally implausible to think a
detox could ease symptoms. The starting point is asking what’s the root of the
anxious thought. It is suggested that you stop, take stock, reflect and do
something different. Exercise, relaxation, healthy eating, avoiding toxins such
as junk foods, having space for silence and reflection, and reconnecting to
nature are all positive steps. Also, awareness of your problem is crucial.
Tips to
manage bouts of anxiety:
1.Understand
the anxiety can’t harm you.
2.Refuse to
let anxiety hold you back.
3.Be aware of
bigger picture in life – it will help you give clarity about yourself.
4.Seek
professional help if you feel you need it.
5.Spend time
with people you care about and vice versa – it will help calming you down
6.Take up a
good health habit like walking in the park, jogging, running, swimming or
cycling and stick to it.
7.Have a pet
(if it’s feasible for you), as studies have shown that cuddling with a pet
reduces stress levels and induces a feeling of well-being.
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