Stop anxiety from taking over your life

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Mental Health Awareness Week falls in May, so I thought this would be a good time to talk about one of the most common mental illnesses – anxiety.

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, worry or fear. There are several types of anxiety including generalised anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety, and various phobias.

It’s normal to feel anxious sometimes. It’s how we respond to feeling threatened, under pressure or stressed out. However, anxiety can be a problem if it is ongoing, intense, hard to control or out of proportion to the situation you are experiencing.

You are not alone

If you struggle with anxiety, it’s important to know that you are not alone. The research shows that:

Over 8 million people in the UK are experiencing an anxiety disorder at any one time.

60% of employees in the UK are experiencing workplace anxiety.

Young people aged 16 to 29 years are most likely to have anxiety.

Causes of anxiety disorders

Many different factors can lead to, trigger and aggravate anxiety disorders. Examples include genetics, ‘learning’ anxious behaviour from others, negative/traumatic experiences, chronic health conditions, negative self-talk, money worries, job loss, stress, conflict, toxic relationships, loneliness, bullying and stimulants/medication.

How to tell if you are suffering from anxiety disorder

You may be experiencing some of the symptoms below.

Mental symptoms

Sense of dread
Believe the worst will happen
Recurring intrusive thoughts
worried racing thoughts
All-or-nothing thinking
Nervous, apprehensive, on edge or panicky
Difficulty concentrating
Irritable, impatient or uptight
Can't relax / switch off
Overwhelmed
Thoughts like… I’m going to die, I’m not safe, I can’t cope, something bad is going to happen plus a series of 'what if' questions.

Physical symptoms

Restlessness
Dizzy or faint
Shortness of breath
Hyperventilating/panic attacks
Tight chest / butterflies in stomach
Heart palpitations
Trembling
Nausea
Sweating
Tense muscles
Sleep problems.

Ten ways you can get control over your anxiety

Goal setting and planning

Having structure, direction, a routine, and actionable steps to follow can help reduce uncertainty.

Do breathing exercises

I am a fan of square breathing. Breathe in for four (visualise walking along one side of a square), breathe out for four (as you walk along the next side) and repeat.

Meditate

This is a great tool for relaxing and focusing the mind. If you are new to meditation you can find plenty of guided meditation recordings on the internet.

Practice mindfulness

Try the 5 4 3 2 1 grounding method (find five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.

Keep a journal

Writing down thoughts and feelings enhances your self-awareness and helps you to identify unhelpful patterns so you can take action.

Exercise regularly

3o minutes of moderate physical exercise a day can work wonders. This could be something as simple of a brisk walk.

Make sleep a priority

Deep sleep helps the brain to better regulate our emotions. It's also easier to cope with life's challenges when you feel well rested!

Avoid stimulants

This includes alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and recreational drugs.

Eat anti-anxiety foods

Examples include fatty fish, eggs, pumpkin seeds, turmeric, dark chocolate, chamomile, yoghurt and green tea.

Try self-help guides

I found a great anxiety self-help guide/workbook that was created by the NHS.

Getting help from a professional

It’s important that you do things to help yourself, however, if your anxiety is moderate to severe then do consider getting in touch with a professional healthcare provider. Whether it be your doctor, a therapist or speaking to someone on a mental health-related helpline.

Homeopathy is yet another avenue that you can explore, particularly if you are interested in going down the holistic route. We'll explore the root cause of your mental health challenges and examine the mental, emotional and physical impacts in detail. Your prescription (remedies derived from natural substances) will be bespoke to you and take into account the unique way in which you are experiencing what is happening for you.

Please don't suffer in silence. Get in touch and let's have a chat! Online sessions are available.

Sources:

Mind.org
mentalhealth.org
ons.gov.uk
myndup.com/blog/mental-health-statistics-2023
nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20180328140249/http:/digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB21748
NIMH » Anxiety Disorders (nih.gov)