Managing Anxiety
Anxiety is something that we all feel from time to time. An important bodily response to protect us against stress and danger, it only becomes a problem when it is triggered by everyday events and results in an inability to function on a day-to-day level. General Anxiety Disorder affecting 1 in 20 adults is a long-term condition in which the individual is anxious about a wide range of events.
Anxiety is triggered off by a number of factors:
- Genetically pre-disposed to be more anxious than others.
- A distressing past event, which was not been dealt with has meant that the feelings become more severe if a similar event/events occur in the present.
- A feeling of lack of control over our lives can make people become anxious and begin to worry about future events e.g. illness, redundancy.
A cycle of anxiety may occur when the individual begins to feel anxious about being anxious, dreading the symptoms of anxiety.
Physical symptoms of anxiety include:
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Dizziness
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Tiredness (often due to difficulty in falling or staying asleep)
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Shortness of breath
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Irregular heartbeat
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Muscle tension
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Headaches
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IBS
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Digestive problems
Psychological symptoms include:
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Difficulty concentrating
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A sense of dread
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irritability
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Lack of concentration
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Depression
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Low self-worth
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Irritability
These symptoms can cause stress which in turn causes people to withdraw from social interaction and may result in taking time off work.
Step approach to managing anxiety:
- The symptoms of anxiety can be controlled by breathing and relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation and aromatherapy.
- Taking exercise can alleviate some of the tension caused by anxiety.
- Working with a counsellor can help you explore why the problem came about. Together you can develop strategies to limit the impact of anxiety and prevent its debilitating effect.