Written by: Bridget Richard, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Anxiety.
For some people, just the word makes them anxious. It is something we deal with every day. It can be different types or intensities, but it is usually something we can handle. The problem is when the anxiety becomes debilitating.
Throughout our lives, we go through things that can cause anxiety and stress. Normally, our bodies feel these things because it helps us figure out how to respond to situations. In normal circumstances, we feel anxiety in response to a situation; however, the feelings of anxiety should decimate after the situation passes. When it doesn't, therein lies the problem.
You may ask yourself when too much anxiety is too much. The answer to that is it varies from person to person. Your response will differ from someone else's, and the same is true for someone else.
Remember, anxiety is a normal thing. It is natural. What is not normal is when we begin to hyper focus on it. We run a magnifying glass over the anxiety, and that is when we start to see the formation of a type of anxiety disorder. With anxiety, there are generalized anxiety disorders, phobias, and social anxiety.
For a moment, think about these things. If you have a phobia or fear of heights, for instance, then you anticipate the fear and anxiety you will feel if you go rock climbing. Once you make it to solid ground, that fear should decimate, right?
Some people tend to use the words “anxiety" and "anticipation" interchangeably. We know that, biologically, they are the same thing. So, the next time you are feeling anxious, you should stop and ask yourself, could this also be anticipation? For so many people who deal with this feeling of anxiety in their daily lives, this switch in mindset is what does the trick. It helps them stop hyper focusing.
The frustration many people feel is they cannot understand how to deal or overcome anxiety. It is just understanding that your body is designed to settle down the feeling of anxiety over a period of time (so long as whatever is causing the anxiety has passed).
There are plenty of things that cause anxiety, but once the event has passed, your body will normally, and naturally, release all the chemicals that come along with anxiety. It will process right out which is a beautiful thing for some people. For others, it may take longer.
Some people experience extreme feelings of anxiety which can result in many expressions of anxiety. The shakes. Feeling hot. Sweaty palms. These physical symptoms are the body's physical release of the extreme, anxious feelings. Now, when these last longer and don’t wash out of your system, this is where mental triggers and disorders can happen.
The one thing I like to stress when I talk with people is it is not a matter of normal or abnormal in regard to anxiety. It doesn't matter if your body doesn't know when to release, resulting in always keeping higher levels of cortisol and other anxiety-causing hormones. That can simply boil down to genetics.
When I talk to clients, I may ask if there is anyone in their family that has been diagnosed with a mental health issue. Sometimes, they say yes. Other times, they say no. Then I will ask if there is anyone in their family who should have been diagnosed. Most of the time, people will laugh at that, but when you think about family history and behavior, you may begin to wonder if you do or did have a family member who was particularly anxious.
Maybe you remember your great-aunt Myra would check the stove was off multiple times before she left, without fail. Or perhaps, your grandmother was afraid to drive because she didn't like being in a car. These resulted in coping mechanisms where the anxiety was not handled or even managed. The individuals simply lived with it. This was extremely common before mental health was a thing. Now that we know how important mental health is and why we need to learn to overcome rather than simply cope, we have developed tools and ways to deal with and manage anxiety.
We also know that some of these things are genetic; therefore, we need to learn ways to rewire and rework our habits when dealing with anxiety.
There are some things you can do to manage anxiety. You can give it time and space for it to go away naturally. It's not comfortable, but it can help. You can also try some kind of coaching that can help you figure out what trigger(s) you have and how to overcome them, so they aren't an issue anymore. Journaling is also very popular. It can help you gather your thoughts, write down what you are feeling, and process your emotions. Or you can simply write whatever. A tidbit on any topic, subject, or creative idea you may have. Remember, it doesn't have to make sense to anyone. You can process things in your own way.
Lastly, you can find professional help like a therapist or counselor. Sometimes, we don't like to admit when we need help, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't find it when we need it. Therapy is a great way to talk and work through things. This is also a great place to start when you have no clue where to begin.
Bridget Richard, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Bridget Richard, MA, LISW-S is a Social Worker and Life Coach with 20+ years of experience in the field of mental health. In her work, she is passionate about helping with women to conquer feelings of anxiety and depression caused by burnout. She helps her clients move from being too frustrated and overwhelmed to enjoy life to focused, empowered, and re-energized. Bridget enjoys bringing her message of self-love and determination to virtual and live venues everywhere. She has been featured in the Women's Journal as a "Person You Want to Know" and regularly contributes to Thrive, Medium, and Brainz Magazine. To learn more about working with Bridget schedule your free discovery call at https://calendly.com/bridgetsrichard/freeconsult.
