Anxiety becomes a problem when it gets out of control, or if people have a problem controlling their level of anxiety, or when the anxiety happens at inappropriate times. They may feel apprehensive, nervous, fearful or tense. This can happen quite suddenly. They may have difficulty concentrating, or sleeping properly, or they may be waking early. Sometimes the cause of the anxiety is unclear and so people become more afraid, think they are going mad, or having a stroke, or something like that. Whilst this is very understandable, these fears are almost certainly groundless.
Anxiety can affect your behaviour: what you do and how important it feels to do it. Anxiety often drives you to do things right away, without hesitation, or impulsively, occasionally too much so. Sometimes it can turn into repetitive behaviour (doing thing over and over again), or avoidance behaviour (not doing things) or avoiding other people, or crowds, or social situations that seem difficult. One can even become a bit phobic. Sometimes people may become unable to go to work, or may want/need to have time off sick. There are things you can do.
Treatment:
The usual recommended treatment for anxiety is to start with self-help (exercise, relaxation & information) at first. Understanding that many of your symptoms are probably caused by anxiety is often a major eye-opener.Official guidelines recommend counselling or therapy, often Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), as the next level of intervention, with medication being used later, but only in more severe cases. This type of ‘stepped-care’ treatment is reasonably successful, and nearly all patients really do get better reasonably quickly from the time of starting such treatment.
Self-Soothing:
Anxious people can first ‘prepare’ themselves for this type of treatment for their anxiety, and this can really increase the efficacy of these non-medical approaches. This preparation work can be described as ‘self-mothering’, ‘self-soothing’ or giving oneself ‘solace’. There are various ways to do this. The child’s security blanket or favourite teddy bear are childhood examples of ‘transitional objects’ that provide solace. In an adult, such examples may take the form of a ritual ‘cup of tea’, listening to a favourite piece of music, reading a book, or getting under the duvet for a while. Shopping is a slightly more expensive form of self-soothing. Putting on a favourite CD; wearing one’s special sweater; having a bowl of ‘chicken soup’; are all cheaper and well-tried ways. What is your method? Seriously, what works for you?
In the control of anxiety, it is very important to give yourself a pleasant, soothing, relaxing experience quite quickly. Then you can start to cope with your anxiety much better. Take yourself off somewhere ‘safe’ and soothe yourself a little. Knowing, consciously, that you can do something very simple that is not only pleasant and safe, but also staves off the chance of further suffering, is a very important first step.
Conscious Control:
The next important thing is to address some of these anxieties directly. The anxiety may be real, but, in itself, it is NOT going to kill you . It is important to realise there is nothing to be afraid of in these feelings. You may have become “Afraid of the Fear” itself. Do NOT Panic. Do NOT try to run away from, or fight off these feelings.
The solution is simple.You must sit with them; breathe gently; just let them be; let them pass away and change; and not let them affect you. This is simple, but not necessarily very easy to do at first. Practice makes it easier.
Sometimes your anxiety is centred on the ‘fear,’ or the ‘pain’ of possible suffering, or anticipation of another bout of depression, or of failing, or having a migraine, or whatever. Work with controlling this. The trick is to breathe. Stay in control and breathe. Don’t let the thoughts continue to go round and round, or start to escalate; don’t fight them; don’t run away; just breathe.
It is easy to say, and harder to do. But this is all you have to do, for now. Breathe!
As you begin to master the initial anxiety – and you will – then you can start to use your imagination. Imagine the fear or the anxiety getting smaller and smaller. Give it a form or a shape: like a black dog, or a spikey orange shape. Then imagine this shape or object getting quieter, or smaller, or softer, or a nicer colour. Work to reduce the images of your anxiety.
Try to Avoid:
Too much tea, coffee, or caffeinated drinks, as they can make you more agitated. Don’t smoke too much: it has a similar effect. Don’t take too much sugar or salt for similar reasons.
Don’t drink too much. Don’t eat too little – or too much. Try to avoid overworking and being overtired. Avoid too little relaxation – you are going to need to be strong, rested and ready to go. It is also not a good idea to cut yourself off from people, friends or family as a way of avoiding anxious situations.
Exercise:
Any activity that promotes endurance, flexibility or strengthening is a natural antidepressant and also helps with anxiety. Exercise, and in particular aerobic exercise, improves circulation, brings increased blood flow and oxygen to the brain, releases endorphins, the body's natural pain-killing chemicals, and boosts serotonin. The overwhelming sense of being unsure or being anxious can make it very difficult to sustain even simple tasks, much less get out and do some regular exercise. Aerobic exercise is becoming a much more recognized form of therapy.
It is widely acknowledged that if you can discipline yourself to do some form of exercise regularly; you will almost definitely feel better for it. Even a brisk walk once a day is a very good start. Get a
friend or family to help you with your motivation. Aim for 30-45 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week, if you can.
Diet:
Good nutrition supports the optimal functioning of your body and brain. Try to eat a balanced diet of healthy foods. Eating as much organic produce as possible will help to minimize the intake of chemicals and preservatives, which can cause problems in sensitive individuals. Another part of nutritional self-care is cutting back on sugar, salt, sweets and alcohol. Studies have shown that too much sugar (in any form) can foster anxiety as well as depression. Alcohol can also have a negative effect. Eat the more complex carbohydrates. Drink plenty of water. Try not to eat comfort foods or ready-prepared and processed foods. Eat little and often: have bowls of fruit and nuts to hand. “Smoothies” are good.
Sleep:
Try to develop a good sleep schedule - a regular time of going to sleep and arising - and stick to it. Sleep irregularities are among the early warning signs of both anxiety and depression. A good night’s sleep can really help towards helping anxiety. Prepare yourself: don’t eat too late; take some very gentle exercise before you go to bed; have a bath; read a book for a little when in bed.
Breathe:
One of the most powerful ways to impact your emotions and the involuntary nervous system is through your breathing. If you are stressed or startled or angry, stop, close your eyes and focus your breathing. Inhale slowly through your nose, directing the air deep into your chest and belly. Then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this 5-10 times and you will see how this simple technique works. Don’t stop breathing properly.
Natural World:
Spend some time in nature: it is very relaxing. Whether it's watching a moonrise over a mountain peak, a sunset over the ocean, or simply taking a leisurely walk in your city park, or by a river, spending time in nature imparts its healing touch.
Prayer:
If you believe that prayer can have an effect, take some regular time to pray, both by yourself and/or with other people. Meditation involves stilling the mind so that we can hear the "still small voice" of God within and be open to spiritual guidance. This is also very relaxing and a great aid towards reducing anxiety.
Medication:
Most of the anti-anxiety medications (like the benzodiazapine anxiolytics or ‘tranquillisers’), whilst being effective, are not necessarily recommended as they often have quite – sometimes very addictive ‘side-effects’ and so any treatment for anxiety through medication is usually limited to the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time.
Several antidepressants are licensed for anxiety, phobias and panic disorders. Obviously, some people are so debilitated by their anxiety that they may need some medical help to get them out of a state of anxiety to a point where they can act coherently and address their anxieties, but
these are usually only a very short-term solution and only in extreme cases.
