The feeling of anxiety is familiar to everyone. Being nervous about an exam or before an important meeting is quite normal. Another thing is if there is constant anxiety in your life. This condition is exhausting and does not allow you to live peacefully.
How to identify anxiety
Sometimes we get so used to a constant state of anxiety that we stop noticing it and take it for granted. Symptoms of anxiety mainly depend on the character of a particular person. Everyone reacts differently to a stressful situation. But two large groups of symptoms can be distinguished:
Physical. A person’s well-being changes, hands begin to shake, the pulse accelerates. This condition often appears immediately after a situation that caused anxiety: the loss of a loved one, the breakdown of a relationship, dismissal. It becomes difficult to fall asleep, there is a constant weakness, headaches appear. Before an important exam or operation, a person may constantly want to go to the toilet. Often there is a “bear disease” – sudden diarrhea.
Emotional. In addition to physical manifestations, a person feels morally bad. He is either very excited and cannot sit still, or depressed, feels depressed and unable to do his usual things. There is constant anxiety, a panic attack may begin. It’s very difficult to switch gears and stop thinking about the problem. It seems that something terrible is going to happen.
In emotional and receptive people, the symptoms appear more pronounced. They physically feel bad and have a hard time coping with feelings of anxiety. A person does not always sensibly assess the situation and may not understand that he needs help. Manifestations of anxiety are often mistaken for health problems or ordinary overwork.
How to Deal with Anxiety and Fear on Your Own
It is not always possible to immediately contact a professional for advice or medical treatment. Try to cope with anxiety on your own.
Do breathing exercises. Even the simplest variations of them help well: sit in complete silence and try to relax as much as possible. Take a deep breath and exhale very slowly. Repeat 10 times.
Turn on soothing music. It can be anything: classical or modern, instrumental or vocal. Someone is soothed by sounds designed specifically for meditation, for others a good option would be the singing of birds, the rustle of leaves or the sound of rain. The main thing is that the music introduces you to a state of rest and relieves an alarming attack. Experiment – you will surely find a suitable option for yourself.
Remember the positives. This method works with both rational and irrational feelings of anxiety. Play in your memory moments of success, pride in your own work or other moments where you experienced pleasant emotions. This will help to drown out anxiety and feel better.
Reduce the significance of the cause for concern. Convince yourself that there is no reason to worry. For example, if you’re in public speaking, help yourself understand that the event is ordinary: millions of people speak to the public every day. Each of them at least once made a mistake, lost his way, forgot his words – this is a common situation, not a catastrophe. Such an attitude to the upcoming event will help to realize that fears are groundless.
Force yourself to get out of bed and do the usual things: go to the store, for a walk with the dog. Get rid of the habit of always predicting and thinking about the bad. Try to accept the fact that you can’t keep absolutely everything under control.
There is another way – take your hands to switch. Polish the mirror, wipe the window sills or wash the floor with a cleaning product with a disinfectant effect Glorixc with a pleasant neutral aroma. At home it will smell fresh, and you will calm down a little.
These tips will help to temporarily distract from anxiety. However, it is important to reconsider your lifestyle and attitude to specific situations. Protect yourself from negativity as much as possible, exclude unpleasant people from the close circle and adjust your regime.
How to understand when it is worth contacting a specialist
Independent attempts to deal with anxiety are the right decision, but there are situations when it is not worth delaying a visit to the doctor. An easy way to understand that it’s time to see a specialist is to ask yourself how much anxiety is interfering with your daily life. If you are tormented by panic attacks or constant obsessive thoughts that cannot be eliminated, you should not torture yourself further – let a professional help solve this problem.
Anxiety is a normal reaction of a healthy person. But it is important to maintain a balance and not to bring yourself constantly to a state of panic. If it becomes difficult to control your emotional state, you should contact a psychotherapist or psychologist. Qualified specialists will help you in the fight against anxiety and stress.