Anxiety can be normal – but when is it time to worry about your worry?.

Here are Anxiety Basics + 3 Tips you can start on your own today.

What is anxiety?

It’s normal. We need it to survive.

Anxiety is the body’s way to say something is wrong. It really helps us jump out of the way of a speeding car, or, run into the street yelling, with arms waving, to alert a car that there is a child in the way. That’s normal. It’s an appropriate response to that particular situation.

When you experience anxiety, your body’s “fight-flight-freeze” response is triggered. This response prepares your body to defend itself.

Anxiety BC describes the fight-flight-freeze response as our body’s natural alarm system that can be activated when there is a real danger, such as coming across a bear when hiking in the woods. In this case, you may fight (i.e. yell and wave your arms to appear big and scary), flee (i.e. run away from the bear), or freeze (i.e. stay still until the bear passes).

Some anxiety is healthy. It can make us sharp when we are doing things like giving a presentation or gearing up for a race (or to run away from a bear), but that is situation specific and dissipates quickly.

Anxiety becomes an issue when our body reacts as if there is danger, when there is no real danger. It’s like having an over-reactive alarm system in your body. That over-reactive system is the tipping point from anxiety being a healthy response, to anxiety becoming a problem. And that, is becoming a problem for a lot of people.

Statistics show that anxiety is reaching epidemic proportions. It is estimated that 29% of people will suffer from an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.

Left unchecked, it can wear away at our bodies in the form of ulcers, heart conditions and insomnia to name a few, and of course anxiety disorders.

So if anxiety has become an issue for you, maybe now is the right time to worry and do something about it.

‘Unhealthy’ anxiety can affect people in different ways

You may have heard it being described as excessive or uncontrollable anxiety or over-reacting to normal, everyday activities. Symptoms can range from uncomfortable physical symptoms, including rapid heartbeat and fatigue, and can also include trouble sleeping and concentrating. If that wasn’t bad enough, some people can also suffer panic attacks and phobias.

Unhealthy and excessive worry, left untreated, can progress into one of many anxiety disorders including: General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), Panic Disorder and specific phobia disorders.

Impacts of Anxiety, whatever the form it may take

Anxiety is a terrible affliction and has many negative impacts on a person’s life. The ones I see frequently with my clients are:

  • Isolation; You are afraid to go out, or your friends and family are tired of dealing with your problem.
  • Performance is being affected: you get scared, then go blank – you literally freeze, or maybe you panic and hugely over-react.
  • Exhausted from the turmoil that anxiety and fear causes; You are at the end of your rope.
  • Irritability and edginess most days; You never feel completely relaxed.
  • Poor sleep; It’s hard to fall asleep, or you wake up in the middle of the night worrying about something from the day before (did I make a mistake?), or about tomorrow (how am I going to do it?).

If any of this is hitting home for you, there is good news here:

Anxiety is highly treatable.

5 Effective Treatment Options

Effective treatment options to address anxiety depend on the type of anxiety, the causes and the individual. Know that anxiety can be triggered by a number of factors ranging from: genetic predisposition, illness, traumatic events and even medications.

        1. Commitment. That is what it takes – and the belief that you can change.
        2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): is proven to help with anxiety. CBT helps people to break the negative cycle and overcome problems by identifying and changing unhelpful ways of thinking and behaving. Anxiety BC states “In particular, CBT has been shown to be effective in the management of anxiety and depression, and is just as, if not more effective as treatment with medication alone. Research also shows that people are less likely to relapse when treated with CBT: They tend to get better and stay better!”
        3. Biofeedback: is a very useful adjunct to therapy. Most studies on anxiety and biofeedback document improvement and significant symptom reduction in 6 to 12 sessions of biofeedback training.It’s surprisingly affordable and easy to learn and use. I utilize this with great success in my practice. It can improve the quality of my client’s lives quickly.
        4. Relaxation Techniques: (Also known as Stress Management) to help break the flight-fright-freeze cycle and to maintain a calm and steady demeanor throughout your daily activities. Do you remember the definition at the start – anxiety is a problem when you react like there is danger – and there is no danger? These techniques, once learned, help ‘turn off’ the over-reactive danger signal.
        5. Mindfulness Practices: simplified, it helps by keeping you in the present moment (or ‘the now’), and not worrying about something in the past or in the future, and doing so without making judgments or evaluations.

I’ll be writing more about these and other effective treatments in the coming months. Check back in if you are interested in learning more or enter your email below for monthly updates.

3 Tips to help you get started on your own today:

Note: These are meant for general help and do not replace professional help.

        1. Breathe. I say it a lot, because it works. If you haven’t already checked it out, I include instructions in my free guide. If you haven’t read it, it’s filled with a number of resources to try. It’s a great place to start.
        2. Relaxation exercises, like progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), help break the through the anxiety cycle and help you return to a more calm and relaxed state. The US Swim Team uses PMR (and breathing techniques) for reducing anxiety. Anxiety BC has helpful instructions here.
        3. Listen to calming music to relax and calm yourself when things get tough. Load your iPod and take it with you through your day.

Warning: If your anxiety worsens or continues to disrupt your daily life in significant ways, talk to a doctor or therapist.

If there is a particular topic you would like to learn more about, let me know. I am developing more articles & resources and would love to hear your questions.
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Warm regards,

Judy Colpitts

About Judy Colpitts

Judy Colpitts, Life Coach & Counsellor

Judy is a Life Coach and Registered Clinical Counsellor with over 30 years experience helping people lead happier, healthier lives.

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Please note: The information offered on this website is intended to be educational and does not constitute professional medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for medical diagnosis, advice or services. Always consult with your Doctor before making any changes to your health routine.

References:

What Is Anxiety? | Anxiety BC. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.anxietybc.com/resources/anxiety.php

What is CBT | Anxiety BC. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.anxietybc.com/what-cbt

Biofeedback and Anxiety. (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/articles/biofeedback-andanxiety#sthash.ytPl3uMS.dpuf