We all face a variety of worries and stresses on a daily basis. Top off our personal 'normal' daily stresses with the condition of world politics, wars, economies in crises all over the world and job losses here in the U.S. and, well, need I say more? Anxiety has become a familiar state of being for almost everyone these days. Such anxiety can easily become another daily stress in itself. If you seem to be burdened with excessive anxiety, you need to know that there is a way of overcoming anxiety, no matter how improbable that might seem. Here is a virtual road map you can use to succeed in overcoming anxiety.
Anxiety is your body's normal response to stressful conditions. It's really one way your body protects you. For example, if you're walking down the street at night and a suspicious character approaches you, you become anxious, as a result of a rush of adrenalin – the fight or flight syndrome. Instead of freezing on the spot, you run in the opposite direction.
However, it's also true that anxiety can be a result of intangible threats, such as worry over your kids, finances or a spat with your boss. Your body doesn't distinguish between real and intangible, or even imaginary threats. That rush of adrenalin comes on just as strong. The problem now becomes different. As they say, you're all dressed up with nowhere to go. This is when, instead of a brief spurt of anxiety and a subsequent corrective action – such as fleeing the suspicious character – that adrenalin just keeps on going, with the anxiety continuing apace. This is when you need some practical help in overcoming anxiety.
When your anxiety starts causing you some real discomfort, one of the best things you can do to get it under control is to do something physical, with vigor. That racing feeling will soon disappear if you engage in some hard work. Scrub the daylights out of the kitchen floor. If the weather's nice, go for a brisk walk or take a ride on your bike. Get the vacuum out and pretend your mother in law is coming for dinner. The more physical energy you expend, the better you'll feel.
Should you have a full blown anxiety attack, overcoming anxiety may seem impossible. Anxiety attacks can produce several quite uncomfortable symptoms. Your heart may beat frighteningly fast, you may experience a sensation of choking or not being able to breathe, with painful tension in your muscles and in the chest. This usually leads to hyperventilating. You may have heard that breathing into a paper bag will stop hyperventilating in its tracks. Good news. It's true. Just squeeze the neck of a brown paper bag until it's only wide enough for your mouth. Breathe in and out, as slowly as you can. The symptoms will subside.
If your anxiety occurs on an almost daily basis, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor. Be aware that both food allergies and food additives, preservatives and substances such as caffeine can contribute substantially to increased anxiety. Discuss these possibilities at your appointment. Your doctor may also prescribe medications to help you in overcoming anxiety. Such medications may be taken on a temporary basis, until you can get at the root of the problems causing your anxiety.
Yoga, meditation techniques and prayer can also be helpful in overcoming anxiety. In order to get a handle on your anxiety, you also need to make some time to relax, no matter how pressed for time. It's your health we're talking about here. Try all of these techniques. They all work. Put emphasis on those that work best for you. One of my personal favorites, not yet mentioned, involves a nice hot tub and a good read!
