Recognizing and Coping with Anxiety
Anxiety is our body’s natural response to a stressful situation and it can affect our life in numerous ways. Anxiety’s job is to alert us of perceived threats and dangers so we are ready to face them. This triggers our body’s “fight or flight” response, meant to keep us safe.
If you are being chased by a bear, anxiety could save your life! The problem is, our “fight or flight” response is often activated too often, in situations where we are not in actual danger. In these cases, it is our job to tell our brain that we are safe (and not in fact being chased by a bear).
Anxiety comes in all shapes and sizes.
The experience of anxiety changes from person to person and the severity, duration, and symptoms also differ. Mild and occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. Feeling anxious before public speaking, taking an exam, starting a new job, or introducing yourself to a group of strangers just means you’re human! Whether you have experienced low levels or high levels of anxiety, knowing yourself and noticing your reactions is a helpful first step. Being able to recognize what anxiety looks like for you in your body, mind, and emotions, is a valuable tool.
Next time you begin to feel anxious in a stressful situation, you can try something like this:
Explore where the anxiety is coming from. Do you have a big deadline coming up? Was it a stressful week? Are you worried about something or someone? It’s not important to dive into all details here, just gather an idea of what’s going on.
Notice what you feel in your body. Are you tense? Is your heart rate elevated? Do you feel warm? Is there a “pit in your stomach” or “knot in your chest?” Does your head or stomach hurt?
Notice your thoughts. Can you think clearly? Is your mind wandering to “what-if’s?” Are you thinking of the worse case scenario? Do you have an all-or-nothing mindset?
Notice your emotions. Are you afraid? Nervous or worried? Do you feel a sense of dread or doom? Do you feel on edge? Irritable?
Lastly, examine other stressors present in your life that could be contributing to your anxiety such as traumatic events, relationship issues, financial difficulties, or health problems. Also, notice your recent sleeping and eating patterns. Are you getting good sleep? Are you taking care of your body with nutrition and exercise?
If you find that your physical symptoms, thoughts, or feelings of anxiety become overwhelming or excessive, and begin to interfere with your daily life, it may be time to seek professional help. A licensed professional counselor can help you understand the roots of your anxiety and provide you with coping skills to manage your anxiety as you navigate the challenges it brings.
Written by Cor Sacrum Clinician, Amy Walsh, LPC-Associate, supervised by Sonia Mijares, LPC-S.
Learn more about Amy and schedule your appointment with her today!
