Anxiety

Anxiety and fear are natural reactions to threatening situations. Your body has a “fight or flight” reaction—your heart races, you breathe faster, you sweat, and your stomach and head may ache.

No one knows exactly what causes anxiety disorders. Heredity, stress, and changes in the brain are thought to have a role.

When you are in danger feel threatened, or are under stress you may feel anxious. However, if these reactions keep occurring to the point of disrupting your life, they're called anxiety disorders. 

Over their lifetimes, about 25% of Americans experience some form of anxiety disorder, and about 17% of these have very severe anxiety every year. Women are more likely than men to be affected. The good news is that many treatments are available to relieve anxiety disorders.

What are the types of anxiety disorders?

These are the most common types of anxiety disorder:

* Generalized anxiety disorder is a pattern of serious anxiety and worry that lasts 6 months or more. The anxiety is out of proportion to the situation. Typically, the worries focus on health, safety, and work responsibilities. People with this disorder have three or more of these signs and symptoms: muscle tension, restlessness, fatigue, trouble concentrating, irritability, and sleep disturbances (too much or too little sleep).

* Panic disorder causes panic attacks—repeated, unpredictable, and irrational attacks of fear and anxiety. Within 10 to 20 minutes of the start of a panic attack, a person develops at least four of these signs and symptoms: shortness of breath, dizziness or feeling faint, heart palpitations, nausea, a choking sensation, sweating, flushing, chills, trembling, numbness or tingling, chest pain or discomfort, feeling afraid of dying or losing control, and feeling detached from reality. The symptoms are usually strongest within 10 minutes and go away minutes later, although some panic attacks last for hours.


* Social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, is a persistent and irrational fear of social or performance situations, such as parties and picnics. Many people feel uncomfortable in these situations, but someone with social phobia is so fearful that he may avoid these situations entirely. Being in social situations can cause him great distress and may trigger a panic attack. During and after the experience, he cannot stop thinking about his words and actions and criticizing himself. This disorder affects men, women, and children

* Posttraumatic stress disorder is a response to the memory of physical or emotional trauma. This disorder can develop if you have experienced an extremely stressful, usually life-threatening event, such as a natural disaster, war, terrorism, assault, sexual abuse, or domestic abuse. Someone with this problem repeatedly relives the event or has dreams about it, avoids people, places, and objects that remind him of the event, or even loses interest in life. He may also become irritable, have difficulty concentrating, and have trouble sleeping.

* Obsessive-compulsive disorder makes a person feel that he must perform an ordinary action, such as hand washing, so often that he can't get on with his normal activities. Someone with this disorder has a persistent, unwanted, intrusive thought (an obsession), and responds with an action (a compulsion) in an attempt to reduce overwhelming anxiety. He knows the behavior is excessive, but cannot stop. This disorder, which affects men and women equally, can develop at any time, but it is usually diagnosed in young adult

* Procedural anxiety is extreme fear of medical procedures (more than normal anxiety) that interferes with daily activities. For days or weeks before a procedure, the person worries all the time, cannot sleep, and is restless, nervous, apprehensive, and tense. This disorder can be caused by a previous traumatic experience, fear of pain, or fear of the unfamiliar.

Consult your healthcare provider or mental health counselor for more information on anxiety.

 Copyright 2019 Innerworking



Awareness of Thoughts

In our fast paced lives, it is sometimes difficult to stay focused and monitor all the thoughts we have streaming through our minds every second. Sometimes, people simply react to situations based on random thoughts, feelings, and beliefs without the conscious awareness of what's really going on inside their minds at that moment. The result can be hurtful to others and one’s self.  Being consciously aware of our thoughts and feelings is not only a benefit us as individuals, but to those around us.

The first step to being consciously aware is to explore our feelings, beliefs, and values.  Explore the origin of these feelings, beliefs, and values.  Make it okay to ask yourself, where that idea, thought, or feeling come from?  Meditation and simple silent reflection can be helpful when exploring your mind and emotions.  Some people may find it helpful to talk it out with someone who will just listen.  You c can also use a digital recorder to make a recording of what you are thinking as they occur.  It doesn't matter how you do, what's important is that you are aware of what you are thinking and feeling. Once you have identified your feelings and beliefs, decide if those they are real, valid and appropriate for you at this time in that situation, your life and stage of personal development

. 


At this point, make it okay to challenge beliefs and values that don't make sense to you, that are no longer relevant, or present obstacles to your advancement through life. You may become aware of irrational beliefs.  An irrational belief is one that is not based on what’s real for you or impedes your progress where you are now. 

Rethink and transform that belief into one that empowers and sustains your overall well-being, benefits you and others, gives you peace and connects you with the creative source energy.


Don't be surprised if old beliefs and values continue to stream through your mind for some time.  The secret is to be aware of these thoughts when they occur and consciously assert the new belief or thought.  Be kind and patient with yourself.  It took years to form these beliefs, so don't expect them to go away over night.  Regular meditation, journaling, and self-reflection will be helpful you make a transition to positive thinking.  Daily activity associated with the new thoughts through conscious action will help the new thought become habit sooner. For instance, if you thought you didn’t have time to exercise, schedule a time for exercise on your calendar.  Have your exercise equipment where you can see it and get support from a friend or loved one to exercise with you.  Be present and aware so you can exercise at the time designated.

Keep your heart and mind open to change.  Embrace yourself with loving-kindness.  This is a life-long process, vigilance is needed for success.  Surround yourself with positive, supportive and empowering people. 

Remember to breathe, as breathing helps you think, pause, and redirect your attention.  More on feelings, breathing, and body awareness next time.

Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words

Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior.

Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits,

Keep your habits positive because your habits become your 

values,

    Keep your values positive because your values become your  destiny.

                                       --Gandhi

 

 Copyright 2019 Innerworking

 


 

 

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