Managing Fear and Anxiety
Combat Anxiety.
‘Your heart beats fast-maybe it feels irregular, you breathe very fast, your muscles feel weak, you sweat a lot, your stomach churns or your bowels feel loose, you find it hard to concentrate on anything else, you feel dizzy, you feel frozen to the spot, you can’t eat, you have hot and cold sweats, you get a dry mouth and you get tense muscles.’
These are some of the things that might happen when you feel frightened or seriously anxious, your mind and body work very quickly. These things occur because your body, sensing fear, is preparing you for an emergency, so it makes your blood flow to the muscles, increases blood sugar, and gives you the mental ability to focus on the thing that your body perceives as a threat.
Everyone has felt a little anxious at one time or another. It may have been when you were dealing with issues of work, business, school, or relationships with family, friends, or significant others. You may also have felt fear about something in particular. For example, fear of heights, closed spaces, or spiders.
Fear is one of the most powerful emotions. It has a very strong effect on our mind and body. No human life has ever existed without the experience of fear. It warns and protects us from danger, it’s essential for our survival. So, for starters, being afraid is nothing to worry about.
Anxiety is a type of fear- usually to do with the thought of a threat or something going wrong in the future, rather than right now. It’s when anxiety has evolved into a constant companion which burdens and limits you regularly, that it can be considered an anxiety disorder and should be taken seriously.
With anxiety, in the longer term, you may have some of the above symptoms as well as a more nagging sense of fear, and you may get irritable, have trouble sleeping, develop headaches, or have trouble getting on with work and planning for the future; you might have problems having sex, and might lose self-confidence.
A panic attack is when you feel overwhelmed by the physical and mental feelings of fear – the signs listed under ‘What do fear and anxiety feel like?’ People who have panic attacks say that they find it hard to breathe, and they may worry that they’re having a heart attack or are going to lose control of their body
A phobia is an extreme fear of a particular animal, thing, place or situation. People with phobias have an overwhelming need to avoid any contact with the specific cause of the anxiety or fear. The thought of coming into contact with the cause of the phobia makes you anxious or panicky.
How will you know if you need help?
If you feel anxious all the time for several weeks, or if it feels like your fears are taking over your life, then it’s a good idea to ask your doctor for help, or call us. The same is true if a phobia is causing problems in your daily life, or if you are experiencing panic attacks
How can you help yourself?
Face your fear if you can
If you always avoid situations that scare you, you might stop doing things you want or need to do. You won’t be able to test out whether the situation is always as bad as you expect, so you miss the chance to work out how to manage your fears and reduce your anxiety. Anxiety problems tend to increase if you get into this pattern. Exposing yourself to your fears can be an effective way of overcoming this anxiety
Know yourself
Try to learn more about your fear or anxiety. Keep an anxiety diary or thought record to note down when it happens and what happens. You can try setting yourself small, achievable goals for facing your fears. You could carry with you a list of things that help at times when you are likely to be become frightened or anxious. This can be an effective way of addressing the underlying beliefs that are behind your anxiety
Exercise
Increase the amount of exercise you do sch as running, walkin, swimming, yoga or tai chi. Exercise requires some concentration, and this can take your mind off your fear and anxiety and help you relax.
Relax
Learning relaxation techniques can help you with the mental and physical feelings of fear. It can help just to drop your shoulders and breathe deeply. Or imagine yourself in a relaxing place. You could also try learning things like yoga, meditation, massage
Eat Healthy
Eat lots of fruit and vegetables, and try to avoid too much sugar. Resulting dips in your blood sugar can give you anxious feelings. Try to avoid drinking too much tea and coffee, as caffeine can increase anxiety levels
Avoid alcohol or drink in moderation
It’s very common for people to drink when they feel nervous. Some people call alcohol ‘Dutch courage’, but the after-effects of alcohol can make you feel even more afraid or anxious
Peer support group
Consider peer support group where people use their experiences to help each other or talking therapies
Remember to take it easy
do not try to do everything at once – set small targets that you can easily achieve
do not focus on the things you cannot change – focus your time and energy into helping yourself feel better
do not avoid situations that make you anxious – try slowly building up time spent in worrying situations to gradually reduce anxiety
try not to tell yourself that you're alone; most people experience anxiety or fear at some point in their life
try not to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve anxiety as these can all contribute to poor mental health
Confidential help and Support
Our team will be available to assist you at 02079356554 or you can email us at info@harleystreet104.com