11 Steps to take when you are Suffering from anxiety

Taking care of our mental health can be one of the most important parts of self-care. There are several diagnoses that would fall under the category of mental health but anxiety and depression seem to be running particularly rampant in today’s Western world. The good news is that there is plenty that we can do about it. I’ll tackle depression in a future post but for now I’d like to take some time to delve into the (not so) wonderful world of anxiety.

WHAT IS ANXIETY?

Basically anxiety is having the feeling of fear, dread and uneasiness. It is a mood disorder. Anxiety is something that all people experience at some point in their lives… often many points but to differing degrees.

At the most fundamental level it keeps us alive. Consider what happens when we encounter a bear (which, coincidentally I’ve done many times). Our bodies immediately turn to the fight, flight or freeze state… this is anxiety. Maybe our heart rate increases, we start to sweat, maybe shake, our senses become hyper focused on the danger that we are facing.

I had an anxiety specialist once tell me that people with high levels of anxiety are people who are very good at staying alive! Their bodies have strong response mechanisms to stressors. If we didn’t have that, we wouldn’t get out of the way when a car is hurdling towards us at an intersection. Or maybe we wouldn’t remove ourselves from harmful or dangerous relationships.

We are hard to kill!

You can see that we actually need to have anxiety on occasion but we certainly don’t want to be carrying a high amount of it all the time. This is what happens to some of us. Then it turns into what’s called an anxiety disorder.

ARE STRESS AND ANXIETY INTERCHANGEABLE?

No, there are some distinct differences between stress and anxiety.

Stress happens when we do stressful things like public speaking or jumping out of an airplane.

Anxiety happens when your brain interprets the sources of stress as a threat that you should avoid. You can think of it like when you feel apprehensive about something that’s about to happen.

LET’S DITCH THE STIGMA

Many people suffer from anxiety. You can’t see it. You won’t know unless they tell you but rest assured that it’s a sizable group.

According to a 2023 Forbes article, anxiety disorders affect 374 million people worldwide. In the US alone, anxiety disorders are affecting 42.5 million adults.

To help normalize this I’ll tell you that I am currently suffering from an anxiety disorder. This isn’t my normal state but things have become quite out of control in my world and it’s been that way for an extended period of time so I have had to do something about it since it’s affecting my ability to work and my general level of happiness. Now that I have admitted that there’s an issue, I am taking the steps needed to take care of myself. I spoke with a doctor this week and she commended me on the steps that I’ve taken so far and assured me that I’m doing all that I can. This is why I wanted to share it with you now instead of waiting to write a post on it later. It’s very fresh at the moment.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM ANXIETY?

Asking yourself these questions is a good start:

Have you been engaging in unhealthy behaviors like overeating, binge drinking, gambling or shopping?
Have you experienced panic attacks?
Are you feeling stuck and unable to problem-solve?
Does it ebb and flow? If your anxious about a situation but it goes away after a few days then you’re likely ok. If it stays a long time, then it’s more concerning.
Have you been suffering from insomnia when you normally don’t?
Are you engaging in a lot of negative self-talk? Having a hard time seeing any good?
Have you been having trouble eating? Eating more than usual or less? Anxiety affects your digestion so upset tummies go hand-in-hand and weight gain or loss can go hand-in-hand
Have you been withdrawing from relationships and lack the desire to engage socially?
Have you been avoiding situations that you normally would be able handle like school or work?

Please see a doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms and are worried that you might be suffering from anxiety.

10 STEPS TO TAKE IF YOU LEARN THAT YOU HAVE ANXIETY

The good news is that there are quite a few things that you can do to help yourself if you have anxiety. I have been doing all of these and they are helping so much.

See your doctor ~ they have a list of questions that help to diagnose and they can refer you to a psychiatrist for further support. They will likely ask first if you are taking some of the steps below and then will possibly prescribe medication.
Learn about your anxiety ~ knowledge is power. Google it, read a book, watch a video, attend a seminar.
Sleep well ~ any improvements in sleep will improve your overall mood and resilience.
Lean into your social supports ~ this could be a best friend or two, family or your faith community. It’s important that you have a safe person/people to talk to about your struggles.
Talk therapy ~ seeing a counselor can be very helpful. They have a myriad of tools that will help you along this journey.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ~ one very popular approach to anxiety is to learn and practice cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT. In BC, we are able to access an incredible CBT psychoeducational program through our regular health care, you just have to ask your doctor about it and they will refer you. I would hope that these programs exist in other markets as well. If not, then Google it, you won’t regret it.
Practice mindfulness ~ this could include: breathing techniques, mindful walking, meditation, relaxation techniques and others.
Spend time in nature ~ whether it’s oceans or lakes or forests or fields, any time spent in nature is time well spent.
Move your body ~ exercise not only helps to keep your body healthy, it helps your mind too.
Reduce alcohol and other stimulants ~ it may feel like you’re helping to ease the discomfort by using substances but the effects are quite the opposite.
Eat well ~ eating healthfully will help to mitigate some of the effects of anxiety.

Have you noticed that a lot of what’s listed above fits nicely into overall self-care? All of these steps will help you to feel better overall. And remember to celebrate every little step that you take in this journey. Even if it’s hard sometimes, there’s always something to celebrate.