Coping with Change - Anxiety. Insights Counseling, Ottawa, Ontario

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is related to Worry. “Worry” is the tendency to “fret” about the things that are making us stressed, So anxiety is related to stress, and reflects our level of confidence in coping with dealing with our stressors. We mentally replay the same anxious thoughts and “what ifs” over and over. We “ruminate” and even worry about worrying. Compton's Dictionary defines worry, in part, as: 1. to feel troubled or uneasy; make anxious; distress -- 2. To feel distressed in the mind; be anxious, troubled, or uneasy (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia © 1998 The Learning Company, Inc.).

Anxiety is an inner feeling of apprehension, uneasiness, concern, worry and/or dread that is accompanied by heightened physical arousal. The threats can be real or imagined. It has its roots in the “fight or flight” aspect of our biological make-up.

A certain amount of anxiety is quite normal and actually helps to protect us by putting us on guard against those things that would - or could - harm us. Anxiety is normal, logical and rational, when it is in response to a real threat or situational danger -like being drafted when a war is on or facing your fiancé's family for the first time. In all cases of “Normal Anxiety” the fear and apprehension never come to the point where it prevents us from functioning.

But anxiety is abnormal when it is of such intensity that it prevents us from going about our day-to-day affairs. It is not normal or healthy when it jeopardizes our schooling, our jobs and our family life. Abnormal Anxiety is fear that is out of control and out of proportion to the reality of the perceived threat (the elephant and mouse syndrome). When we put life on hold or live each day with a constant knot in the pitof our stomach then we have an Anxiety Disorder and a problem.

Anxiety Cccurs in Two Forms

Trait Anxiety

Is both biological and psychological in nature giving rise to a persistent ever-present, ingrained emotional tension. It often causes physical illness to manifest because the body cannot function effectively when it remains in a perpetual state of tension and arousal

Situational Anxiety

As the name implies - is specific to a given situation or environment. Whenever you find yourself in a similar stress inducing situation - such as writing an exam - you feel anxious (worried, tense, fretful).

Anxiety and the Body

Anxiety takes a toll on the body. Here are some typical warning signs that you may be under too much anxiety.

Heart palpitations.
Shortness of breath
Shaking and trembling for no apparent reason
Difficulty sleeping
Racing thoughts
Thoughts that you are losing your grip on reality or life is spiraling out of control.
Tense muscles; muscle aches and pain; back pains; and / or neck pains

Six ways of relieving Anxiety

1. Exercise —join a gym, take up jogging, engage in whatever activity you find is a healthy diversion from the anxiety of daily life. ( But, avoid the pitfall of adding this to you “list of must do's” , resulting in adding to your stress - and hence to your anxiety)

2. Journal — Jounal your anxious thoughts and use a self-monitoring rating technique where you rate your anxious feelings on a scale of 1 (no anxiety) to 10 (Extremely Anxious).

3. Go for walks — preferably somewhere quiet. Take time to enjoy nature. Feel the grass, touch the trees, breath in the air.

4. Learn to meditate — This word worries some in the Christian community as they associate it with mysticism. However in therapeutic parlance, it means simply to RELAX and turn one's mind away from the mental 'To Do lists' and ponder the pleasantries and wonders of Life. Reflect on your inner-self and question why certain things make you anxious. Listen to your own inner dialogue: what you're telling your self about your abilities to cope with what makes you stressed and anxious (or worried).

5. Learn to Prioritize — Learn to prioritize and learn to say NO to unreasonable demands.