Anxiety
Everyone feels anxious at some point in their lives.
Whether they are under a lot of stress at work, in a bad relationship, or
simply having troubles dealing with their responsibilities, each of us has
had a moment where we began to worry. This reaction is something that we
all share on a day to day basis, but for some, it's not something that's
normal or easy to get a handle on. For those, as well as the rest of us,
we need to think about managing our anxiety instead of simply responding
to it.
Isn't Anxiety Normal?
There are a lot of good reasons why we become anxious when under stress.
For example, when we are put into a life threatening situation, the stress
activates our flight or flight response so that we can protect ourselves
or someone else. Anxiety helps us to realize when things area going the
way they should be and when we need to start looking for other answers or
solutions.
But not all anxiety is normal. Being worried is something we can rarely
avoid, but being worried about things we can not control can often begin
to control us as people. These kinds of worriers will often be paralyzed
by fears of things that might happen, causing them to be unable to function
in everyday society. This is 'bad' anxiety.
Instead of just thinking that you have to live with your anxiety levels
- no matter how high or low they are - you can take three steps to begin
to manage your stress levels and get on with your life.
Key #1: Find Out the Cause
Nailing down the cause of your anxiety shouldn't stress you out. In truth,
there are probably hundreds of things that make you anxious on a daily basis.
But to start to recognize the triggers for your anxiety reactions, you will
need to make some sort of list of the things that you do feel worried about.
Try to keep this list short, focusing on the things that make you worried
right now at this particular moment. This will help you understand what
you can and what you can not actually change in your life.
For example, if you notice that you are worried about the number of hours
you are working each week, you can start to take steps to shorten your work
time. If you notice that you are worried about that promotion you're up
for at work, you might not be able to do anything about the decision that
will be made.
Key #2: Daily Habits Make the Difference
In fact, it might be a good idea for you to write down the things that worry
you each night before you go to bed. This can help you to sort of lay your
fears to rest so that you can relax and recuperate from your day. It might
also help you to figure out what you can and can not do in response.
Eating right and exercising have also been shown to be effective in the
management of anxiety, as they help the body stay balanced. When you're
malnourished and sedentary, it can be more difficult for your body to fight
off the effects of stress. You will also want to make sure you are resting
during the day and sleeping at night to further reduce your levels of anxiety.
Key #3: Know When to Ask for Help
When you find that your anxiety is beginning to affect the way you live,
you need to start looking for professional help to assist you. This might
take the form of a therapist or a psychiatrist. These professionals can
help you figure out what steps you need to take to calm your life down and
to help you get a handle on your anxiety.
If you would like to talk about anxiety
call Dan
Pippinger at:
(360) 779-7921
or e-mail me at
dan@restorationcounseling.us
1040 Hostmark St.; suite 100D
Poulsbo, WA 98110
My office is easy to find located in the Olympic Place Building in Poulsbo
and convenient to Bainbridge Island, Kingston and Silverdale.
Directions
