Table of Contents
- Symptoms
- Causes
- How to Prevent Anxiety?
Anxiety is the brain’s natural way of responding to stress. It could be explained as a combination of mixed feelings like worrying, over thinking, stress or nervousness. Anxiety helps maintain alertness and prepares us to be attentive of potential dangerous situations, which can be helpful. Occasional anxiety is common and a normal part of life. However, if you experience anxiety more frequently, and it interferes with your daily life activities, you may benefit from professional help.
Symptoms:
Anxiety symptoms could differ depending on the person experiencing it and their individual mental history. However, some common symptoms of anxiety are:
- Sweating
- Panic
- Racing heart
- Fear
- Uneasiness/Restlessness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Uneasy breathing
- Cold/numb hands & feet
- Over-thinking
- Lack of focus
- Having negative thoughts
Causes:
Anxiety can have a variety of causes, some of which may be due to mental health conditions, physical conditions, side effects of medications/drugs, and challenging situations and events. Some common causes of anxiety are:
- Stress
- Work/school stress
- Financial stress
- Relationship stress
- Trauma
- Identity/cultural concerns
- Global crisis
- Medical illness
- Drug withdrawal
- Societal expectations
- Genetics
- Fears/phobias
How to Prevent Anxiety?
- Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth.
- Relaxation Techniques:
- These are a great tool that can be utilized right away and on a daily basis to help with your symptoms. An example of a relaxation technique is given below. Take a seat and close your eyes. Take a deep breath through your nose, expanding your belly like a balloon. Hold the breath there for a few seconds, and then slowly exhale through your mouth. Repeat 5 times.
- Going for a 15 minute fast-paced walk outside to relax your mind and body.
- See a Psychologist.
- Talk about your problems in a safe space.
- Eating a healthy diet.
For support in dealing with anxiety, book your appointment with our psychologist Harleen Warring today!
