Anxiety is more than feeling stressed or worried. It is
excessive and unrealistic feelings of worry and/or dread about a number of
different things that occur more days than not for at least six months.
Signs of anxiety are:
Restless, feeling keyed up or on edge
Irritability
Being easily fatigued
Difficulty concentrating or when your mind goes blank
Sleep disturbance
Muscle tension
One in seven people experiences an anxiety disorder during their life.
What can be done?
There is a range of treatments to help people with anxiety learn how to control
the condition. Medication, counselling and learning more about anxiety and the
body’s fear response may help. Recovery from anxiety is quicker with support
and treatment. You might like to try some relaxation and monitoring apps.
See https://eapassist.com.au/wellness-apps/
What help is there?
Connect with others. Loneliness and isolation can trigger or worsen anxiety
while talking about your worries face to face can often make them seem less
overwhelming. Make it a point to regularly meet up with friends, join a
self-help or support group, or share your worries and concerns with a trusted
loved one. If you don’t have anyone you can reach out to, it’s never too late
to build new friendships and a support network.
Manage stress. If your stress levels are through the roof, stress management
can help. Look at your responsibilities and see if there are any you can give
up, turn down, or delegate to others.
Practice relaxation techniques. When practised regularly relaxation techniques
such as mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and deep
breathing can reduce anxiety symptoms and increase feelings of relaxation and
emotional well-being.
Exercise regularly. Exercise is a natural stress buster and anxiety reliever.
To achieve the maximum benefit, aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise
on most days (broken up into short periods if that’s easier). Rhythmic activities
that require moving both your arms and legs are especially effective. Try
walking, running, swimming, martial arts, or dancing.
Get enough sleep. A lack of sleep can exacerbate anxious thoughts and feelings,
so try to get seven to nine hours of quality sleep a night.
Be smart about caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. If you struggle with anxiety,
you may want to consider reducing your caffeine intake or cutting it out
completely. Similarly, alcohol can also make anxiety worse. And while it may
seem like cigarettes are calming, nicotine is actually a powerful stimulant
that leads to higher, not lower, levels of anxiety.
Put a stop to chronic worrying. Worrying is a mental habit you can learn how to
break. Strategies such as creating a worry period, challenging anxious
thoughts, and learning to accept uncertainty can significantly reduce worry and
calm your anxious thoughts.
For Anxiety Management Programs see: https://eapassist.com.au/digital/